My Turnpike Notebook

1.6.21 THE REALITY I think most of us could agree, especially entering 2021, the world is not the way it ought to be. It is full of anger, sickness, hatred, division, injustice, ect. It is very saddening, but it also makes sense. We are a broken species, filled with sin & pride, living in a…

12.28.20 My cousin Nick gave me a book for Christmas titled Run With The Horses, by Eugene Peterson, about the life of the prophet Jeremiah. I highly reccomend it. In the Preface of this book, it includes this ancient proverb: It tells the story of a young girl whose morning chore it was to walk…

7.5.20 I think most of my life I have tried to hide behind the title of being a “nice guy” who does the right thing and just does what he’s told. And in many ways… I have. The problem is that this is not a true reflection of who I am or who God has…

3.13.20 I feel like one of the ways the devil tries to attack is by trying to get me to believe I have some control of my own life. When the devil whispers these lies, fear creeps in because I become worried about what will happen if things don’t work out like I believe they…

3.10.20 There is a big difference between being taught a lesson and learning a lesson for yourself. No matter how adequately someone teaches us, how attentive we are, or how hard we are listening when someone is teaching, it just doesn’t seem to stick as well as when you learn a lesson for yourself through…

2.5.20 For me, followership in Jesus produces confidence in leadership. When you’re following the God whose love surpasses all knowledge, it provides the confidence to look a player in the eyes and say “follow me”, because I’m following the God who will never lead me astray, and I’m following the God who created you, created…

1.29.20 I think one of the greatest lies ever told is that the next season of life will be easier than the one we are in. “I might have a little more money” “I might have more free time” “Maybe I’ll find the right girl” “I’ll have more experience” “I’ll know how to budget my…

1.1.20 I decided to steal Dabo Swinney’s idea of having a word for each year. I felt early in the fall that thankfulness was a word the Lord wanted to press into my heart for the 2020 season. It is truly amazing how difficult it can be to be thankful, despite all the Lord provides…

8.12.19 I believe the most valuable thing a coach can do for his players is inspire them. The coaches who had the greatest impact on me, inspired me with their walk of life. A coach can only have so much of a foothold on their player’s life. At the end of the day, the players…

5.10.19 “The grass withers and the flowers fade, but the word of the Lord endures forever.” – Isaiah 40:8 It is absurd how quickly the excitement and happiness from big wins, OT thrillers, and championships fades away. A coach who structures his life to solely pursue these things is caught chasing the wind. The true…