Posts with the tag “church-kcmo”

Several weeks ago, our oldest son decided he’s done living a “normal” life.He’s on a quest now.Not like “clean your room” quest…but real quests, exploring, discovering, making memories ?.And honestly,...  Read More

Kansas City weather has a sense of humor. The kind where you start wondering if the Lord has assigned a group of angels to rotate random weather settings just to keep us humble.A few days ago, I was o...  Read More

I don’t love running. There, I said it. My lungs usually scream in protest, my legs beg me to stop, and I spend most of the run wondering why I ever thought this was a good idea.But about five minutes...  Read More

Growing up, my family was firmly in the “outdoor pets only” camp. We never had a dog, never had a cat, but for some reason, we had rabbits. Multiple rabbits. And of all the bunnies that cycled in and ...  Read More

Early one morning a few weeks ago, we made our way to the Taj Mahal. I had imagined a quiet, majestic approach. Maybe a gentle sunrise. Maybe soft music in the background. Instead, we climbed into a t...  Read More

Last Saturday, at an hour of the morning when no human being should be awake, I was dragging myself through the Paris airport on my way home from India. I looked up from my zombie walk, and there, alm...  Read More

I am just returning from India and awaiting my final flight into Kansas City. I am still adjusting from being overstimulated by people everywhere, testimony of Christian persecution, and the traffic p...  Read More

I hope your week is going well. While preparing for Sunday, I was reminded of a story in our church’s history that captures the strange and wonderful way faith and doubt fight for space inside our min...  Read More

This past Sunday, right after church, our family loaded up the van and headed for Minnesota to spend Christmas with my parents. Because it had been so warm, I hadn’t thought much at all about the poss...  Read More

 Our staff Christmas lunch this week was another reminder of how much joy God gives His people. Leigh-Ann delivered her famous sliders and soup, comfort food that could probably calm international con...  Read More

Several years ago, on our annual men’s float trip, my boys and I, along with a small army of other men and their sons, found ourselves in a situation that felt straight out of a Discovery Channel spec...  Read More

I hope your Thanksgiving was full of good food, good company, and good-natured repentance for that third piece of pie. We enjoyed an amazing meal, ate far more than any doctor would recommend, and sha...  Read More

This past week has been a full one for our family, the kind where you’re grateful for God’s goodness, good coffee, and the fact that seven people can actually fit in a car for a few hours. With Alexa ...  Read More

A few weeks ago, Leigh-Ann and I took the three boys to a Chiefs game at Arrowhead Stadium, and wow, what an experience!It was packed to the brim, and we were facing our division rivals, the Raiders. ...  Read More

 It seems a small army of flies has declared squatter's rights in my office. They’re fast, sneaky, and apparently on some kind of top-secret mission to test my patience. Every time I think I’ve caught...  Read More

This past week, Leigh-Ann and I were invited to a Sporting KC game with a close friend who was in from out of town.We had a blast!The atmosphere, the energy, the chants, the fact that our seats were i...  Read More

This past week, I officially moved into my new office with boxes of books, a desk, some chairs, and a few stray cables that I’m pretty sure multiplied overnight. As I was unpacking, I came across a tr...  Read More

Yesterday, a few of us pastors…Jeff, Anthony, Jordan, and I, along with the incredible Derek, had a “super fun” outing: moving our desks into the new offices ?. Sounds simple, right?Of course not.Thes...  Read More

This past Saturday, my brother Todd, our middle son Isaiah, and I hit the Swope Park mountain bike trails, eager to conquer a new path. Everything was going great until I hit a steep climb and SNAP!My...  Read More

Our youngest is officially a teenager.Unbelievable!This week, Ian turned 13 and celebrated with a a trip to the pool, the live-action version of How to Train Your Dragon, Jay’s Chicken, enough sides t...  Read More

We just got back from a few refreshing days up north at Lake Amelia in Minnesota with the whole crew, and let me tell you, it was rejuvenating.We fished, skied, tubed, and ate like we were preparing f...  Read More

This past weekend marked a historic event in the life of New Life CityChurch…our 5th Annual Kickball Tournament, also known as the Hunger Games for people who used to be athletic.As expected, it was c...  Read More

Earlier this week, I was feeling like my margins were pretty thin… another week of juggling building inspections, navigating temporary meeting locations, and doing my best to wear all my God-given hat...  Read More

When I first met Leigh-Ann, I knew she had a heart for children. What I didn’t realize was that she had been dreaming of running an orphanage since she was a little girl. (I thought she meant, like, i...  Read More

This past week, our youngest son, Ian, participated in his Taekwondo testing. If you've spent more than five minutes around him lately, you’ve likely seen a flying kick whiz past your face or heard th...  Read More

There’s something powerful about a meal shared around the table.Now, I’ll be honest…Leigh-Ann always makes incredible food. Whether it’s a normal weekday dinner or a holiday spread, she somehow nails ...  Read More

Easter weekend is here, and our house is officially full…and loud. Leigh-Ann and I are soaking it up. Our oldest daughter flew in from Florida, our second came home from college, and our three boys (h...  Read More

This week, Pastor Jeff and I were back on set filming another episode of Church Improvement, our little behind-the-scenes show giving you updates and laughs from the auditorium remodel. Things have be...  Read More

 If you’ve ever tried to build something…whether a bookshelf, a budget, or a backyard shed that didn’t quite turn out level, you know that building takes time, effort, and a clear plan.The same is tru...  Read More

Can you think of a time you’ve walked into a room and felt like you’ve stepped into a whole new place, even though it's the same old building? It’s like that moment when you walk into a renovation pro...  Read More

March Madness is one of my favorite times of the year! Every year, I fill out my tournament bracket with great anticipation, convinced that this is the year I finally prove my basketball expertise. An...  Read More

This afternoon, I had the privilege of attending a graduation…not for high school, college, or even a seminary. No, this was a graduation for Fatherhood Foundations. A ministry designed to help men un...  Read More

Monday’s warm weather meant one thing…driveway basketball. Our 2v2 games can get intense. Two hours straight, no breaks, just pure grit (and occasional wheezing). By the end, I was sore…but the good k...  Read More

Today is Valentine’s Day, which means I get to celebrate Leigh-Ann who has been my Valentine for the past 28 years.From the moment I first saw her, I was blown away by her beauty. And as we got to kno...  Read More

Well, here we go—on Sunday night, the Kansas City Chiefs have a chance to do what no team has ever done: win three Super Bowls in a row. And, of course, if they do, some will say, "It’s all because of...  Read More

If you’ve ever watched kids play sports, you know it’s an adventure. Over the years, our kids have played everything from soccer to basketball, football to taekwondo. We’ve cheered from the sidelines,...  Read More

This weekend, Dallas and I headed out of town for a soccer tournament. We were looking forward to getting some sunshine and playing outdoors. Even though we were hoping for warmer weather, it was 32 d...  Read More

This week marks a BIG moment for our New Life family: the fourth phase of our building remodel is officially underway. As I walked through our now-demoed auditorium and kitchen, I couldn’t help but fe...  Read More

On Monday, we decided to go on an adventure. Around 4 PM, on a whim, I decided to see if we could test drive the Tesla Cybertruck. Within minutes, I had locked in a 4:30 PM appointment, and soon our t...  Read More

Yesterday, we took the kids skiing for the first time. If you’ve ever introduced beginners to the slopes, you know it’s equal parts adventure and chaos…and plenty of stories to tell about Black Diamon...  Read More