Hey everybody, sorry for the long time between posts...but before you accuse me of being blogging lazy, I am working on some new blog projects.

First, I'm really excited about the new Small Group Leader blog that I'm running at 2|42 Community Church. You can check it out at groups.242community.com and join in the discussion of all things small groups! You can even see my first video blog here.

I've also been blogging weekly devotionals as a part of what we call the SOAP blog. It uses a YouVersion reading plan to take our community through the bible in a year and every Monday I post some thoughts on one of the daily reading. Feel free to check it out at soap.242community.com.

So it's only been 6 months since I last blogged...no big deal...right? Man...

So much has been happening in my life that blogging has taken a back seat. It's weird because for so long blogging on here was not only really important to me but had became very meaningful. Not to mention the many new friends I've made.

So in the past 6 months, not only have we had another child, but I've started a new job too. Little Elijah was born on August 10, weighing in at 7 lbs and a handful of ounces. He is a perfect little man and amazing addition to our family.

His two older brothers could not be more proud or more involved in his life - they love him to death.

And the new job...o' it is awesome. So after 4 years of working in boring corporate America, I am now the full time director of small groups in my community at 2|42! My 60 mile commute became 3 miles and I get to work with a great bunch of friends. I feel like I'm doing the job I was literally created to do - it is surreal.

I have a blessed life.

This is the most important thing I could post about - because it is closest to who I really am. I love the discussions we have on here and having an avenue to unload my thoughts - not to mention all the friends I've made here - but none of those things have capture me as fully as the new section I opened on the third place called 'Recovery.'

Follow the link, or use the tab in the top nav and find out more about me than you probably wanted to know. You can watch 2 videos, about 11 minutes of your life, to know the broken side of me and why third places are so important to me - they've saved my life.

God has opened so many doors for Julie and through our story, it is amazing what just being honest and real with people can do. Even in just the past few weeks - God has brought about some amazing opportunities to partner with people on their journey in life and recovery.

Much love....

Blogger Profile

Why the third place?

My beautiful family on flickr.

Interested in having me speak? Email me: kevin@thethirdplaceonline.com

I'm a pretty regular guy, husband, follower of Jesus, lover of the Church, futurist and father. I have a B.A. in Religion and live to embody the anti-religious Way of Jesus in my daily life. I love life, I love God and I love people.

My family consists of my beautiful, hard working, makes-me-better-all-the-time partner, best friend and spouse Julie Ann or simply Jewel (who happens to be pregnant right now). Then there is my 4 year old, thrill-seeker, conservationist, lover of life and silly little buddy - Micah John. And definitely not least is my almost 2, follows-brother-everywhere, thrill-seeker #2 Kaiden Michael or KK for short.

If there is one thing I want to say to you, it's just be real with yourself. We can put on a facade that fools the world around us. A facade that we've got it together, that we're awesome - but you know the truth and God knows the truth. And who's more important than that?

And what you'll find is that a raw power comes from true authenticity - a power that can only be explained in the design of how God set it up. He does not use us because we are perfect or good enough, He uses us because we are quite the opposite. The scriptures are full of broken people being used by God and this underlying theme we often miss that God uses our mistakes, shame and brokenness to display His loving faithfulness.

Paul knew he did the very things he hated and sought God to remove the thorn in his flesh - but God's answer is profound. An answer profound enough to carry you and I - His grace is sufficient. And it is in humility and brutal honesty that God can use us.

Here are some video's we shot 2 years ago for a series at 242 Community - it's the easiest way to understand my journey...



For me, it was about coming to grip with the lies I was living and the dichotomy that existed between the Way of Jesus and the way I was living. I'm thankful that my story doesn't end here, but actually begins here. That God's faithfulness is best shown in my mistakes and broken past. I'm thankful that I can boast in my weakness.

An amazing piece of the story of Jesus is that through His incarnation, through putting on flesh and coming to earth, He gave us our humanity back. He showed us what being human really is. So don't accept your mistakes as being 'human,' because to be truly human is to be like Jesus - it is our broken human nature that we must wrestle and struggle with.

So stop pretending. Maybe you're not a sex addict, an alcoholic, a drug abuser - but you are no less broken. Maybe your brokenness is in over eating, being co-dependent, habitual lying - whatever - join the beautiful complexity of God's broken creation pursuing His likeness.

For questions, support, prayer - email me at kevin@thethirdplaceonline.com

related posts, 'The Return of Ted Haggard,' 'If We Could Wear Our Faith...'
pamphlet by Mark Driscoll, 'Porn Again Christian'