We’re back from H2O’s Spring Break trip to the Great Smoky Mountains! Fifty-four of us traveled from Ohio to Tennessee to learn and practice spiritual disciplines in the wilderness, like Moses, and Elijah, and John the Baptist, and countless others … Continue reading
I love the Cuyahoga Valley National Park (CVNP). I’ve come to know it as a place for exercise and rest. It’s a setting for fun with friends and family as well as spiritual solitude. It feels both very close and very … Continue reading
It starts with me and Elliot: a 40-year-old pastor and his 15-year-old son. We pull out of our driveway and head to the gas station to fuel up for the drive to our church’s men’s retreat. Before hitting the road, … Continue reading
I’m a slow reader, by nature. I like to absorb every word and thought, as much as possible. I appreciate the ways things are written: the language, the pacing, the artistic imagery. I prefer to be thorough, when I read … Continue reading
I spent yesterday afternoon introducing some young leaders to the idea of getting extended time with God in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. We had unseasonably warm and sunny weather, so that made the experience extra-pleasant. But honestly, I would … Continue reading
I cannot decide if these winter mornings are terribly beautiful or beautifully terrible. The air feels cleaner and more refreshing, but I’m not able to breathe it in as deeply. The light is low, still it’s not dark. Illumination seeps … Continue reading
The air temperature was a brisk 10° Fahrenheit. A light snow fell from the sky. The weather forecast called for a high of about 20° Fahrenheit and another inch of snow. But we were undaunted. We said, “We laugh in … Continue reading
December 15 The Cuyahoga Valley National Park has been a place of sanctuary for me throughout the busy Fall Semester. December 8 December 1 November 27 November 17 I’ve returned to park week after week to seek God and refocus myself … Continue reading
After I finished my first marathon — Canton’s Hall of Fame City Challenge — back in 2013, I started getting e-mails from their local running club, runCanton. On a whim, our family decided to sign up for their holiday-themed 5K: … Continue reading
Dear Olivia, Dear, oh dear! Happy Birthday, my dear! That word — “dear” — is really much more than a formality with you. You are genuinely dear to me: beloved, precious, treasured, special… You are dearly loved, Olivia! You’re my … Continue reading
