Welcome...

I've thought about doing this several times but have never actually taken the time to set one up. I've tried the whole journal thing and I'm not very dedicated to it...we'll see how I do here.

So what made me decide to start a blog now? Let me tell you...

The last couple months I've thought a lot about journeys, especially my own life's journey. I'm not going to write out the whole long novel but the very abridged version goes like this: I spent the first 18 years of my life in Nashua, Iowa. I went to college at Luther College (aka Heaven on Earth...Go Norse!!) After college it took me to the Chicago-area. Five years later it brought me back to Iowa...West Des Moines to be exact. 5 months later, here I sit listening to news reports of the bitter cold winter going on just outside the walls of my house, wondering..."Why the heck did I stay in the midwest?" Suffice it to say, however, that I probably wouldn't be writing this if I weren't here in Iowa right now...funny how God works.

Hmmm...God. Now there's another rollercoaster of a journey. Again, like my life story I'll give you the very abridged version. In college I saw my faith grow exponentially. God and I were like "peas and carrots" (thanks Forrest Gump). So when I moved to Chicago I was on a spiritual high. When I left Chicago I was on a spiritual low. Interesting considering I spent 5 years in Chicago working as a Youth Director at a church. So without going into any details I'll just say it was not the most pleasant of experiences (but God still moved). I came back to Iowa hoping to get recharged, but not without taking some time off...it was time well spent.

After much encouragement from my friends and a relentless onslaught of invitations from my sister, I started going to church again. All I can say is...God is GOOD!! To all my new friends at the DTC...you guys are AWESOME!!

Anyway, right now I'm currently reading the book The Way of the Wild Heart by John Eldredge, which is conveniently subtitled "A Map for the Masculine Journey." Again...how does God do it? I've also begun the long and what looks to be like very difficult journey of training for my first triathlon this summer.

All of this combined together has brought me to this point of deciding to finally sit down and start a blog. I feel like God has brought me to this...crossroads in my life so I thought it would be a great way to catalog my journey and share my thoughts and experiences with anyone who cares. I hope you enjoy it!!