About

Over the course of my life, I have been a marriage and family therapist, high school counselor, pastor, teacher/program consultant/peacemaker in the Middle East, fireman, football coach, bartender and now finally a writer. I have had stories pouring out of me since I was a child and now, I can let them out. I have been seriously refining my craft for about 20 years and now I can share my stories with you! 

My major life influencer has been Jesus Christ. As a 7 year old I can remember laying on the lawn under a star filled sky and grappling with huge existential questions such as, ” Is there a God? “, “If there is a God then how do I reach Him?”, and “Where does He live?”. I found the answers to all these questions, and more when I was introduced to the person of Jesus Christ through Young Life as a teenager. Since then, I discovered that instead of me reaching him, He had been reaching out for me all my life. Every conversation, every insight and all forms of guidance I have received from him have been by his initiation, not mine.

God has formed me slowly but surely but He has used many humans to aid in that process. One who has had an immense impact on my life – and writing is C.S. Lewis. His theology, humor, and child-like (not childish as he always reminds us) heart have been essential additions to my life. Other authors who have impacted my style are Mark Twain, James Thurber, Ernest Hemingway, Eugene Peterson and John Eldridge.


I would like to give you a sense of who I am. I think have a good sense of humor and explorer’s heart which has given me the willingness to walk through doors many would think twice about walking through and a positive attitude about most challenges I have faced. I have seen that that sense of humor, positive outlook and explorer’s heart have all come in handy on my great adventure in writing!


I have traveled the world and generally have done it a little differently than many. I have gone many places in spite of traveler’s warnings…As a result I had the Great Pyramid of Khufu all to myself in Cairo. I have seen horrible things that I can never UN-see. I have been shot at several times and sucked in more tear gas than I ever imagined on the West Bank. I have experienced more beautiful acts of friendship and hospitality than I could ever have imagined also. No matter how much pain I have observed, I find the love and tenderness of those I have met drowns out the other and will remain with me forever. The world is a much larger place for me today than it was 25 years ago for me.


I love history, especially what we can learn about the human condition from it. I have loved studying human behavior as well – both in the therapist chair in marital therapy and in the back seat of a police car in Israel.

I love nature and when I need a great existential question answered or need to be renewed that is where you will find me!


I am expressive and I have a large emotional bandwidth and so things can often get bigger and grander in my eyes than others. I am definitely an inspiration guy rather than an information guy. I have to push myself to provide detail and I see the big picture immediately (generally speaking) and then must work hard to see the small picture.

On the introversion continuum I am an introvert who can do extroversion when needed. Same with social interaction. I can lead, speak, and mix – and enjoy it all to a point and then retreat to my core group of friends and family who know how to help me recharge. I am open about my life but also hold my privacy closely. That enables me to give and create out of abundance rather than substance

.

My family is an incredibly vital part of my life. My three adult children are each wonderful individuals whom I am very proud of. I have four amazing grandsons and one beautiful great grandson who all bring such amazing light into my life!