Posts with the tag “youth-ministry”

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

A few months ago, we had some surprise guests move into our front door Easter wreath. Somehow, they decided our front porch would be a great place to raise a family. And honestly, I don’t blame them, ...  Read More

After 22 weeks of setting up in borrowed spaces (or as we affectionately call them, Church Airbnb's), we finally had our first Sunday back in our newly remodeled home…and it felt GREAT.Over the past s...  Read More

For the past few weeks, Leigh-Ann and I, the kids, and many others have been on a secret mission to help set the stage for our oldest daughter Alexa’s engagement. The plan was simple but layered with ...  Read More

Our dog Gratzi is, without a doubt, my favorite family pet so far. She’s well-behaved, loyal, and, best of all, she loves just being with us. Most mornings, the moment she hears the front door open, s...  Read More

  I’ll never forget the day my college roommate walked into our dorm room. Technically, I knew him since he was my cousin, but we’d only met a handful of times growing up. So when he showed up with a ...  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

If there’s one thing Pastor Jeff is passionate about (besides Jesus and a good cup of coffee, and the Royals, and books?)…it’s community.He’s the kind of guy who never drinks coffee alone, partly beca...  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

So, tomorrow’s the big day—Chiefs vs. Texans in the playoffs!Let’s GOOOOOOO!!!I don’t know about you, but I feel good about our chances. Yes, we have some incredible players—Patrick Mahomes, Travis Ke...  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

It’s been about three weeks since Leigh-Ann and Ian had an unexpected adventure on Troost Avenue in Kansas City. This adventure involved a car accident, a traumatized dog, and plenty of calls to each ...  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

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

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

This week, Leigh-Ann and I celebrated our 25th anniversary. Wow-I have always remembered “old people” celebrating their 25th…and we are not old ...  Read More

This past Sunday was a day of both heart and hustle as we took our oldest daughter to medical school in Orlando. The alarm went off and within a short time, we were walking out the door at 5 am, to st...  Read More