On the list of men who had the most influence on my life as a young man, my father is at the top. Just behind him are my mom’s seven brothers. As a child, I saw these men as a living, breathing team of superheroes! They were The Magnificent Seven, The Avengers, The Justice League! … Continue reading A Few Words About My Uncle Vincent
I did not watch last night’s Academy Awards show live, but when my social media feeds began to sizzle with news of the altercation between Chris Rock and Will Smith, I quickly went to YouTube to see it for myself. What I saw both shocked and saddened me. What should have been a night to … Continue reading People Need Kindness and Compassion When They Mess Up
I love when God uses the world around me to illustrate his Word in extravagant color. In Matthew 18, Jesus says, “I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven.So anyone who becomes as humble as this little child … Continue reading Sometimes Kids Say the Most Amazing Things
Sunday, I asked my wife out for a movie date. After the busyness of a full weekend of travel and ministry, I thought it would be a great way to wind down before Monday made its way back around. Going to the movie theater for a show on the big screen is one of my … Continue reading Get the Whole Story
There's a story about my wife I share with people and today, I thought I would share it here because it has been on my mind lately in my sermon preparation time. If you've heard it before, bear with me. My wife and I were married on a blazing hot Friday afternoon in Las Vegas, … Continue reading Surround Yourself With Good People
The first month of 2022 is already behind us! The hustle and bustle of the holiday season quickly moved into the work of re-establishing old routines and creating some new ones. I started the year with some specific goals, and I believe an important part of reaching these goals is having some accountability for my … Continue reading 2022 Goal Update: January
Hindsight, as the saying goes, is 20/20. I believe it. As I look back over my life, one of the things I can see is the way God has used events and circumstances in my life to prepare me for ministry. For example, as a pastor, I am often called to hospitals to visit someone … Continue reading Standing By Vacated Tents
I first made the shift from New Year’s resolutions to goals in 2020! I was on the right track and then, well…2020 happened. The goals I set morphed into three subsets of one big goal: SURVIVE! The subsets looked something like this: 1. Don’t get COVID-19. 2. Don’t fail any of the classes I was … Continue reading Goals: The 2022 Edition
I did it! On December 11, 2021, I graduated with my master’s degree in Theological Studies from Gateway Seminary. It has taken a lot of time and effort, and it’s been the reason this blog has been on hiatus. I had the honor of briefly sharing the story of my journey to obtain my degree … Continue reading I Graduated…Finally!!
“Whoever spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is diligent to discipline him.” - Proverbs 13:24 My dad has a lot of great stories. One that he’s told me many times and has stuck with me throughout my life is about his brief participation in the Watts Riots of 1965. Long story … Continue reading A Father’s Discipline
The Stray Shepherd 