Five years ago almost to the day, I got Molly as an early 30th birthday gift. I had been debating a dog but could never seem to pull the trigger. So the boy I was dating at the time pulled it for me. Molly was 4 months old with a shiny black and white coat and a head cock that could melt your heart in two-seconds flat. Unfortunately, she was a terrible puppy. A truly terrible puppy.

Almost everyday she did the unthinkable, she peed in her sacred space, her big black wire kennel. I’d rush home from work excited to bond only to find her bouncing around in a puddle of her urine. I’d have to toss her in the sink, bathe her, and towel her dry. Not to mention a thorough scrub down of the kennel and the utility room. It wasn’t just the peeing that made her so terrible. She was a barker. She was a jumper. And she got into everything. She especially loved to shred paper so it was quite convenient that I worked for a bookstore chain and had lots of books around for her to make into piles of worthless confetti.

I seriously debated getting rid of her. She wreaked havoc on my life those first few months. The boy who had given her to me didn’t stick around. But Molly did. And she bloomed into the best dog that ever existed. Ask anyone who has met her. Molly is the absolute best. {I am pretty sure as we pulled out of town last week, she left a bigger whole in the heart of Nashville than I ever could.}

A year later I was offered a new job in a new town. So I packed up my life and my dog and headed to Nashville. I will never forget snuggling up with Molls in my empty Sylvan Park apartment as we waited for the moving vans to arrive. We were going to tackle this adventure together.

And here I am today, 4 years later ready embarking on another adventure. Only this time it seemed selfish to force her to suffer through the turmoil of the transition. So I left sweet Molly with my parents for a month or two so I can get settled before adding a dog into the mix.

Leaving her this morning was absolutely brutal. It wreaked havoc on my heart like none of my other goodbyes. I know that she is in great hands. She will be living the high life with long walks, playful scuffles with my parents’ maltese Lily, and of course bountiful trips to the lake and the pet spa.

It is me that I worry about. Molly is my partner in crime. Molly is my alarm system. Molly is who I talk to so I don’t have to admit that I talk to to myself. And Molly is the warm body that lays her head on my crook of my leg as I settle down to sleep reminding me that I am not alone.

So can I ask you to pray for me as I embark on this journey without the comfort of my sweet pup?

And will you share with me a little about your favorite four-legged friend?

STORY is a conference for the creative class. The theme for 2011 is IMAGINE NATION which speaks to the power of spiritual imagination. In Exodus 35, the artist of Israel came together to build a dwelling place for God. They carved poles, fashioned gold, and constructed curtains “with cherubim woven into them by expert hands.” The job of these artists was to envision the kindgom and use their gifts to heighten peoples spiritual imaginations. An Imagine Nation.

Join a tribe of creative artists attempting to learn more about their craft, story telling, and imagination. One of the story tellers at STORY this year is Daniel Bashta. I first heard Daniel’s name associated with his popular worship song, “Like a Lion.” And I had no idea that Daniel and I had so much in common. We both have attended Church of the Highlands in Birmingham, Alabama. And we both have a heart for adoption. You won’t want to miss this short interview of Daniel.

1. What is your best personal definition of a STORY? 

For me a story is all about the struggle and the fight. It’s a personal journey to pioneer the unchartered. From something that was once dead we see fierce life and hope breathed into desolate dreams and made beautiful full of miracles!

2. What is one way you have found to grow or engage your imagination? 

I don’t want to limit myself just to what I am comfortable with. I believe we should always be evolving. If we are not evolving in our story then we are dying. For me dead creativity points back to a dead God. I want my expression to hold a huge spotlight on this roaring Jesus. Usually I will push myself to find new displays of something artistic to help spark something. I will also put myself in uncomfortable situations in order to start fresh conversations. I like to surround myself with other creative people that maybe don’t have the same theology or beliefs as me, but we both have an appreciation for the spirt of creativity . I believe throwing some tension  in the pot is a healthy thing. It forces us to fight for what we believe and for why we create.

3. In your experience what is the best nontraditional form or STORY telling you have seen, heard, or experienced? 

My wife and I have just gone through the miraculous adventure of adoption. There is a time in the process after the baby is born that the birth mom has to sign away her rights forever. When that day came I’ve never seen a signature tell a more selfless story. There are always two sides of every story. For the birth mother she was being so bold in wanting a better life for the baby. For my wife and I the signature meant that the story of our lives would forever be changed and that our son would have a name change and that there is nothing that can ever be done to change that. One signature told a story so reckless in love. The story of the Gospel was awakened in me like never before.

 4. If you could encourage a creative person with one tip on being imaginative what would you tell them? 

Be Unique, Be bold. For me the most stunning art is not flawless. For me true beauty comes from the grit, guts and blood within. Our culture has somehow dictated that we take all the flaws out, the very thing that sets us apart. My encouragement for every creative person is to unlock each unique calling that God himself has breathed into each of us. I believe the world will take notice when we represent the real creative story of who Jesus, the creator is, not some colored in the lines fairy tale.

5. What is one thing you are excited about sharing with the tribes attending STORY 2011? 

I don’t want to get too spiritual, but I am expectant that God will unleash dreamers out of the STORY conference. I believe He will awaken the dreams that have been dead for so long and we will stir up commotions in our cities from the beauty we create out of the reflection of who He is.

I’m also really excited that there are no late late night sessions…:)

If you’re a writer, filmmaker, artist, performer, entrepreneur, church leader, communicator, or other type of creative, you won’t want to miss STORY 2011. To register visit the STORY eventbrite page or if you need a little more information visit the STORY site.

The Moving Edition

Tomorrow morning I get on an American Airlines flight and head to Orange County to begin my new adventure. I am thankful that I will be greeted by a few familiar faces, that I have found a lovely place to lay my head {once my bed and all my stuff make their way}, and that I have a job that is sure to keep me quite busy.

Here is a quick list of things I have learned as I work my way through this transition:

1. I am terrible at goodbyes. Terrible. For the last two weeks, I have struggled to be present with some of my closest friends, to not allow myself to be distracted by the impending cross-country move, and it has been immensely difficult. How do you say goodbye to friends and mentors who have supported and championed you along the way? How do you leave a church that renewed your faith? How do walk away from families who have loved on you when you weren’t in a place to love yourself? Words don’t suffice. Finally Sunday after church and lunch, I got in my car, turned up the radio, pulled out of town and began to process through everything I was thinking and feeling.

2. Emotions are complicated. When we sit down and start sorting through what we are really feeling, we realize that the joy is right there with the grief, and the hope is right there with the fear. We need to give ourselves some time and grace to untangle them so that each is given the proper acknowledgment.

3. The world we exist in will naturally evolve in our absence. I realized this after making my last big move four years ago. Until that time, I operated under the freakishly naive assumption that my previous life would exist for me to step back in to whenever it was convenient for me. Not the case. I will change. My friends will change. My world will change. My friendships will change. Their friendships will change. Their world will change. I will never be able to go back and step into the same exact role I have previously played. But I will always be able to go back and meet everyone where they are.

4. As much as we try to invision our future, we have no idea what God has in store for us. Remember in January when I wrote this, I had NO IDEA {not even an inkling} that God would be preparing me for a move where I would do life day-in-day-out with these friends. I don’t think I can say it better than I said it then.

As hard as I try, as creatively as dream, I can not even begin to imagine what God has in store for me tomorrow, next week, or next year.

I know that there will be strangers who become friends, and friends who will become strangers. I know that there will be sadness and joy, love and heartbreak, death and new life. But I can’t begin to imagine the possibility that is in store.

So, here’s to 2011 and to a God who is weaving together a beautiful story that is simply and wonderfully unfathomable!

5. Road trips are for indulgences. And the ultimate indulgence de jour is the Nutter Butter Blizzard from Dairy Queen. I know that this seems a little out of place here but if you takeaway anything from this post, takeaway this…you need to indulge in a Cool Treat next time you pass a DQ. Life is too short not to.

What have you been learning lately?

PS – See you tomorrow California. Nashville, I miss you already! Thank you for being so incredibly wonderful to me.

The movers got here this morning and my stuff is being loaded on a truck to make its way to California. It all feels surreal. The last meals at all my favorite Nashville haunts, the lingering goodbyes, and the talk of a new job, a new life, in a faraway land.

Surreal.

As I try to make sense of it all, I keep thinking about the strange things that Californians say and wonder if someday soon these words and phrases will slip out of my mouth…

I am kind of sick of In-N-Out. Can we eat something else?

That earthquake was nothing. It was only a 5.2.

Be careful on the roads. It’s raining outside.

It’s freezing outside. {said in the winter when it hits 50}

It’s really hot and humid today. {said in the summer when it hits the upper 80s}

That wave was gnarly. {I am still not sure what gnarly means.  And is it good or bad?}

What should we do this weekend? Go to Disneyland? LA? San Diego?

What other strange things have you heard Californians say?

I’m in one of those weeks where my thoughts, my fears, my plans, my memories, and my prayers are fluttering around in my head so frantically that I am not quite sure how to untangle them. Each morning, I’ve slowly gotten out of bed, put one foot in front of the other, checked things off my seemingly endless list of to-dos, and done my best to avoid the “hot mess” that is my head.

But unfortunately Catalyst asked me to put together some thoughts on the theme for their Atlanta event, “Be Present.” So here I sat, staring at my blank white “edit post” screen, cautiously trying to make some sense of my jumbled thoughts and scanning the web for procrastination, or perhaps a touch of inspiration, when I stumbled upon this beautiful post from Amber Haines after discovering her 19-day-old son Titus has a small whole in his heart.

The presence of God is a riptide, and I do want to go under – thanksgiving, awe, love, and fear intermingle only there with truth and peace.

Let it be said of me that I knew I wasn’t in control. Let it be said that I threw my hands in the air, took the free-fall and found my joy deep in His mysterious river.

“Even though I walk through [hospital hallways (not to mention my insanely vivid imagination,)][the craziness of a cross-country move][enter what you are walking through here] I fear no evil, for You are with me.” (Psalm 23:4)

May we all BE PRESENT to this Truth. May we all discover the presence of God. May we all embrace the riptide.

And don’t forget The Catalyst Early Bird Deadline is tomorrow! Don’t Miss it – BE PRESENT.

I will BE PRESENT in my new role with Project 7 and I hope to see you all there. It is going to be an incredible event.

Call 888.334.6569 or go here to register: http://ow.ly/6b96t.

Gosh, sorry I haven’t written since the big news. I meant to, but time has sort of escaped me.

How have I been doing???

Well, I have been a tad overwhelmed.

The logistics of moving to California are far more complicated than I imagined.  Figuring out where to live and how to get my self, my belongings and my car from Nashville to Orange County has been pretty much all consuming. Not to mention the plotting of a lot difficult goodbyes.

And, for the better part of last week I was gripped with fear.

Can I really do this? What was I thinking? Moving to Southern California…the land of earthquakes and Real Housewives?  Who am I? Without Nashville, my friends, my church, and my dog? {Yeah, I came to the brutal decision to send Molly to reside in Texas with my parents than force her to accompany me as I get settled. Brutal.}

But…things are looking up.

I am feeling more cool, calm, and collected as the plan begins coming together. And I know this sounds corny and perhaps a little hyper-spiritual but Sunday as I sat in church I couldn’t miss the little confirmations, the gifts of reassurance, from God that this is the right move. And that I am not taking this leap alone.

From the gripping lyrics of Healer, “Nothing is impossible with You. You hold my world in Your hands.” To Pete Wilson’s poignant message about what being radically devoted to Christ looks like. To watching the waves crash on a rocky beach as Merlyn Catron sang, “Where you go, I’ll go. Where you stay, I’ll stay. When you move, I’ll move. I will follow you.” To the perfectly timed text message from Tyler Merrick nudging the Project 7 team to, “Look for His details in the tapestry of your life today and this week.”

He won’t let me endeavor to think I am taking this leap alone.

Praise. The. Lord.

Enough about me. Has He sent you any gifts of reassurance lately?

Monday afternoon around 5 PM, I jumped. Monday afternoon around 5 PM, I took that giant leap of faith, or some might say insanity, that turns a comfortable existence right on its side. Monday afternoon around 5 PM, I accepted a job as Director of Community for Project 7.

If you are not familiar with Project 7, it is a cause-related company founded by “social-capitalist” Tyler Merrick that makes every day consumer goods, like bio-bottled water, gum, mints and coffee. And with every purchase of a Project 7 product, tangible good is done in 7 areas of need: Feed the Hungry, Heal the Sick, Hope for Peace, House the Homeless, Quench the Thirsty, Teach them Well and Save the Earth.

Gnarly, huh? {Yeah, I don’t imagine I will ever be able to pull off that word. I better stick with cool.}

Cool, huh?

And my job is even cooler. As Director of Community, I’ll be overseeing all strategic partnerships, relationships and sponsorships in faith-based channels. If someone could craft a position just for me, I believe this is it. It will allow me to utilize the various marketing, merchandising, and communications skills and the relationships that I have honed over the last decade at Thomas Nelson and Books-A-Million.

I know what you are thinking, none of this sounds so crazy.

Well, the kicker is that the job will be based in Southern California. I am still in the process of working out logistics of how to close up a home, and a life, in Nashville and begin anew in Orange County, CALIFORNIA, but imagine I’ll be west coast bound in early September.

So truth be known, I am feeling excited, scared, sad, and a tad bit overwhelmed. But most importantly, I feel a gentle peace about the decision. I know it is the right thing and I am ready to start this new adventure. I hope you will join me on this journey. And I am sure there a lot more to come {read: weepy posts} in the next few weeks as I begin to process this big change.

Appreciate you all!

I have never met Cindy Beall in person but after following her blog and her tweets for the last few years I am absolutely certain that when we finally get to sit down for that long overdue coffee date I will just adore her.

Cindy and her husband, Chris, speak openly about their difficult journey through Chris’ infidelity and pornography addiction that nearly destroyed their marriage and ministry. Through God’s grace they have inspired thousands of couples and have returned to full-time ministry where Chris serves as the Oklahoma City Campus Pastor at LifeChurch.tv.

I LOVE the way that God has redeemed the Beall’s brokenness and used it to cast vision of forgiveness and restoration. That is why I am so excited about the release of her new book, Healing Your Marriage When Trust is Broken: Finding Forgiveness and Restoration.  Check out this glowing endorsement from Cindy’s pastor, Craig Groeschel.

Even though I’m biased, this is an amazingly transparent and powerful book.

Cindy’s gut-level honesty grips your heart from the first page and doesn’t let go. She writes with brutal honesty about the pain of betrayal and the hope to heal.

As a pastor, I’ve worked with way too many couples trying to heal from adultery, sexual addictions, and broken promises. Cindy’s wisdom, spiritual depth, and practical insights will help any couple that is desperate for healing. I’ve already given my copy away and will buy many more to give.

Not only do I love Cindy’s writing style and spiritual content, but I love her family. It’s been an honor to watch God do miracles in a marriage that could have easily ended. Cindy and Chris have demonstrated that while adultery may be grounds for divorce, it’s also grounds for forgiveness and healing.

Buy the book here.

And subscribe to Cindy’s blog here.

What are your reading right now?

The last few days I joined what seems like the rest of the internet spellbound as I read the following two posts by Donald Miller. And even more so by the comments that ensued.

 How to Write a Great Love Story – For the Girls

How to Write a Great Love Story – For the Boys

Things you should know before you read any further:

1. I have much respect for Donald Miller. I absolutely loved Blue Like Jazz. And think A Million Miles in a Thousand Years might be one of the most definitive books I have ever read. It changed the way I think. More accurately, it changed the way
I live.

2. I understand that I, and maybe others, have, and will continue to, use our blogs as a safe space for us our thoughts out there. And sometimes Tom, Dick, and Harry will read said blogs and become enraged by how we are trying to redefine Truth when what we were really trying to do is provoke candid honest dialogue, clarify our thoughts on a particular subject or drive traffic.

3. I truly appreciate the thoughtful conversations that Donald Miller provoked both online and off by opening this proverbial can of worms.

4. I think Don spoke a lot of truth. Come on, girls, we shouldn’t be slutty. We do need to have some self-respect. We do need to have some faith. And men, we are begging for you to be someone worth waiting for, we want you to demand more from us than a one night stand, and we would love nothing more than to see you get off your couch and start living a story that we are proud to be a part of.

5. I am no expert on dating or great love stories. I am, in fact, somewhat of an expert on being single {although that is not anything I would ever want to be remembered for}.

Okay now for my thoughts, or really, my questions.

What is the role of a woman in a great love story really? Surely all the single woman are not supposed to stay home eating Bon Bons, praying, crying, and wearing matchy-matchy flannel pajamas?

Why is so much attention put on a woman’s seductive ways? Yes, Eve caused the fall in the garden but didn’t the same story teach us that Adam should have taken responsibility for his own bad choices?

Can single women be close friends with single guys? I know. We’ve covered this one. But can they?  It never seems to work for me. Well, it always starts out nice and then at some point it takes a turn for the crazy. One thing leads to another, feelings develop, and instead of the creation of healthy boundaries, my “crush” {aptly named} begins to validate himself by my unrequited attention and admiration. Or maybe that is just me? Maybe the rest of you have navigated this better?

Should a women ever initiate a relationship with a person of the opposite sex? Or is that just too bold? Is that the work of a temptress? When is the right time for faith in waiting? And when is the right time for faith in action?

How do you put yourself “out there” so guys want to date you? How much of my time should I spend focusing on my singleness and how much of my time should I focus on living my own great story? Shouldn’t I just concentrate on being the best version of myself, on closing the gap between who I am and who I am created to be, and the “right person” {if that exists} will find me attractive?

I would love to hear what you think. As always please keep it civil {or your comment won’t stick around.}

And I will leave you with this bit of Truth that Paul shared with the Corinthians. It has provided comfort and direction for me in this time of singleness.

 ^32-35I want you to live as free of complications as possible. When you’re unmarried, you’re free to concentrate on simply pleasing the Master. Marriage involves you in all the nuts and bolts of domestic life and in wanting to please your spouse, leading to so many more demands on your attention. The time and energy that married people spend on caring for and nurturing each other, the unmarried can spend in becoming whole and holy instruments of God. I’m trying to be helpful and make it as easy as possible for you, not make things harder. All I want is for you to be able to develop a way of life in which you can spend plenty of time together with the Master without a lot of distractions. 1 Corinthians (The Message)