This is a self-indulgently long story. The gist of it is that my wife, Rachel, was unexpectedly induced due to gestational hypertension at 37 weeks, right before we were supposed to head to Pennsylvania for her sister’s wedding. After a lengthy induction and labor, our beautiful daughter, Eva Joy Steele, was born at 5:46am on…… Continue reading Eva Joy Steele: A Birth Story
Category: Personal
Please Don’t Leave Me Alone: On Male Friendships, or the Lack Thereof
Maybe you, like me, consider yourself quite the introvert. Maybe you, like me, have a difficult time walking the tightrope between feeling quickly overwhelmed by interpersonal relationships, on the one hand, and feeling incredibly lonely, on the other hand. Maybe you, like me, feel these problems acutely as a male (although I’m sure that females…… Continue reading Please Don’t Leave Me Alone: On Male Friendships, or the Lack Thereof
Getting back on the “Getting Things Done” Productivity Bandwagon
Getting Things Done (“GTD” for short) is a wildly popular personal productivity system invented and popularized by David Allen. However, as Nicole Dieker at Lifehacker pointed out in 2017, “You don’t hear a lot of people talk about the Getting Things Done productivity system anymore.” I think that’s a shame, because it’s a very effective system.…… Continue reading Getting back on the “Getting Things Done” Productivity Bandwagon
This Song is a Beautiful Picture of the Theological Journey
I was recently privileged to see one of my favorite bands, The Oh Hellos, in concert at the House of Blues in downtown Chicago. I love all of The Oh Hellos’ music, but one song, in particular, has remained poignant to me ever since I first heard it. The song is called “The Truth is…… Continue reading This Song is a Beautiful Picture of the Theological Journey
Dangerous Beauty: Phoenix & Grand Canyon Trip 2018
Rachel and I just got back from our very first trip to the Southwest. The main reason for the trip was to visit some good friends of ours, the Smith family, in Phoenix, AZ. Here’s a picture of the group of us together after church at Living Faith Anglican Church in Tempe, AZ, where my…… Continue reading Dangerous Beauty: Phoenix & Grand Canyon Trip 2018
3 Confessions of an Expectant Father
We’re Expecting! In case you haven’t heard the news, my wife Rachel and I are expecting our firstborn child this August! Rachel is currently 16 weeks along, and we won’t find out the gender of the baby (whom I am affectionately calling “Lump”) for another month. The last few months have been quite busy for…… Continue reading 3 Confessions of an Expectant Father
Testimony: A Faith Story, In Brief
The following is an attempt to tell my testimony, the story of my Christian faith, in approximately 500 words. It was challenging to do, but also a helpful exercise! I challenge you to write out your own story in approximately 500 words. Testimony For as long as I can remember, I have known and followed…… Continue reading Testimony: A Faith Story, In Brief
Thank God, I Went to Cedarville
As I prepare for my final semester at Beeson Divinity School, it strikes me just how well I was prepared for my seminary education by my undergraduate professors at Cedarville University. All things considered, my time at CU exposed me to the riches of biblical and theological studies, and it left me hungry for more.…… Continue reading Thank God, I Went to Cedarville
How Do You Want To Be Remembered?
Do you know what the worst thing about death is? It’s not the dying itself – its the separation. That is, we don’t suffer the most from our own deaths (a one-time occurrence), but from suffering the deaths of others (repeatedly). Instead of living relationships, we are left with distant memories. A sad reality, to…… Continue reading How Do You Want To Be Remembered?
What are you afraid of?
I’m scared. Are you? Specifically, as I wrote in my journal this very morning: I’m scared – I’m scared of wasting my life, I’m scared of not being worth anything outside of the classroom. Fear drives so many aspects of our lives – from how we dress, to how we raise our children, to how…… Continue reading What are you afraid of?