Into a Headwind

The headwind never let up. Not a gust here and there, not some squall that blew through and passed. It leaned against us the whole way out. A headwind slows you down and keeps you from getting where you want to go. My wife sat up front. Our son was tucked in the bow ahead … Continue reading Into a Headwind →

I Saw God on the Train

This poem shares its title with a piece by Lucas Jones, whose work first sparked the idea. While Jones’s original inspired the premise — a chance encounter with God on a train — I’ve rewritten it entirely from the ground up. Where the original takes its own path, this version is grounded in a distinctly … Continue reading I Saw God on the Train →

The Boy Who Lit The Lantern

It’s the middle of the night in Boston, April 18, 1775. The city is quiet, but not peaceful. Something big is coming. The British army is getting ready to move. They’ve been watching, planning, preparing to crush the growing rebellion. If they can strike fast—if they can catch the leaders of the colonies off guard—it’s … Continue reading The Boy Who Lit The Lantern →

The View from Up There

He has no idea how high up he is. Strapped into a shoulder carrier with a seatbelt around his belly and ankle loops cinched tight, my son rides above the world without a single ounce of fear. He doesn’t know about gravity. Doesn’t know that one wrong step could send both of us crashing down. … Continue reading The View from Up There →

Passed Over

Not everyone slept in Egypt that night. There was blood on the doors. Roasted lamb on the table. A strange stillness in the air, like the wind itself was holding its breath. Inside the homes of the Israelites, parents sat with their children—some in peace, some in panic. They had done what God asked. But … Continue reading Passed Over →

Leader of the Pack

During our walk, something about Dacks caught my attention. His usual pattern of walking ahead, then doubling back, played out as it always has. But this time, when he turned, his focus wasn’t solely on Cassie, but also on Judah, our son. Dacks has always taken it upon himself to check in on the group, … Continue reading Leader of the Pack →

Held in the Stillness

The other night, after bath time, I found myself sitting on the bathroom floor, holding my son wrapped up in his towel. His tiny body relaxed into mine, the warmth of the bath still lingering. At 3 months old, he doesn’t know much about the world, but he knows when he’s safe, when he’s held … Continue reading Held in the Stillness →

Clarity in the Blur

It’s strange how blurry those first few weeks of recovery are. I know my wife was there—caring for me and our newborn—but if I’m honest, I barely remember most of it. The days in the hospital, the frustration of not being able to move, and the fog of constant pain all blend. But this photo… … Continue reading Clarity in the Blur →

The Road Between

Leaving camp is always tough. As I watched the last sunset over the Adirondacks, that familiar bittersweet feeling washed over me. The drive back to Chicago was long, but this time it was different—my wife and child flew ahead, leaving me to drive with my brother. It had been a while since we’d spent real … Continue reading The Road Between →

Hope in the Wreckage

At the start of the summer, life was supposed to be filled with joy, anticipation, and the excitement of new beginnings. My son was just three weeks old, and I was preparing to step into my responsibilities as the assistant camp director at Northern Frontier. But in an instant, everything changed. It was an ordinary … Continue reading Hope in the Wreckage →