A Whole Lot of Coffee & a Few Thoughts

I once read a book by Jeff Goins titled, " The In-Between: Embracing the Tension Between Now and the Next Big Thing: A Spiritual Memoir" . A short book, maybe only 120 pages or so but one of the most impactful reads I've ever had the pleasure of taking up. The whole idea of this book places a target on the idea of always trying to get to the next big thing in our lives. As humans, we absolutely suck at being in the moment. I mean, even now, I sit in Starbucks typing away at my laptop while listening to music. For most, quiet and stillness is scary. We're always looking for the next step, instead of really hunkering down where we're at in life.  I wish I could put a target on when this phenomenon started in my own life but as I look back, it has always been there. When I was a kid, I couldn't wait to become a teenager so I could drive and get away from what I thought was my parent's unfair rules. When I became a teenager, I couldn't wait to gradua...

"Sometimes even to live is an act of courage"                                              "Addiction is the only prison where the locks are on the inside." "Numbing the pain for a while will make it worse when you finally feel it."  "It feels like everyone else is moving on with their lives while I am stuck here in this hole that I can't climb out of." According to SAMHSA , the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, an estimated 43.6 million adults in the USA have to fight the daily struggle of a mental illness. Another 20.2 million adults abuse substances. Out of these two HUGE numbers, 7.9 million people are estimated to go through the living hell of both struggling through a mental illness and abusing substances. Yet, this isn't talked about near the amount it should be in our country. As a whole, we have forgotten and/or jus...

I heard it said once that time and life are both like flowing rivers. You can get out and get back in but the water you touched once, you will never touch again. Though it is the same river, it will never be the same water. I knew moving back to South Carolina was going to be a transition of sorts. I knew that even when I left, time kept moving. I knew home wouldn't be the same place I left. After being here for a week now, I must say I grossly underestimated how much I had actually changed as well as the place I called home for most of my life. Two words: Culture Shock. I never once in my life expected to experience culture shock when it came to the place I consider home. I lived here for almost 22 years, how much could have changed in the last two years? Yes, I have experienced this type of mental confusion and indifference a couple of times before when it came to my world travels but this time was different. This time, I was humbled by the fact that I had to admit ...

We're Moving To South Carolina! We always knew that we would move back closer to family once we were ready to start a family. Jenn and I both thought that move would come in another 2-3 years but the Lord seems to have other plans. With recent uprootings of sorts, we both felt the Lord calling us back to the East Coast, specifically South Carolina. We will be closer to both of our families and will  be able to put some roots down.  I know with this announcement, there are going to be questions. I hope to do my  best in trying to answer the ones I've heard so far. Question #1: Why are you moving? I thought you loved Colorado   We do absolutely love Colorado and this beautiful state will always be a part of our story. We fell in love here and got engaged here . Just because we are moving doesn't mean that something went wrong. We took time to pray and process through this move. In fact, we could easily stay here and settle down but we feel the Lord t...

Yes, I know its not technically a full week yet but close enough. He who finds a good wife, finds what is good and receives favor from the Lord                                                                                                                   Proverbs 18:22 As many, nay, almost all of you, know I married the woman of my dreams on November 6th, 2015. It was everything we've dreamed of and more. Just thinking ab...

Let me paint the picture for you. The year was 2013, it was around the beginning of April and I had just made a decision to move across the country to Colorado with a group of people that I barely knew. I had scheduled a meeting with Ernest Smith, the guy who would become the Pastor of the church we were moving out west to plant.   I nervously walked into the Starbucks on Long Point Road and waiting anxiously for Ernest to arrive. I remember wearing my Georgia t-shirt because I knew Ernest was a fellow Bulldog fan and I wanted so bad to impress him. I guess I was scared of him rejecting me or something, I'm not sure. I'm sure I ordered some sort of macchiato because thats my go to drink at the 'Bucks. As I got my drink, I sat down and internally processed my decision and everything that it would mean.  When Ernest arrived and sat down, I told him about how the Lord placed it on my heart to be a part of the move out to Colorado. He actually made a comment...