New Beginnings

Over the course of the last three and a half weeks I have been on sabbatical from my role as preaching minister of the Morgantown Church of Christ. We took a three week journey to see the three most Northeastern states that we had not yet been to -- Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine. We beheld the wonders of the Flume (see flumegorge.com for more details), were frightened beyond belief driving to the top of Mount Washington, partook of the glorious flavors of Ben and Jerry's ice cream at their factory store, and saw amazing natural features in Acadia National Park in Maine. We were thoroughly impressed!

One of the things to come of my sabbatical is an increasing sense that I need to write more. I have a book review in the works of Culture Making: Recovering Our Creative Calling. However, my wife has been urging me to take up a blog as a way of connecting more with those in the Morgantown area and in blogland beyond. So, after several months of urging, I am ready to write!

A word about the title. "Through the Valley" reflects my conviction that while we live on this earth, we are constantly at the disposal of forces that we would want to kill us, or at least to kill our faith in God's love and care. It is also a shorthand way of expressing the conviction that this blog will be about discovering God's "goodness and love" until we dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Plus, it has a nice resonance with my last name!

Expect the following topics to have a prominent place in this blog:

1. My role as a husband and father -- There are too many funny things that happen in our family to restrict these stories to sermons! Sometimes I will share these funny stories and sometimes I will share serious things. My hope is to encourage you in whatever role you have in your family by sharing from my foibles and the strengths of our family.
2. My role as a preacher and teacher of God's Word -- Expect to see things that will give you insight into what I do, such as sermon preparation, hospital visitation, prayer, Bible study, etc.
3. My take on culture and Christianity -- How can we live faithfully as Christians in a culture that seems hostile?
4. Anything else that strikes my fancy! After all, this is MY blog!