This is it – the start of a new blog. Why? I’ve been thinking about my voice and how I speak.

Communication has always been a primary focus for me. For 23 years, as a pastor, I often spoke for people, hoping that what I shared would benefit others in some way. For 16 years, through Cloudfire Creative, I’ve worked with others to help them communicate in creative ways. More recently, as CBAC’s Communication Manager, my role is to speak on behalf of the organization, its team, our mission.

In all of that, I’ve always aimed to speak authentically. Nevertheless, I feel a desire to speak with my own voice – sharing my thoughts, my ideas – more directly in some way. And so, here we are.

Well, that’s why I’m here. What about you?

I’m hoping that what I give voice to will find the right ears. That these words will be meaningful to others, too. That said, this won’t be for everyone! And that’s OK. You’re welcome to stay, or stop in from time to time.

A number of years ago, as a sort of summary to the core calling for human beings as found in the first pages of the Bible, I formed something of a personal motto: “make something beautiful.” In the past year, this led me to begin doctoral studies at ADC. My interest is centered around living and leading imaginatively, creatively, even transformatively. In other words, to see the world more fully alive with the goodness of God. This blog will document some of my journey exploring this, and will also be part of the making.

I wish I could tell you what I’m going to be writing about, but the truth is, it could be anything. I might revisit things I’ve shared in other times and places. Maybe I’ll post about the latest book I read, or something that came up in my research, but which doesn’t have a place to go. This blog will simply be a place to collect it all.

Creative processes are often messy. Whether this blog merely adds to the noise and distraction, or says something worthwhile, remains to be seen. My hope is that what I collect in the blog will in some way “make something beautiful.”