In 2000, I joined a church-planting team in Tokyo. For two years, I struggled with a difficult team leader, wanting many times to give up and go home. During this challenging season, I wrestled with w...  Read More

Simone Biles had been a decorated gymnast for nearly her whole life, leading up to the Tokyo Olympics in 2020. I still remember hearing the shocking news that she was withdrawing from the team and all...  Read More

When I was younger – and in much better shape – I used to go on solo backpacking trips in the Sierra mountains.  I would scour the map for a remote lake nestled in a forest and get away for a few days...  Read More

I don’t like soccer. Both my boys played soccer in kindergarten, and from that sport I learned a little bit about their personality and competitiveness. Soccer was explained to both my boys the same w...  Read More

Over the years I’ve hiked all over Yosemite, and there’s nothing more exhilarating than reaching the top of a majestic summit and gazing out on the wonderful world beneath me.This is what I think abou...  Read More

Merriam-Webster’s definition of patience is the capacity to endure delays, trouble, or suffering calmly and without complaint. It is the emotional ability to remain self-possessed and avoid becoming a...  Read More