This summer, Vivien, Todd and I took some time to think through my current job, strengths, future plans and joys and came to the conclusion that a change was needed. This is a very bittersweet transition for us, but I am very excited about this change and the opportunities it presents. Looking back, while there were several stressful/difficult conversations, this has been a great time of growth and excitement in our marriage. Read on for more details if you wish!

Why Change?

Before I even talk through the timeline of events or the end result, I do want to say a few things about my previous position with Young Life:

1. I have never worked for or with a better group of people in my life. If I had things my way, I would bring everyone from Richardson Area Young Life along with me wherever I go. Even though that won’t happen, I am very excited to stay in Dallas and continue to grow the relationships we have formed over the past several years with Young Life.
2. I love the mission of Young Life, especially the way I have seen it played out in Richardson. I plan to continue being involved in one way or another as long as we are around.

That being said, Vivien and I have never thought of Young Life as the job I was cut out for. Starting in late May, we were given the freedom to take some time to think through what I would be excited about pursuing, and the confidence to know that WyldLife would be left in good hands if I were too leave.

Narrowing the Search

It was not always clear what position I was looking for, but after talking things through with Vivien, we began getting excited about two paths. One was returning to a Teaching career, and the other was pursuing Pastoral ministry. After meeting with several pastors at The Village, we became even more excited about the idea of pursuing a full-time teaching job and looking for opportunities to gain Pastoral experience on the side. As a result of some of these meetings, I was forwarded an email from Coram Deo Academy about a part-time 8th History & Bible position. Even though it was part-time, we decided it was worthwhile to apply. Decision. Of. The. Year.

The Perfect Fit

The day before I went in for a formal interview, I took part in a phone interview where I mentioned my desire to land a full-time job. At the time there seemed to only be a part-time opening, but we decided that it was best to go forward with the interview either way. The next morning, towards the end of the actual interview, I was presented with a plan the hiring committee put together to provide a full-time position for me. Later in the interview I was told more about the school’s great philosophy, schedule and academic reputation. In a nutshell, here is what I will be doing:

• Teach 8th Grade History & Bible, 7th Grade Life Science and 12th Grade Apologetics
• Coram Deo is on a college schedule, with class sessions each meeting twice a week
• I will only be teaching Monday-Thursday

What Will I do with Fridays?

Several things, but I am especially excited about:

• Working more with Vivien Ly Designs
• Studying towards my M.A.R. at RTS
• Serving with a pastor/department at The Village Church
• Creating fun side projects like the Nicene Creed Devo
• Toying with things I enjoy (WordPress, Illustrator, etc)
• Visiting my wife and friends!
• Pursuing speaking opportunities

So that’s where we are right now. I finish officially with Young Life on July 31st and start reporting to Coram Deo in early August. Thanks so much for all the prayers, ideas and encouragement along the way, Viv and I both appreciate you guys!

From time to time I’d love to highlight some products that I love. I use several products in a given day, but a few stand out above the rest. This is one of those products. (Read those last two lines twice. Once as a Steve Jobs keynote, and again as the opening to Law and Order.)

Field Notes

My first experience with Field Notes was courtesy of a Gowalla giveaway. At first I thought I had no need for a pocket-sized notepad, especially since I almost always have my phone with me. After deciding to carry a Field Note pad around for a week, I quickly realized that this might be a new staple in my back left pocket.

About the Company

Inspired by the vanishing subgenre of agricultural memo books, ornate pocket ledgers and the simple, unassuming beauty of a well-crafted grocery list, the Draplin Design Company, Portland, Oregon in conjunction with Coudal Partners of Chicago, Illinois bring you “FIELD NOTES” in hopes of offering, “An honest memo book, worth fillin’ up with GOOD INFORMATION.”

How I Use It

I have mainly used mine for idea mapping, lists, sketches and as a second brain for short term memory. They come in a variety of colors and paper styles (my latest order was three cardboard cover with blank paper.) You also get a couple of fun surprises with every oder!

More Pics

Have you used Field Notes before? Know of any similar products I should consider?

This is a preview of the Nicene Creed devo that Tyson Guthrie and I recently wrote. It has been a great joy to watch several Young Life Work Crew, Summer Staff and Assigned Team members walk through the Creed every day. This excerpt is from Day 4 “The Father”…

“The Bible is God’s revelation of Himself to humankind.  Don’t miss how big that is…God (infinite) reveals Himself to humans (finite).  In order to communicate truths that are way beyond our grasp, the Bible uses human terms like Father.  We all have fathers.  Some of us have bad fathers, or absent fathers.  Some of us have good fathers.  There are some ways in which earthly fathers help us know what our heavenly Father is like, and many ways in which our earthly fathers will hinder our thoughts of God.  For those of us who don’t know our fathers, or have abusive fathers, the very thought of a heavenly “father” is offensive.  “Why would I want another father?  All they do is hurt me…let me down.”  Even those of us with good, loving fathers can mislead us in our thoughts of our Heavenly Father.  We think of God as basically the same as us…maybe a little older and wiser.  A big cuddly figure who bandages our spiritual skinned knees.  So what does it mean that God is Father?  Three things: He is the Original Source.  He has a Son.  We can be adopted as His Sons and Daughters.”

If you haven’t seen, I am working with a few friends to finish a month-long devotional on the Nicene Creed. Here is a quick sneak peek at Day 1, an Introduction to the Nicene Creed.

“Why is it so important that we live the Christian life in community? As strong, healthy and safe as we think we are, every single one of us is just a phone call away from having our lives completely fall apart. Every single one of us will have times where we doubt and struggle with our faith. Every single one of us will feel so alone that we wonder if anyone else understands what we’re going through. The first word of the Nicene Creed means that God designed Christianity and the Church so that every single one of us is responsible for every single one of us both in times of suffering and in times of great joy. You need me, and I need you.”

If you haven’t seen, I am working with a few friends to finish a month-long devotional on the Nicene Creed. Here is a quick sneak peek at Day 1, an Introduction to the Nicene Creed.

“Why does Christianity need boundaries? Because anyone can make claims about God and the Bible. Especially with the quick and easy access we have to information today, a guy living in his parent’s basement has just as much say as the Biblical Scholar who spent 40 years in study and teaching. The basement blogger and the Biblical Scholar both hold opinions about God, but that doesn’t mean that they are both right. Having and expressing your opinion is not wrong when you are talking about which team is better, or what top looks best with those shorts. When you are talking about the God of the Universe, on the other hand, you must make sure that your “opinion” is right. Otherwise you run the risk of leading yourself and others away from the one True God you claim to believe in.”