"Before I formed you in your mother's womb, I knew you." // A couple of years ago, my wife and I lost a baby to an ectopic pregnancy. We grieved the loss, and through the presence of God in the form of loving family and friends, a supportive church, and--most importantly--each other, we emerged on the other side of the pain whole. We were stronger together, stronger individually, and stronger in our faith. We agree now that though we'd never want to go through it again, we wo

As a pastor, I’ve been called upon many times to commemorate the life of a stranger at a funeral. It’s hard to explain why and how that happens. Ask your pastor to explain it to you.  As an artist, I’ve been called upon to do the same a few times–to create a piece that tells a life story of a person I’ve never met, so that people I will never know can reflect on it and say “Remember when…” “Oil Fields and Memory,” is one such piece. It tells the life story of a Texas oil engi

It’s hard to think of myself as 43. I don’t mind the getting older, it’s just that 43 sounds like a weird number. I’ve never been good at...

What have I learned? Am I someone who even has any wisdom to share? I’m not so sure. Whether this is wisdom or not, I’ll leave up to you...

Sometimes a year passes and a few things happen that overshadow everything else. It makes it feel like a year where the entire world...

"Mild, He lays His glories by, Born that we no more may die, Born to raise us from the earth, Born to give us second birth; Hark! The...

"I am waiting in a silent prayer, I am frightened by the load I bear; In a world as cold as stone, Must I walk this path alone? Be with...

“Blessed Joseph, Your heart is proven, And through you the Kingdom has come For God delights in a man of mercy, And has found an earthly...

"Shepherds, why this jubilee? Why your joyous strains prolong? What the gladsome tidings be? Which inspire your heavenly songs?" Almighty...

"Hark! The herald angels sing: 'Glory to the newborn king! Peace on earth and mercy mild; God and sinners reconciled.'" In the unlikely...

"So bring Him incense, gold and myrrh, Come, peasant, king, to own Him; The King of Kings, salvation brings, Let loving hearts enthrone...

"Glorious now behold him arise; King and God and sacrifice: Alleluia, Alleluia, sounds through the earth and skies." We'll never know...

"Overcome by innocence, My wisdom becomes foolishness Before the tiny babe Born to give himself away; So led by light of a star sweetly...

"Herod the king, in his raging, Chargèd he hath this day His men of might in his own sight: All young children to slay." The arrival of...

Here a king without a mountain, No chariot to come to Him, Lean in close now and listen: "Prepare the golden diadem!” And I hear the...

O come, O come, Immanuel, and ransom captive Israel that mourns in lonely exile here until the Son of God appear. Rejoice! Rejoice!...

I confess that it is the cynic whose objections tend to make me roll my eyes the most; in writing this, I’ve had to keep on guard against...

This week, I turned 40 years old. For a while, 40 will seem old to you, and then one day you'll be 40 and you won't think that anymore. I...

Goodness gracious, I am forty years old today. I try to remember what 40 looked like to me ten years ago, twenty years ago, thirty years...

“Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen.” Luke 24:5-6 In all of human history, in all the great men and...