December 01, 2020

 If you are a mom, dad, grandparent or designated instructor in your home right now because your kid’s school is meeting virtually, I feel your pain.

November 24, 2020

 One thing we can all agree upon wherever you are today, the lives we are living in 2020 need refreshing.

November 17, 2020

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November 10, 2020

I will make your name famous from now on, and you will be praised forever and ever.”  Psalm 45:17 CEV 

November 03, 2020

I live in a rural area surrounded by a lot of narrow, curvy roads.

October 27, 2020

Connie and I have friends who have been traveling in their RV through several states out West.

October 20, 2020

For months now I have been sharing on social media daily stories with positive vibes.

October 13, 2020

 If you are a proud parent or grandparent, you likely have the photo archived somewhere. 

October 06, 2020

 This morning as the sun was rising, I jogged around our small country road for about thirty minutes.

September 29, 2020

 Recently, while going through old pockets and zippers in a laptop case from years ago,  I rediscovered a little nugget of truth from a book written by author, Jim Cymbala.

September 22, 2020

Recently, while walking down the sidewalk at The Square strip mall where Journey Church resides, I had a revelation of sorts.

September 15, 2020

If you are like me, you’ve found yourself looking for some really effective hand lotion the last few months.

September 08, 2020

 What should you do if the lights were to go out suddenly in your house?

September 01, 2020

Everyone I know is talking about 2020 being possibly the craziest year ever.

August 18, 2020

When I finally put my phone down for a second, I begin to notice things; things I was missing before.

August 11, 2020

About an hour ago I had a pleasant surprise while sitting at my desk.

August 04, 2020

 The next time you have the opportunity to sit across the table from one of our three adult children, ask them to tell you about our infamous, marathon road trips each Christmas. 

July 28, 2020

My wife is still going through boxes of photos. So far she has put together graduation photo albums for grandkids.

July 21, 2020

How are you guys doing? What have you found that is helpful during these COVID-19 times?

July 14, 2020

 God is good; His blessings are big and small. We have been given taste buds for a reason.

July 07, 2020

 Basically the Bible teaches that insiders and outsiders, those who practice traditional religion and those who don’t, are in the same boat.

June 30, 2020

Until you have personally experienced something for yourself, it will be nearly impossible to explain to others why they should try it.

June 23, 2020

 Our news is supercharged like a vicious lightning storm with major stories of sickness and unrest in the world.

June 16, 2020

 Each time I get my oil changed at an auto mechanic shop, I can’t help but marvel at the tools on display.

June 09, 2020

 Without a 2020 college basketball champion crowned in March/April and the NBA season still in a holding pattern, plus no baseball spring season, I’ve fallen on hard times.

June 02, 2020

 How are you doing? As we begin to recover and reopen after the COVID-19 shutdown, how is your mental state of mind?

May 26, 2020

 Memorial Day weekend marked the reopening of in-person worship services for many places in America. 

May 19, 2020

 I am not sure what your experience has been over the last couple of months during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

May 12, 2020

I just read about an author who was born in South Korea but grew up in America in a single-parent home with his mom.

May 05, 2020

 With conversations moving toward reopening our world, churches and business are wondering what guidelines will be needed next.

April 28, 2020

 I recently finished Ecclesiastes as a part of my daily Bible reading.

April 21, 2020

 On my way home for lunch today, I ran into a local grocery to grab some jugs of drinking water. 

April 14, 2020

Last night as I walked through the kitchen I noticed all the pictures spread out over the table.

April 07, 2020

With the coronavirus (COVID-19) spreading worldwide, everyone is searching for helpful medical information on prevention.

March 31, 2020

Did you watch the live on-air special on ABC? On March 4, daredevil Nik Wallenda successfully walked across a tightrope in Nicaragua, 1,800 feet in the air.

March 24, 2020

 When I was a new Christian and just learning how to follow Jesus, I began to pray for things. I got my cues from other people who seemed to pray a lot.

March 17, 2020

Recently my coworker, Bryan Martinez, was explaining a discovery he had made regarding gasoline. His car had been in numerous mechanic shops for sputtering issues.

March 10, 2020

We say it all the time – Everybody has a story. It really is true; everyone we pass each day is dealing with important details, unknown circumstances, and private hardships. 

March 03, 2020

People have always felt pressure from the culture around them. Today, everyone I know is feeling the strain. Are you prepared for the battle? 

February 25, 2020

How do you feel when a police officer pulls you over, but then lets you off with a warning and a stern, “just slow down”? Your heart is racing as you see those flashing lights in your rear view mirror. You’re thinking to yourself, “I didn’t need this today.” But after the standard greeting and request for driver’s license and proof of insurance, he simply lets you go, saying, “Have a nice day!”

February 18, 2020

The sports industry uses numbers to predict likely winners and losers. How do you do it? How do you make important decisions when it’s time to choose between one or the other? Do you look at the numbers or go with your gut?

February 11, 2020

   This morning as I came to the office the ground was still frozen from the night before. 

February 04, 2020

 Years ago, Connie and I were on a youth ministry trip with a bunch of teenagers in Colorado. We suddenly found ourselves stranded with a broken-down church van in the wilderness. 

January 28, 2020

I’m ashamed to admit that as a career pastor/teacher, I sometimes do not practice great listening. It’s not intentional. I have read many times the biblical instruction, “Be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry” James 1:19 NLT. I would just like to say: If I’ve ever offended you or cut you off mid-sentence, I apologize.

January 21, 2020

Wow, to be a kid again. Remember dear old mom trying to get you to eat all those colorful foods?

January 14, 2020

 This is the time of year everyone begins filling up their calendars with important events for the coming months. 

January 07, 2020

 Are you the one? Were you the kid who always got sick riding in the back seat of the family car? 

December 31, 2019

 Christmas is a few days away. There is rushing, shopping and final plans for festive parties everywhere. 

December 24, 2019

 As 2020 approaches, we hope your dreams and aspirations for the new year have you filled with excitement.

December 17, 2019

 This is not intended to be an exhaustive discussion on the modern church. 

December 10, 2019

 I assaulted myself! That’s the punchline, but let me give you the backstory.

December 03, 2019

 Last weekend the movie, “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood,” starring Tom Hanks as Fred Rogers, was released in theaters everywhere.

November 26, 2019

My hat is off to you if you work in retail. In small towns and major cities across the U.S. we are approaching the busiest shopping time of the year.

November 19, 2019

 Have you noticed that Thanksgiving is a week later this year?

November 12, 2019

 Did you vote? Kentucky is electing a governor today and I just left the polling place.

November 05, 2019

 Frankly, it’s hard to have a meal with anyone on a regular basis these days. 

October 29, 2019

There are better ways to disagree than just being angry. Global conflicts between nations and factions are on display each day. What we observe online and on TV is normally brutal and deadly.

October 22, 2019

 Recently I did a system update on my laptop. My laptop is well past its prime, but it still works and the updates so far have installed successfully. 

October 15, 2019

You’ve all probably heard the expression, “Absence makes the heart grow fonder.”

October 08, 2019

 Are you a hearty breakfast sort of person or is juice and coffee just fine with you?

October 01, 2019

 Have you noticed the days getting shorter and the nights longer? Today is October 1st and the change of seasons is happening all around us.

September 24, 2019

Lots of popular college and NFL football teams lost this past weekend. Both of my favorite teams lost, and I can imagine some of yours did also.

September 17, 2019

 Besides extended vacations, weekend trips and sleeping late, what else did you do this summer? 

September 10, 2019

If you’ve got electrical problems, don’t ask me because I don’t know. 

September 03, 2019

My bank sent me an email saying it was time to update my information. It seems like every day I receive notices from someone wanting my updated information.

August 27, 2019

As we turned the corner I noticed out of the corner of my eye the oddest thing. While riding through the city in the passenger seat of my son’s car, I saw a homeless man lying in the crook of a tree.

August 20, 2019

Connie and I are in San Francisco with our son, daughter-in-law and their two children. Our new grandson, Oslo Ethan Duncan, is a couple weeks old and finding his way around in a brand new world each day.

August 13, 2019

This morning I was sitting on a bench out front at Journey when a pickup truck pulled into the parking lot. 

August 06, 2019

My wife is a lifelong piano teacher. Some of you reading this today have sat next to her on the piano bench as one of her students. She enjoys what she does and the students are quick to learn when they practice, practice, practice. Currently, Connie is teaching Sophie, the five-year-old daughter of our Chinese neighbors. They own a popular restaurant just a few doors down from Journey Church.

July 30, 2019

Connie is at home preparing garden-fresh green beans for our next meal. Our Amish neighbors are providing fresh summer vegetables for everyone at very reasonable prices. 

July 23, 2019

For the last ten days or so, Kentucky has been having August-like weather in June. The rain dried up and the heat and humidity have taken over. 

July 16, 2019

What is it about people? For the first six months of life, we are asking others to meet our every human need. Our parents respond to each whimper and whim we might have. Suddenly, almost overnight, we’re capable of deciding for ourselves whether or not we’re hungry, sleepy, or want to get along and cooperate with mom and dad. From that moment forward, help may be given, but we may make a fuss; we want help on our own terms.

July 09, 2019

Last night the Toronto Raptors defeated the Golden State Warriors in the deciding game six of the NBA championship, winning their first ever NBA title. Serious fans are probably still celebrating in Canada this morning. While I enjoy basketball on every level, the NBA is not my favorite league. I went to bed at halftime and checked the sports news this morning to see the final score.  

July 02, 2019

The obvious things people misplace like cell phones, TV remotes, sunglasses and car keys are just some of the things often hard to find. In our busyness, these sorts of things slip behind a pillow or get left on a table and are hidden from sight. It can be quite frustrating to lay something aside and not be able to put your hands on it quickly.  

June 25, 2019

I am sitting in a restaurant listening to music. I have an iced coffee and bite to eat. It’s my favorite way to think and write. No one else is around and I have the place to myself for a few minutes. I just noticed a sign hanging above the food bar which reads, “Welcome.”  This feels like a place I could return to. 

June 18, 2019

Yard work and landscaping is pretty hard to keep up with in the spring and early summer where we live. If you get behind for even a week or so you are in trouble. Things that are naturally hard to get rid of once they take hold, like weeds and briars, begin to take over.  

June 11, 2019

What parent or grandparent can’t recall hearing during a moment of doling out discipline, “That’s not fair!” Looking back on my own childhood after all these years, my parents have become a lot wiser in my eyes for sure. How did they do it?

June 04, 2019

Hey, can we talk just for a moment? If we both were chatting in a cofee shop right

now, here’s what I would want to share with you: “The most important things in life, are not things!” In a world overfowing with divisive ideas, what if we began our talk with something that holds the promise of more unity?

May 28, 2019

Our Mother’s Day weekend at Journey Church may have been one of our fnest ever. The

planning, preparation and prayers by our fantastic volunteers and staf resulted in a really exceptional experience for everyone. Several people gave us immediate positive feedback. If I were to summarize how things went, I might borrow a line from our youth minister, Bryan Martinez, after he watched the Marvel movie Avengers: Endgame – “It exceeded my expectations.”

May 21, 2019

My military experience ruined me forever. Everywhere we went and everything we did during

basic training was in large groups. Often as many as fve hundred soldiers were herded into an areatowait.Itwasalwaysthesame:“hurryupandwait.”WhenIwasdischargedfrommymilitary service, I knew that from then on, long lines and waiting were not for me.

May 14, 2019

The 2019 Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs is now only a few days away. It is frequently called “The Most Exciting Two Minutes In Sports.” If you live in Minnesota you may not even know there is a horse race the first Saturday of May every year. If you live in Kentucky it is the thing talked about year ’round. 

May 07, 2019

When I asked my youth minister what he thought of the highly anticipated Marvel movie, Avengers: Endgame, he said, “It exceeded my expectations!” Apparently most of the Marvel Comics movie world would agree.

April 30, 2019

Maybe you’ve already heard about this. It was on ABC News and posted on KLOVE’s website a couple days ago. “You probably know a lack of sleep can impact your work performance the next day. But did you know by how much? A study published in the Journal Sleep Health says missing out on just 16 minutes of sleep can affect your job performance the next day.”

April 23, 2019

This morning as I left for the office it was 37 degrees. A cold front blew into the area all day yesterday. After enjoying temperatures in the 70s for a while, this felt like being transported to the Arctic.

April 16, 2019

Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived, once said, “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven.” Ecclesiastes 3:1 NIV. Throughout the rest of the chapter Solomon lays out how there is a right time for everything. Clearly, if we believe in the God of the Bible as the creator of everything, we must believe that He has a plan for everything!

April 09, 2019

I know a lot of people. Maybe you do, too. When I was in grade school I knew every person by name who rode my school bus. Years later, while overseas with the military, I knew the home city or state of every soldier I was serving with. But knowing people is not the same as having friendships; friendships are much harder. 

April 02, 2019

It’s Friday in the office. I packed a gym bag when I left the house this morning. In a few minutes I am going to the YMCA and putting work to bed for the day. A lot of people hate running on a treadmill. There is no trophy at the end of the run, or spectators cheering from sidelines, for sure. It is just step after step after step until you complete whatever distance you chose. 

March 26, 2019

This week well-known celebrity parents were outed for paying money under the table to get their children admitted into elite American universities. Students who worked hard for a shot at admission but were turned down are outraged. At the time of writing of this column the whole admissions scandal is just beginning to unravel. I can imagine the ripple effect this will have going forward on sports, education, and leadership. More names will be named and schools identified.   

March 19, 2019

One of the longest running weekly TV shows in America, “America’s Funniest Home Video,” debuted in 1990. Several hosts have come and gone during the show’s tenure. The weekly spectacle features amateur videos that are submitted by ordinary people like you and me. The incidents and mishaps often involve pets and children and slapstick humor. Hoping to win cash prizes, many viewers are committed to sharing their unintentionally painful experiences.   

March 12, 2019

I just bought a latte at a local coffee shop. The girl behind the counter who fixed my drink is a friend. She is a twenty-something I met at a different coffee shop about three years ago. It was during a bad time in her life; a boyfriend had beaten her up pretty badly. She came to work with a black eye. I gave her a Journey Church card and told her to let us know if there was anything we could do. 

March 05, 2019

Are you an open-minded person? Is it easy for you to change your mind about something? I think this is an important question for all of us most days. How often do you get stuck with an idea in your head and just can’t seem to let it go? 

February 26, 2019

I just opened another email about a popular church-leader conference in California. The tickets are going fast and today is the last day to get discounted seats. I would love to be on the West Coast for a few days enjoying warmer weather. But alas, the cost for airfare, hotel, food and registration is not in the Journey budget.

February 12, 2019

This afternoon the news broke that a short-term agreement had been reached on the record-setting government shutdown. Both political parties have apparently agreed to fund federal workers through February 15th and continue negotiating border security.  

February 05, 2019

The sun is shining this morning and the temperature is quickly rising. It’s up to 27

degrees now after starting out the day near single digits. Winter Storm Harper shut down many fights and stranded travelers throughout the Northeast over the weekend. In Kentucky we only got frigid cold with ice and a few inches of snow. It could have been a lot worse. 

January 29, 2019

Do you have a plan? Have you read a book or watched a movie that inspired you to do

something? Have you bumped into a person that shared their plan, motivating you to fnd their own plan? If you answered yes to any or all of these probing wuestions, I have another question. 

January 22, 2019

 If you are an Alabama college football fan, this morning you must be in full meltdown.

That was quite a beat down by Clemson in the national championship game. Congrats to

Clemson fans and condolences to everyone in Alabama. Celebrations and sadness are all

part of this experience in life.

January 15, 2019

The lady sitting at the next table eating her salad is a regular. She eats lunch nearly every day in the same restaurant as me. We sometimes share stories about grandkids. Today she said to me, “I’ve lost my New Year’s mojo for this diet.” She tossed what was left of her salad into the trash and finished off lunch with dessert. I’m guessing no more salads for a couple of days; she’s pretty burned out on diets. 

January 08, 2019

A New Year’s Day Bowl in Orlando against Penn State is a big deal for the University of Kentucky football fans. The school has not made an appearance in a better bowl game on New Year’s day since 1999. Also, this is just the second New Year’s Day appearance for UK since 1951. If #14 Kentucky can knock off #12 Penn State it will give the UK football team ten victories and a perfect way to ring in the New Year. Go Cats. 

January 01, 2019

A few week ago Journey replaced the old carpet in our back rooms and kids space. The carpet was weathered from years of spills, stains and foot traffic. Some of you donated toward this much-needed renovation project. Thank you for your kindness and helping us upgrade our appearance for 2019. 

December 26, 2018

A topic that continues to be of interest for everyone is our personal privacy in this connected age. Just last week a national news story revealed that our smart phones are listening to our conversations even when the SIM card is removed and the device is turned off. Once the phone is turned on again, stored information is available for marketers to use to tailor ads that are based on things that had been discussed.

December 18, 2018

I was just at a coffee shop where a customer left without getting his drink. The gentleman had been in line behind me. The drink he ordered needed to be brewed and was taking longer than normal. Meanwhile, business as usual carried on around him. This is where things began to fall apart. When his drink still wasn’t ready after ten minutes or so had passed, the customer returned to the counter to investigate.

December 11, 2018

Sadly, I am hanging out in the waiting area of the auto mechanic again. I am sharing stories with other repair-fatigued travelers.

December 04, 2018

Who hasn’t experienced this moment in their car? You’re driving along, humming a familiar song, when a loud horn burst suddenly interrupts the broadcast, followed by these words: “This is a test. This station is conducting a test of the Emergency Broadcast System. This is only a test.”  

November 27, 2018

Why is it that the best tasting food is not good for you? Post-Thanksgiving and Pre-Christmas dinner there are calories to be consumed. Why in the world do sugary delights have to leave you loosening your belt and wearing stretchy pants? It hardly seems fair that bad habits are easier than good ones.    

November 20, 2018

It’s hardly fair. The clothing hanging in my closet is out of vogue way before it wears out. And isn’t it crazy how short the shelf life of the latest smart phone before a new version is introduced?

November 13, 2018

Maybe the pay raise wasn’t what you had expected. Or maybe one of your children

under-performed and their report card was a big downer. Today is midterm election day in America. I’m sure later tonight a lot of people will feel like their candidate let them down. The things we value in life don’t always produce the results we desire; disappointing results sting. 

November 06, 2018

People can be wacky. We’re all guilty of it at times. Have you ever thought

about how quick we are to fnd something to criticize, but hardly ever offer a genuine compliment? Why is that? It seems the world over is made up of too many “Negative Nancies.”  

October 30, 2018

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One of the things I enjoy about a place like Journey Community Christian Church is that a necessary decision is made quickly, without hesitation.  

October 23, 2018

Who hasn’t felt that frustration when their phone’s battery has expended all its juice, leaving us stranded and unable to communicate? If you have a smart phone running lots of apps, it is constantly discharging energy. When you’re on the road, you’ll likely spend some time searching for the nearest electrical outlet. Even though mobile charging stations are now more common, the premium seat in many airports continues to be the one next to the plug.   

October 16, 2018

Listening to sports talk radio this morning...the discussion was about how University of Kentucky football player Josh Allen has become a star. He was not recruited by any of the top schools. 

October 09, 2018

 An Indonesian teenager has been rescued. Did you hear the story? The headline read, “Teen rescued after 49 days adrift at sea on a floating fish trap.” 

January 01, 2020

  The calendar says fall officially arrives this year on Saturday, September 22nd. In just forty-eight hours we begin another season of the year. Several weeks ago in the middle of our summer I shared this thought: A formula for having good things happen over the remainder of the year are 1) Laugh more together 2) Eat more together 3) Get together more. I’m still sticking with that as the secret sauce of success for 2018.

September 25, 2018

Today is one of those Mondays. It is wet, chilly and there are dark skies all around. The sun has disappeared and frankly, it feels kind of depressing. As I drove to the office this morning with steady rain falling on the windshield I began to think about people along the East Coast recovering from Hurricane Florence. Can you imagine what it would be like to have four or five feet of water in your house right now? 

September 18, 2018

Have you ever had one of those discovery moments, where the fog clears away, the sun comes out and you can really see things? If you are like me there are a million things on your mind almost constantly, and after a while it’s like being in a fog. You’re not even sure which direction to step next. It can be frustrating and paralyzing. 

September 11, 2018

Have you ever had to file a formal complaint? Last week I was having a conversation with one of our strip mall neighbors, an Auto Zone employee. He was out on the sidewalk because it was hotter inside the building than it was outside. Kentucky was experiencing early fall-like weather with temperatures in the 60s overnight. It felt great outside.  

September 04, 2018

If you were in Lexington this week you saw it. The city has filled up once again with 30,000+ students starting the fall semester at the University of Kentucky. Restaurants were packed with hungry young people and there were more cars than usual downtown competing for open parking spaces. Parents were in town, too, making sure their kids were safely settled into dorms or apartments. 

August 28, 2018

There once was a speedy hare who bragged about how fast he could run. Tired of hearing him boast, Slow and Steady, the tortoise, challenged him to a race. All the animals in the forest gathered to watch. 

August 21, 2018

Who knew convenience was going to count so much in a person’s life today? I am across the street from Kroger picking up laundry. There is a line of cars waiting to pull into the designated “carry out” parking area. Kroger employees are pushing flat carts full of grocery sacks to the people in their cars. It’s a new option for grocery shoppers. Order from home and then drive through at the store for pick-up. I have to say, it does look like it would save a lot of time and hassle.

August 14, 2018

  Summer is winding down, school is back in session and people are getting ready to purchase season tickets for fall sports. Almost everybody I know has a favorite team they follow. If you are fortunate enough to have season tickets, I hope you have great seats, where you can cheer your team on all season long, up close and personal. 

August 07, 2018

I’m just going to put this out there. Weed eaters are demon possessed. They never start or run properly. All those bad words you forgot when you started going to church come rushing back to you when operating a weed eater. I feel much better now that I got that out in the open. My weed eater is not working, again.

July 31, 2018

Shortly after Connie and I got married, we moved to Texas, courtesy of the military. Our plans of staying in Cynthia in a rental house that belonged to the family vanished when my draft papers arrived. Suddenly we found ourselves thousands of miles away setting up an apartment with little money and few household items. But hey, as they say, we were newlyweds in love.