2019 — To Build Again

Thank you for all of the heartache.

Thank you for all of the joy.

Thank you for all of the memories.

Thank you for all of the frustration.

Thank you for all of the excitement.

Thank you for all of the growth.

Thank you for all of the failures.

Thank you for all of the successes.

Thank you for all of the doubts.

Thank you for all of the answers.

Thank you for NBA 2K.

Thank you for Hazy IPAs.

Thank you for Star Wars.

Thank you for the Blazers (even right now).

Thank you for Chance the Rapper.

Thank you for pesto pasta with mushrooms.

Thank you for role que in Overwatch.

Thank you for board games.

Thank you for Perks of Being a Wallflower.

Thank you for the trees, the mountains, the lakes, the rivers, the oceans.

Thank you for the stars.

Thank you for Rocket League.

Thank you for Powell’s Books.

Thank you for the basketball hoop across from me. Thank you for the neighbors who let me shoot on it even though I’ve never asked (whoops).

Thank you for Laurelhurst Park.

Thank you for coaching soccer.

Thank you for 80s music.

Thank you for coffee. I’ll say it again; thank you for coffee.

Thank you for cinnamon rolls.

Thank you for Bridgetown Church.

Thank you for emo/pop-punk/post-hardcore/all the in betweens.

Thank you for YouTube videos about film theory.

Thank you for Ate Oh Ate.

Thank you for the apprentice cohort.

Thank you for Brennan Manning, for Thomas Merton, for John Mark Comer, for Ian Cron, for Rachel Evan Woods (RIP), for Madeleine L’Engle, for Ray Bradbury, for Anne Lamott, for Henri Nouwen, for Richard Rohr, for the VOX podcast crew (Mike, Bonnie, and Tim).

Thank you for Stranger Things.

Thank you for health insurance.

Thank you for pastor burritos.

Thank you for the Woodstock neighborhood.

Thank you for laser tag.

Thank you for Lord of the Rings special features.

Thank you for John Mark McMillan.

Thank you for the song “When You Walk Into a Room.”

Thank you for Neo.

Thank you for blink-182.

Thank you for Creston School.

Thank you for ear pods.

Thank you for the Cheddar Dome.

Thank you for painfully deep laughs.

Thank you for health.

Thank you for wisdom.

Thank you for intimacy.

Thank you for epiphanies.

Thank you for “chills.”

Thank you for insight.

Thank you for kindness.

Thank you for empathy.

Thank you for beauty.

Thank you for hope.

Thank you for peace.

Thank you for love.

Thank you for mom and dad.

Thank you for Brooke, Zack, and Izaak.

Thank you for these two kids (just their initials to keep their privacy); AR and CC.

Thank you for the dozens of other kids that I know, that I love, that I serve.

Thank you for Vince.

Thank you for Morgan.

Thank you for Eric.

Thank you for Lukas.

Thank you for Grace.

Thank you for Ben.

Thank you for Emily.

Thank you for Isaac.

Thank you for Gavin.

Thank you for Christina.

Thank you for my counselor.

Thank you for Lauren.

Thank you for Laurel.

Thank you for Drexenon (Isaac), adamb2533 (Adam) and bashf00l (Sean).

Thank you for Amy.

Thank you for Adam.

Thank you for Kimberly.

Thank you for Aaron and Cedar.

Thank you for Ashley.

Thank you for David.

Thank you for Andrew.

Thank you for Emma.

Thank you for Kelsi.

Thank you for Starbuck.

Thank you for Kyle.

Thank you for Win.

Thank you for Bowen.

Thank you for Matt.

Thank you for Mondo

Thank you for Sierra.

Thank you for Pete.

Thank you for Rob.

Thank you for Gwen.

Thank you for Nik.

Thank you for Courtney.

Thank you for Josh.

Thank you for Erin.

Thank you for Bobby.

Thank you for Matt.

Thank you for Ben.

Thank you for Eddie.

Thank you for Patrick.

Thank you for David.

Thank you for Greg.

Thank you for the Childers (Dennis, Marnie, Naomi, Cadence, Nathaniel).

Thank you for Jiross.

Thank you for anything I forgot, any person I have forgotten, any other way you have blessed me beyond count.

Yet most of all, thank you for You.

My God and my Lord.

My friend and my brother.

My lover and my Father.

Thank you, thank you, thank you.