Seeing things differently makes life rich & full. Play helps me achieve this as it creates spaces to grow, whether alone, with others, or with God. Between engaging stories and forms of widom, in various tennis leagues, while being on a long-distance motorcycle trip, or hosting a braai, play permeates my life.
The Millennial Narrative, is my latest book (Abingdon Press, 2019). Click the cover to be taken to its dedicated site. It offers the Book of Joel as a narrative that invites the Good Life, a life especially (but not exclusively) young adults long for. The Millennial Narrative is part of a project that also includes a Bible Study Guide, music that set the narrative of Joel to song, and sermon outlines to help leaders preach through Joel. For more information, visit themillennialnarrative.com.
Growing Down, published in 2017, explores our deepening relationship with especially handheld devices. I argue that the appeal of today’s communications technologies, especially the need to be constantly connected and online, is deeply rooted in the most basic ways humans develop. In being neither good, nor bad nor neutral, technology and our relationship with devices demand our attention.
With Carolyn Naifeh, I started Our Place Nashville (formerly known as the Nashville IDD Housing Group), the only organization in Nashville helping adults with an intellectual and/or developmental disability find affordable housing, gainful employment and a strong social network necessary for them to thrive. We believe every adult with and IDD deserves a sense of community comprised of home, work, and friendships that will sustain them as independently and affordably as possible. We meet our families where they are; we set high expectations for our friends; and we give them the support necessary to succeed at home, at work, and in the community. Partnering with graduate students to build this community, we empower a future generation of social change agents.
Indeed, life is rich & full!
