Posts with the tag “worship”

There’s nothing quite like piling the family into the car for our annual Christmas lights expedition. It’s a favorite tradition in our house…part adventure, part chaos. We cram in (someone always ends...  Read More

The other day, our dog Gratzi gave us a masterclass in determination. While I was fast asleep, Leigh-Ann heard the Gratzi digging around in the closet where we hide (emphasis on hide) all the kids’ Ch...  Read More

Advent is a season of waiting. The word itself means “coming,” and let’s be honest—most of us aren’t great at waiting. Whether it’s waiting in traffic, for coffee to brew, or for Netflix to connect, w...  Read More

A few weeks ago, I met up with a friend for lunch. After a burger and fries, he showed me his new car—a limited-edition Corvette. Let me tell you, this car wasn’t just nice—it was mighty fine. With th...  Read More

Last Saturday, I took my two oldest boys and a friend to Worlds of Fun, thanks to some free tickets Dallas scored. The park was packed—longer lines than I’ve ever seen—but that turned out to be a bles...  Read More

I will never forget my first flight with my daughter as the pilot. She flew in to meet me on her own, and then we took off together for an incredible experience in the sky. I have to say, I was blown ...  Read More

This past week, I was sitting in my office, deep in thought and preparing for my sermon, when I suddenly heard the familiar sound of buzzing. You know the sound—it’s like a tiny alarm clock going off,...  Read More

A few months ago, we started receiving random gifts in the mail. At first, it was kind of fun—like Christmas had come early! We got a high-end car deodorizer, a nice tool kit, a giant teddy bear and e...  Read More

Last weekend, Leigh-Ann, the boys, and I drove out into the country to get haircuts and watch Sophia play soccer. We definitely enjoyed the fresh air and sunshine and decided to make a pit stop at a l...  Read More

Today, I took our three boys for haircuts—look good, feel good. Since I was overdue, I’ve been looking forward to walking out of the barbershop with a fresh cut all week. As you know, for a few days, ...  Read More

How well do you like to admit you were wrong?  Yeah, me neither…what is it that makes this so difficult?This afternoon I was working on some illustrations for Sunday and decided to enlist some help, s...  Read More

This past Tuesday, I went for a run—well, more of a duty to ease my guilt so I could justify eating ice cream later that night. I figured, “Run now, relax, and refuel later,” right?What could go wrong...  Read More

Earlier this week, I was all set to start a fire on the porch to chase away the chill. But when I looked at the fire thing-a-ma-jig, I discovered what I thought was a large stick. Turns out, it wasn’t...  Read More

A few days ago, our middle son, Isaiah, got the chance to be a ball boy at the Sporting KC match. We were all pumped about it, ready for an evening of soccer thrills. But, as it turns out, soccer game...  Read More

A few days ago, I set out on one of my favorite weekend rituals—mowing the lawn. Now, I know mowing the lawn might seem like just another chore, but for me, it's a cherished time of reflection and sat...  Read More

Today is Sophia’s 20th birthday….so first things first, Happy Birthday! ...  Read More

Last week, our community lost a remarkable person, Phil Cagle, in a tragic carjacking incident. Phil was a good friend, a devoted church member, and a passionate motorcycle and moped enthusiast. His s...  Read More

Last night, when most of the world was asleep, Leigh-Ann had an unexpected encounter that left her heart pounding. She walked into our bathroom and was met with a sight that would send shivers down an...  Read More

If you’ve ever spent a morning, afternoon, or even a whole day waiting at the DMV, you know the frustration of feeling like just another number. Today, I needed to get one of the girl’s cars registere...  Read More

Change is in the air! Whether it’s tossing caps at graduations, stepping into new jobs, or just shuffling furniture around one more time, change is a constant companion. Here at New Life CityChurch, w...  Read More

Nearly thirty years ago, I was a Freshman in college and spent Spring Break traveling with several other students from Maranatha Baptist University. We started in Wisconsin and went out to the East Co...  Read More

Four years ago, as Alexa was preparing for her freshman year in college, we reconnected with a friend who had briefly lived in Kansas City. After a few months, he decided to move back to Springfield, ...  Read More

What does the ideal personality look like to you? Is there a single word that comes to mind?Now, before we dive in, let’s set the record straight: I don’t believe there’s an ideal one-size-fits-all pe...  Read More

One of my favorite times every Spring is the day we spread new mulch in our yard. Since I love getting a good deal, I typically wait until I can buy it for $2 per bag. And this season didn’t disappoin...  Read More

Dallas and I were pumped as we made our way to GEHA Arrowhead Stadium for the showdown between Inter Miami and Sporting Kansas City. But let’s be real, we were really there for one reason – to catch a...  Read More

A few weeks ago, my youngest son Ian invited me to join him for “Doughnuts with Dad” at his school. I must admit, the prospect of waking up early to hang out in a cafeteria filled with elementary scho...  Read More

Easter Sunday breathes new life into us for many reasons. Personally, it started with seeing our New Life CityChurch family and worshipping together. This was truly a blessed time for worship and buil...  Read More

As I walked into our living room a week ago and saw my college wrestling coach Ben Peterson, the memories flooded back—sweat-drenched practices, hard-fought victories, and his life-changing influence....  Read More

This past week has been a whirlwind of activity at the New Life office. It’s almost like watching a team of caffeinated beavers (side note: we also have a new coffee maker) on a mission to turn the pl...  Read More

Over the past few days, my newsfeed has been popping with NFL teams making moves by trading, signing, and releasing football players. Although I’ve never had to deal with this sort of stress, every na...  Read More

Earlier today, my brother Todd and I and Dallas drove over to Council Bluffs, IA to watch my nephew compete in the Junior College National wrestling tournament. At the beginning of the day, there were...  Read More

What makes you happy?There are plenty of things that make me happy.This weather makes me happy – plus Punxsutawney Phil didn’t see his shadow. Early Spring is on the way! And if you want to get a litt...  Read More

This past week, Isaiah entered his first wrestling tournament. This is a pretty big deal in our household. I started wrestling about the same time I learned how to crawl and went through college…also…...  Read More

Today we are headed back to Kansas City after spending several days with family to begin 2024 in Florida. We loved soaking in some sunshine and warmer weather while relaxing and spending time together...  Read More

A few minutes ago, I was putting some final touches on my sermon for Sunday. I want to end our Advent Series, “Embracing Eternity” from the Psalms well. I also want to provide some practical ways to b...  Read More

Christmas is a time for favorite traditions.If you are like me, you probably have some favorite Christmas songs (Gloria in Excelsis Deo-sung loudly in my best dad voice ...  Read More

This past week, we were able to attend the elementary Christmas program at Isaiah and Ian’s school.To be honest, after five kids, the elementary program is typically one of my least favorite things to...  Read More

Recently we were driving in the car, going back and forth about who gets “Aux” (the person who gets to pick the songs). In case you are wondering, everyone in our family is competitive, so “Aux” can b...  Read More

Welcome to the first day of December! I had a conversation with someone earlier today, and it struck me how, during this season, time seems to slip away, and suddenly Christmas is upon us.The calendar...  Read More

Yesterday, while stuffing our faces ...  Read More