Let’s talk moonshine

May 22, 2018

Julie and I have just returned from our annual visit to a great little retreat center in North Georgia that is free for pastors and missionaries. This year our visit was … well, strange, with highs and lows and a few weird things thrown in. Like moonshine. North Georgia has a lot of attractions, like […]

At work in Africa

February 21, 2018

I think that in the days before I left home for Africa, I must have said to Julie at least three times, “I like being overseas. It’s the getting there I’m not fond of.” Suffice it to say, that was even more true this time. But I must say, being rerouted onto Emirates was a […]

Bound for Africa

February 15, 2018

This weekend I leave for more than three weeks in Africa. And as I said before, I’ll be taking on a different role on this trip: photography and video. I’ve taken photos and captured video of our organization’s work before. For instance, I gathered the story and photos when I went to Thailand a year […]

Updates on ministry, son

January 25, 2018

Heading back to Africa At the end of February I’ll be going back to Africa. This time, I’ll be in East Africa to bring back stories of God working through an alliance of missionaries and local churches to begin the long process of making disciples among unreached people groups. Please pray for the details to […]

Son awaiting surgery

January 8, 2018

Thank you so much for your prayers and notes of encouragement. It seems amazing to me that our son Evan is on the (long) road to (apparently) a complete recovery after hitting a rock headfirst while skiing last week. He’s been sitting up, eating, walking, talking clearly and remembering everything. He’s supposed to be transferred […]

I don’t paint fingernails

January 4, 2018

The cry from down the hall chilled me to the bone. “Bapa, do my nails!” my 4-year-old granddaughter called. I don’t do nails. I had already told her that Bapa – what she’s called me since before she could say Grandpa – doesn’t do makeup. That was when she called me into her room and […]

A story like yours and mine

October 11, 2016

It’s a story no one’s lining up to hear. But it needs to be told. An authentic story, a story people will identify with, and a story that can inspire people to get involved. And I’m inviting you to partner with me to tell it. It’s a story of years and year of painstaking, anguished […]

24 hours later

March 23, 2016

We’re scheduled to arrive in the capital of a West African nation on Wednesday evening, local time. Since the city’s been called the Paris of Africa, I imagine the city will be vibrant. Since I will have spent the last 24 hours in airplanes and airports, I imagine I will not be. Pray that we […]

Why I’m going to Africa

February 18, 2016

Spreading the gospel to “the ends of the earth” is the responsibility of each and every believer … but how do you do that? How do you make an impact, for instance, on Africa? Africa is huge. Much of the missionary effort over the years in rural areas has been ineffective, resulting in few disciples […]

A preview of the devotional

September 28, 2015

Want to get a taste of the 30-day devotional, The Focus of Prayer? The Author’s Foreword is designed to do just that — and let’s face it, you’ll probably just skip over it in the book. So here it is: I’d like to think that discovering an important yet overlooked fact about prayer would change […]