What a German Evolutionist Taught Me About a Healthy Church
15 May 2017

What a German Evolutionist Taught Me About a Healthy Church

by | posted in: Ponderlust | 0

Recently, my circle of friends has been growing deeper with each other. My Tuesday night study group, specifically, has been embarking into the kind of conversations you’d expect at a therapist’s office. My encounter with Peter Wohlleben’s book happened as we have been in the process of distilling our DNA to make our culture replicable. Several of my takeaways from the book explain why our circle has functioned with such health—and why it continues to grow.

Serotonin Gives Me Hat Hair
9 Jan 2017

Serotonin Gives Me Hat Hair

by | posted in: Explorience, Ponderlust | 0

I’ll never forget that moment in my life: the sense of accomplishment, the impression of awe. Scientists have found that reflecting on life’s wins like these refuels our serotonin levels in our bodies, which helps us manage stress. Triggering those memories and what goes with them immunizes us to burnout. So, I wear these hats regularly to take me back to January 2008.

How I Finally Started Keeping My New Year’s Resolutions
31 Dec 2016

How I Finally Started Keeping My New Year’s Resolutions

by | posted in: Random Acts of Ryan | 0

As of right now, I’m keeping 40% more of my New Year’s resolutions than when I first got serious about my goals a decade ago. That might not sound like a lot, but my friends and family have told me that they can see real change happening in my life. I’ve gotten to this mile marker, in part, by following these five principles.

How to Find Unique Vacations on a Budget
30 Dec 2016

How to Find Unique Vacations on a Budget

by | posted in: Explorience | 0

I regularly get asked how I find the unique places where I vacation. My trademark response: “Give me five hours and Google, and I can find a vacation you’ve never seen.”
Everybody has the Internet, though; and everybody has five hours. Here’s my process, in case you’re looking to break your status quo.

Finding My Inner Beach
29 Dec 2016

Finding My Inner Beach

by | posted in: Explorience, Random Acts of Ryan | 0

What I don’t know is whether or not I fell in love with the exception to the rule. I’ve been to seasides on four continents and to beaches in at least eight countries. This is the first time I’ve felt this comfortable with my feet in the sand and nothing to do. I guess I’ll have to give another beach a try to know for sure.

The Adult Path to "Childlike Faith"
30 Nov 2016

The Adult Path to "Childlike Faith"

by | posted in: Ponderlust | 0

Preachers have explained to me from pulpits that children inherently trust others, that they don’t bring a lot of baggage to their worldview, that they accept premises without a lot of investigation. As the uncle of thirteen developing humans, though, I’ve found that the inquisitive questions never stop. From what I’ve heard as the friend of multiple child counselors, kids can be skittish, skeptical, and complicated.

Midlife Lessons from a Cheesy Kids Movie
26 Nov 2016

Midlife Lessons from a Cheesy Kids Movie

by | posted in: Ponderlust, Random Acts of Ryan | 0

I don’t know if I’ve ever said this about a kid, but it seemed like the cheerful abandon of our date was cathartic for JJ. It definitely was for me. I hadn’t expected that, and I didn’t plan to walk away with a “moral to the story”—even though all kids’ flicks are didactic.

The L Word
17 Nov 2016

The L Word

by | posted in: Ponderlust, Random Acts of Ryan | 1

Across the last four decades, that was the first time that word was applied to me (in person, anyway). That’s probably why I cocked my head a little when I heard the designation. It might explain why I’ve walked around with that moment and that sound for months now, trying to figure out what to do with it.

A Year From Today
12 Nov 2016

A Year From Today

by | posted in: Explorience, Random Acts of Ryan | 0

I don’t need a midlife crisis, because I have a decent handle on who I am, who I want to be, and how much the distance between those two points is shrinking. I just want a big journey to celebrate a big milestone.

12 Christian Reality Shows America Wants
20 Oct 2016

12 Christian Reality Shows America Wants

by | posted in: Ponderlust, Random Acts of Ryan | 0

With more and more faith-based movies making money on the big screen, maybe we’re not too far from Christian themes coming to the small screen. Reality TV is just the venue for that cable revival. Church people have some prime licensing tie-ins that could get us to a critical mass that network executives won’t be able to ignore.

No, Not All Boys Will Be Boys
9 Oct 2016

No, Not All Boys Will Be Boys

by | posted in: Ponderlust, Random Acts of Ryan | 0

As bloggers, podcasters, comedians, academics, and others confront stereotypes, may we as a culture also not assume that “boys will be boys.” Please don’t equate that boy-ness to misogyny, objectification, and sexual assault. Please don’t think Drumpf represents maleness, masculinity, or manhood any more than Kim Kardashian, Rosanne Barr, or Hillary Clinton represent all women.

An Adrenaline Rush in Someone Else's Living Room
27 Sep 2016

An Adrenaline Rush in Someone Else's Living Room

by | posted in: Explorience, Ponderlust, Random Acts of Ryan | 0

The irony of the situation was that I was asked to speak about what I’ve seen God do in odd or uncomfortable ways over the past few years of my life. Using Bob Goff’s book, Love Does, as a filter, I told my story of life change and the stories of sovereignty that affirmed my spiritual journey. I challenged the circle to respond to God’s promptings, even when they don’t understand the reason or efficacy of that obedience.

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