Vertebrae

Humans are hard-wired for story. We’re obsessed with the narrative of nearly everything we encounter…    Over the Christmas break we watched Planet Earth 2, which is of course captivating. It’s breath-taking visually, and each scene with different animals and environments has a different story to tell.   We humans can’t just see raw video of a Marine Iguana hatching and then scurrying off away from snakes that want to eat it… No… we need a full orchestra soundtrack, we need a team of writers to write punchy, well-timed phrases, and we need a voice like David Attenborough to tie it all together.    And you know, from watching it, they’re stitching together multiple scenes from different Iguanas running and I’m fine with that… Why? Even though they’re bending reality? For the sake of story. Because it wouldn’t give you a lump in your throat otherwise. Because it wouldn’t make sense and it wouldn’t feel complete without it. Because we wouldn’t understand (air-quotes) in our rational mind why nature means some Ig

As we get ready for the Christmas experience, I’ve been reading the beginning of Luke… The birth of John the Baptist foretold, Jesus’ birth foretold, Mary pregnant with Jesus visiting Elizabeth pregnant with John…    And I’m struck by how these people, who—over the last 2000 years—have been mythologized, responded to these magnificent spiritual moments and the great responsibilities that followed.    I want to highlight a few phrases for us today…    When Zacharias is told that his wife will become pregnant with a prophet named John… the angel says, “Listen carefully…”    Luke 1:22 “When Zacharias came out from the Temple, he was unable to speak to them. They realized that he had seen a vision… and remained mute.”    Verse 24: “After this his wife Elizabeth became pregnant, and for five months she secluded herself completely…”    Verse 28, now with Mary, “The angel said, “Greetings favored one! The lord is with you.” But she was greatly perplexed at what he said, and kept carefully considering what kind of gr

If you let any garden grow untended, it’s going to get messy. Maybe you were excited about it at the start… You knew where every row was, every seed planted, which cycles of water and light and how to fertilize “just right.” You knew what to expect, you knew about the potential bugs and diseases these little plants are susceptible to… And then… Over time, it got fuzzy.    The rain washed away the little row markers telling you which row were cucumbers, which were carrots, which type of tomato to expect… And things got messy. Maybe you overwatered these, and under-fertilized there, but... at least you have a garden! You’re doing it. Not everyone has a garden, but you do, and you’re doing a pretty good job.    More time passes, and you realize that you’re a little over your head… Some things start growing, others haven’t even broken ground. Your garden looks more like a compost bin than a garden. Doubt begins to creep in and you feel silly for even wanting to start a garden in the first place. Who are you to st

There’s been a theme in my life recently that I want to share with you guys, my Vertebrae friends… I don’t think it’s unique to me, and I know others have encountered much worse than I have… But part of my promise to you guys in the first episode was that I’d share exactly what’s going on in my life, and that I’d share what I’m learning, as I’m learning it. Also, that I’d never post anything if I wasn’t inspired and just filling your podcast feed with empty ideas… That’s why I haven’t posted in a week or so. Haven’t had anything to share!   But now, I do.    Over the past few weeks, I’ve encountered a good deal of criticism. Nothing that really matters, mind you. Not criticism in work, or family, or at church, or in friendship… but mostly criticism online. Folks a thousand miles away throwing stones.   People on Facebook or Instagram that disagree with an idea I have, or a belief I hold, or a piece of advice I’ve found helpful. And it’s hard to ignore, especially when people slide in the DMs and start blowing

Information doesn’t equal transformation. Here’s the reality: We’ve become fat on information. Intellectually obese. We know more about the world and business practices and education techniques and parenting and health care and politics than any previous generation. If we genuinely have a intriguing question that we don’t know, we Google it. And when was the last time you Googled something and DIDN’T find what you were looking for? It’s rare. I very rarely stump Google. And if I do, it’s typically because I don’t know how to ask the right question. It’s all there. At our fingertips. Training, education, information, tips and techniques from the best of the best. In our lifetimes, we’ll probably see colleges and universities dissolve how we currently understand them. Young people will still need these vision-quest type of experiences where they leave their parent’s nest to discover themselves… That formative time will still be needed, but the Gen. Ed. classes and liberal arts majors, and even the niches and sp

Grace is unfair. Have you ever been surprised by grace? Have you ever been in a tough spot, where you believed you knew what was coming… Maybe sitting in the principal's office, or opening a letter from the IRS, or answering a phone call from foreboding phone number. You thought you knew what was coming… You were going to get what you deserve. You’re finally caught. You’re anxious, sweaty palms, eyes dilated… And then… Surprise! * The Principal decides to give you another chance. * The IRS is issuing you a refund. * The doctor was just calling to reschedule your appointment because it’s no longer a pressing concern. Ahh… Deep breath. What a relief. And not only that, a fresh lease on life. A new outlook. Wind in your sails. Surprised by grace. I’m not sure exactly how to define “grace.” I’m not looking for a churchy definition. I’m talking us sitting in a coffee shop talking about life and you ask, “What is grace?” How would I answer that…? I might answer it as “receiving what we haven’t earned.” Or “receivin

Tour Guides & Travel Agents.   Quick episode today with a leadership principle. Maybe you don’t feel like a leader, or hold a specific position of leadership in any organization, but this applies across the board… For any grown human that has relationship with those around them.   If you ever influence people around you to help them make decisions, or recommend things, or “lead by example” with how you live your life.    Tour Guides & Travel Agents.   Which very simply means you’re either a tour guide, walking with someone through the experience, showing them the way, bringing them somewhere you’ve already been, and helping them get the most out of the experience.    Or, you’re a travel agent: Sending people somewhere you’ve never been yourself, regurgitating what others have said, or whatever Rick Steves says…    Tour Guides & Travel Agents.   Now, of course this isn’t literally about travel. This is about leadership. Bringing people somewhere. Introducing a new idea. Giving advice. Wise counsel.

Here lies a woman that loved her phone more than her friends. We are gathered here to celebrate a man that focused more on providing for his family than he did actually enjoying his family.  She was a daughter, sister, friend that always seemed to find the worst in life and obsess over it.  He was known for sparking political debates on Facebook threads.  She had thousands of followers that admired her, but no friends that truly knew her.  Here lies a man that never felt good enough, and his life passed him by before he knew it.    It’s a simple question but a complex answer: What do you want said of you at your funeral?    People get all tangled up thinking about their lives… Too tangled, I believe. And I’m right there with you. I’m just as guilty of getting into feedback loops wondering if what I’m doing matters, or where I should be investing my time and energy and money… Certain questions are helpful for finding clarity and honing in on doing what we were made to do… Other questions are unhe

If you’re looking for a quick panic attack, you should check out the live tracker of the world’s population… We’re just about at 7.65 billion people on earth, a net gain of 58 million people over last year… The earth increases in population by 160,000 people per day.    There are more people on earth today than ever before. With all of the conversations about how damaging we are to the earth, some of imminent dangers of climate change, feeding this new population, fighting against all the waste…    We need to just take a second and breathe, and recognize the things that are outside of our control, and recognize the things that are within our control.    Some of us are wired to be world-changers, inventors, politicians that can drive systematic change… But most of us aren’t on a global platform. We’re local. We’re neighborhood-level local. And that’s a good thing. Because that’s where meaningful change takes place.    This stream of thought came from a single question I was asked this past week: What contribut

Last night was one of those nights where our kids swiftly re-asserted who’s in charge. You get into these rhythms where everyone is sleeping through the night, in their own beds, going to bed at bedtime, waking up when it’s reasonable to wake up… But last night was not one of those nights. All it takes is one night to remember that we’re at the mercy of these little jerks.    Avi was up a bunch, wanted to sleep in our bed… We let him lay with us for a bit but then brought him back into his room. When I put him down, I noticed Lily was out of her blankets but curled up in a ball, looking cold, so I did the right thing, and simultaneously the worst thing possible, by putting her back under her covers. And then she was up. And then Avi was up.   Long story short, at 4am both kids wanted to be in our bed and I figured it was easier for me to just get up and go to the 5am class at the gym.    The gym was good, then came home at 615 to a quiet house, poured myself some homemade cold brew with some branch-chain amin

What’s your reputation? When someone mentions your name, what comes to mind? Are you dependable? Playful? Depressing? Encouraging? Do you bring out the best in the people around you? Do you tend to talk about people behind their backs? Do you focus on the good and beautiful things in the world? Or do you tend to stir up controversy wherever you go? Do you help activate people’s dreams to become realities? Or do you complain about things you can’t change?    Chances are you have a different reputation amongst different people groups… If you ask my friends from high-school.. Man oh man. Not good. Very different than if you were to ask my friends from church about me.    What might your kids say about you? What about your spouse? Do those closest to you get the best version of you? Or do they get leftovers?    Maybe you don’t even care if people like you… Maybe you’re just looking for respect. Maybe you’re finally wanting to have power over people under you at work… Or maybe you’re terrified of that responsibili

When I was 14, I had a girlfriend named Jane. I told her I loved her, she told me she loved me. And we did. What we were feeling was the pinnacle of our emotional lives up to that point. The working definition of the word “love” had just been elevated. It was all we knew of love. So, therefore, when we said “I love you”… We were being honest.    Then came a new girlfriend. And I looked back at my 14 year old definition of love and sort of laughed… Because NOW I loved THIS girl… Because the experience was  SO much different than the previous one.    Then came a new girlfriend. And this girlfriend’s name was Elyse. And I REALLY loved her. She was different. She was wife material. And that feeling—that new uncharted waters type of feeling—became what “love” meant to me. Elyse became my new definition of love.    And there we were, getting married, in love. She was my new standard. And all previous girlfriends and those definitions of love were laughable. Because that’s how life works.   We experience something,

It’s a powerful thing to be asked point blank: What is it that you want more than anything else in life? I’ve recently heard two separate spiritual teachers ask this same question, in slightly different ways, and then began reading a new book that emphasized Jesus asking this exact question in John 1:38: What do you want?    John the Baptist’s disciples started following Jesus, and when Jesus realizes he’s being followed, he turns around and asks, “What do you want?”    On first read, that can be a pretty blunt question, and it is… But I have to believe it wasn’t said in the way WE might say it if two strangers started following us. “What do you want?” “What are you looking for in life? What is it that your hearts are after?”    This is one of those questions that no one can avoid answering… Whether you realize it or not, whether it’s intentional or completely accidental, your life is oriented towards something. You’re already putting energy into some sort of idea or dream or vision of what an ideal future wo

In 2010, my wife and I were in New Mexico for our honeymoon. A close friend of ours Lindsey had a family cabin up in a remote section of Eagle’s Nest, New Mexico. It checked off all 3 criteria we had for our honeymoon: It was a new area we’d never been to, it was away from hustle-bustle and craziness of life, and it was free… All we had to pay for was a plane ticket and a rental car, and we’d have this beautiful cabin on the side of a mountain for a week.    We saw a bunch of incredible things while we were there. We’d sit out in the morning on the deck and feed chipmunks and squirrels out of our hands… And these weren’t your average animals. These chipmunks were the size of guinea pigs, and the squirrels had long ears and big beautiful tails… There was one squirrel that was the size of a small rabbit, and it would come up and eat from our hands, the same one, multiple times a day, and we realized it was a momma squirrel coming to get food so she could make milk to nurse her newborn, wherever they were hidden

I just wanted to make a little note here for anyone listening about new ideas. We’re surrounded by them. We’re inundated with new Kickstarter projects and inventions. Shark Tank is one of the most popular TV shows because it’s full of new, clever inventions and ideas.    Some of you know that I shared a sermon this past week at our church that ruffled some feathers. Intentionally so. I was looking at how we interpret Scripture, and some of the more damaging ways to interpret it, and some of the more life-giving ways I’ve found to interpret it.    In it, the topics of slavery, animal sacrifice, women in leadership and homosexuality came up. All things in the Bible. All things that have verses that people can cite at a moments notice. But largely all things we’ve recognized to be artifacts of a day and age gone by.    No one is missing animal sacrifices, including the Jews. No one is missing slavery, except for maybe the former slave traders. No one wants to bar women from leadership in the church, except for p

The Pharisees weren’t ready for Jesus.    They weren’t prepared. They had not trained for this.    They had studied and memorized and perfected all of the traditions to a “T”…But they weren’t ready for Jesus.    They had signed up for this life of religious duty to be living examples; to be guardians of God’s word; to be teachers and moral compasses for other Jews looking to grow in their faith… They were comfortable with pointing out the faults in others, and holding each other to incredibly high standards… They believed the way to please God was by meticulously following a long list of rules and regulations.613, to be exact.    So, as you can imagine, they weren’t ready for Jesus.    Theywereready to preserve thelast thing God had done, and continue passing it down from generation to generation—They were ready toPRESERVEwhat God had said500 years agoand keep it safe and shiny and preserved…    They were ready to be preservatives in the last batch of bread God made… but Jesus wasn’t looking for preservatives

New song's lyrics:  You led us out of Egypt You tore down Jericho You walked with us in Eden With new love to show   You spoke to us through Prophets Gave us songs to sing Showed us miracles and healings Things that Earth had never seen   Now we fight against the change, But change is what You do Yes, Your love stays the same But Your love is on the move   Your love is on the move.    You answered death with beauty When Your stayed Your hand You showed me that You knew me When You drew in the sand   You called us from the darkness We were bound in grave clothes You stood for me in protest When they began to throw   Now we fight against the change, But change is what You do Yes, Your love stays the same But Your love is on the move   Your love is on the move.    You love with great abandon May we do the same Everyone You show us Is a child formed in Your name   Wake us from our slumber Rise into the streets May we love our holy neighbor And everyone we meet   Lord, we’ve fought against the change But chan

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Recently, I’ve been learning a lot about who I truly am.   Not about who the world wants me to be; not who my bosses or mentors or friends or parents wish me to be. Not who I think my image of God wants me to be. Not who my wife wants me to be. Not even who I think I want me to be… But who I am.   Underneath the make-up, the mask, and all the projections I’ve learned to master.    As an Enneagram type 3, I am labeled “The Achiever.” And it’s very apropos. For most of my life, I have found my self-worth in the production, presentation, and preservation of how others’ perceive me. “If people think I’m successful, I’m successful!” This has created all sorts of wild victories and utterly devastating failures (no matter the true size of failure). At my unhealthiest, I simply strive to produce whatever “they” will think is impressive (while never really being able to define who “they” are). And at my most healthy, I can transcend that need for others’ approval and be freed to bring value to the world, simply by who