I love exploring...people, places, words, truths. I love encouraging people toward honesty, toward being their best selves. Writing is one way I try to live out those loves. After spending decades as a pastor, I no longer have that as my job. Our faith community shattered, and I'm still unraveling the shrapnel. Over the last year I've immersed myself in the writings of women from the middle ages, mystics like Hildegard of Bingen who have grounded me and given me new (and ancient) spiritual life. After taking a spiritual retreat in the place of her birth and life in Germany, I've written a book about what she is teaching me. Finding Papa is one of the projects closest to my heart. My grandfather was the kindest man I ever knew. My desire to understand him and present him to the world has uncovered all the things he stuffed: a dad who left, anguish and guilt over atrocities in World War II, and a brother who committed suicide, to name just a few. It's become a written journey exploring vulnerability and honesty, and my own story and truths are woven through it. I hope to finish it soon and move toward publication. Elaine and I have been married almost 30 years, and have three children. Aubrey will graduate high school, and Hayley will graduate college, in June of 2020. Natalie is pursuing her Ph.D. in clinical psychology and is married to Nolan.