“Ik wil even me voorstellen:  Ik ben Eric…”

I’ve used this line hundreds of times—maybe even thousands of times—over the years since I first moved to the Netherlands in early 2003.  “Let me introduce myself:  I’m Eric…”  It’s not a very inventive or clever way of making someone’s acquaintance… but it works—and pragmatism is one of my unofficial core values.  Of course, after the standard introduction, one always has to dispense the inevitabilities of “Where do you come from?” (I’m an immigrant to northwestern Europe, by way of northwestern Ohio) and “What do you do for a living?” (I’m a pastor)… But we have these standard introductions and inevitabilities for a reason:  they lay the foundations for meaningful relationships—which just so happen to be another of my unofficial core values…

The most meaningful relationships in my life are concentrated within my family—my beautiful wife, Marci, and our three amazing children, Elliot, Olivia, and Cor.  We’re currently living in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, where I help to lead a church in the city center called Zolder50 which is actively seeking to bring the power and presence of Jesus to the city.

Prior to entering the world of full-time ministry, I worked in the video production industry for a number of years…  Maybe someday I’ll become a writer… But for now, I’m just me.  Eric.  Husband, father, friend, pastor, thinker, dreamer, American, Amsterdammer.  And that’s what this site is all about:  casual and critical observations on life, love, and faith, in the form of short form and photography.

Also, in case you didn’t figure it out from the preceding paragraphs, let it now and forever be stated that this is my personal site, and as such it reflects my observations, opinions, philosophies, rants, and so on. The views represented in this website do not necessarily reflect the views of God, Zolder50, Great Commission Ministries, Americans, Europeans, Christians, Asps, men, husbands, fathers, friends, pastors, thinkers, dreamers, writers, photographers… you get the idea.

At any rate, I’m glad to have you visiting this site.  I cannot promise perfection.  But please look around, leave your comments, share your thoughts on my thoughts, and come back to visit as often as you’d like.  Veel plezier…