The Journey

Could YOU do it?

John — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 18:23:33 +0000

Could you give up coffee, soda, tea, alcohol and beer chosing instead to drink only water for two weeks? It’s harder than it sounds! Living Water International’s H2O Project challenges you to choose water for two weeks during Lent. Then, you are encouraged to donate the money you would have spent on these drinks to support [...]

Team Living Water

John — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 19:20:54 +0000

I am often asked why I run for Team Living Water. This new video shows the very real journey that many face each day to get access to drinking water that often is not clean. When viewed from that perspective, any pain and discomfort I face as I run is insignificant as I remember that I [...]

The Finish Line

John — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 21:51:41 +0000

I finish my first half marathon right behind my friend Jeff. It was a tough, cool run but running with a buddy made the time and distance fly by. I was proud to be the lone Team Living Water representative in the race. Want to join me as I run for clean water?

Recovering Christmas Through a New Generation

John — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 21:03:05 +0000

This year, Stacey and I are sharing the message of the Advent Conspiracy with Cypress Creek Christian Church. Our class stemmed from a message I shared last December about how we can bring Christ back into Christmas. The Advent Conspiracy invites us to celebrate Advent differently by Worshiping Fully, Spending Less, Giving More and Loving All. As Stacey [...]

One Down, Many More to Go!

John — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 16:14:38 +0000

With over a full year and 700 miles of training under my belt, race day finally arrived. The 10 for Texas would be my first race as well as my first opportunity to wear my Team Living Water jersey at a racing event. I was ready! My goal for the race was simple: to finish strong. For me, [...]

Why I Run

John — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 18:27:24 +0000

I often get asked by my fellow seminarians, congregants or co-workers why I decided to start running long-distance at the age of 48. Sure, I had run track in Junior High, but really had not run since that time. My answer is pretty simple. I now have a clear reason to run: providing living water [...]

Abundance

John — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 20:31:31 +0000

I often find myself focusing on my circumstances, particularly when life isn’t going the way I think it should. Problems, hurdles or even things that I think I’m lacking can quickly distract me from all of the blessings that God bestows upon me daily. I suspect that you sometimes feel this way as well. A few weeks [...]

Hold on Loosely

John — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 20:03:36 +0000

In the 1980′s, southern rock band 38-Special recorded a song entitled Hold on Loosely. The chorus says to “hold on loosely/but don’t let go/if you cling to tightly/you’re going to lose control.” I think this is good advice for our congregations today. As a pastor, I often have a front seat at conflicts caused by congregants [...]

The Kingdom

John — Sun, 03 Jul 2011 22:40:24 +0000

A key theme of Jesus’ teaching is God’s Kingdom here on earth. His references to the Kingdom have been translated as “Kingdom”; “Kindom of God”; and, in Matthew, “Kingdom of Heaven.” In these descriptions, Jesus was teaching his followers that God’s Kingdom was already present on earth, here and now, whenever God’s will is done. Jesus reminded us [...]

QR Codes

John — Fri, 20 May 2011 20:25:21 +0000

As our cellphones get smarter, they also become more useful. Once relegated to just making phone calls, they are now the primary portal to the virtual world for many of us, especially when we are not at home. I use my smartphone to check my four email accounts, track my runs via GPS, tweat my random thoughts and [...]