Naomi’s Funeral Service on Saturday, May 23

This Saturday, May 23rd, a funeral service will be held for Naomi Grace Costanzo. We will be celebrating her short life by singing hymns, hearing God’s Word, and bringing glory to her omnipotent and all-wise Creator. There will be a time of visitation starting...
Naomi’s Funeral

Naomi’s Funeral

“The Lord has given, and the Lord has taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.” On Saturday, May 23rd, our family and many of our friends gathered together to weep and worship with us as we grieved Naomi’s death and celebrated her life. It was a...

Naomi’s Death Points Us To Ours—and Christ’s

Today is a day like any other day—the sun rose, the kids are off to school, and there is work to be done. But it’s also the three-year anniversary of Naomi’s death, so let’s pause the normal routines of our lives for a moment and reflect on what it means to die. What...
Harvey Cedars Jammies

Harvey Cedars Jammies

This summer, while on vacation, our family created a new music video to celebrate our all-time favorite vacation spot, Harvey Cedars Bible Conference. While the music isn’t original, the hip-hop lyrics and amazing dance moves are 100% guaranteed fresh. Click and...
The τέλος of all things

The τέλος of all things

One of the things about my seminary experience that changed me for good was the opportunity to take introductory Greek and Hebrew classes. While I am no scholar and unfit to accurately translate anything not written by the apostle John on my own, I have nonetheless...
Happy Star Wars Day!

Happy Star Wars Day!

May the Fourth be with you! Yes, for those of you who did not know, May the 4th is officially Star Wars Day. (If you don’t believe me, just Google it!) Yes, it is a glorious day in which all us geeky Star Wars fans greet each other with cheerful grins, secret...
Happy Easter!

Happy Easter!

This morning in church my pastor said something profound: Why don’t Christians make more of Easter? He didn’t mean it in a guilt-inducing, shame-on-you sort of way; that doesn’t help anybody. But he had a good point: on Christmas we give gifts and...
Moses and the Promised Land

Moses and the Promised Land

Oftentimes when God says, “No,” to something we really want, it’s hard to believe that His heart toward us is tender and loving and that He delights to give us good things (Psalm 107:9). But He has been teaching me recently that sometimes when He...
This only shall not pass…

This only shall not pass…

I’m reminded tonight that of all the things I put my time and energy into, only two will remain: people and the Bible. People last forever. Whether in Heaven or in Hell, I believe we all have a permanent, everlasting existence. Thus, my time spent with people is...
What is God doing in Japan?

What is God doing in Japan?

What is God doing in Japan? God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at...
Please Pray for Japan!

Please Pray for Japan!

Please Pray for Japan! New earthquake retraumatizes millions According to recent news updates , Japan was rocked by a magnitude 7.1 earthquake near Sendai Thursday night. While there was no tsunami this time, there was still a tsunami warning for an hour and a half,...
UPDATE FROM JAPAN, PART TWO

UPDATE FROM JAPAN, PART TWO

Saturday After a very blessed stay in Iwaki, we drove straight through my old hometown of Funehiki (I really wanted to stop, but our schedule wouldn’t allow it) up to the city of Sendai, which had arguably seen the most devastating effects of the earthquake and...
Why I Am Still Going

Why I Am Still Going

These have been some crazy days…initially I was hoping to blog every day before the trip, but that got blown out of the water because God’s plans have been so much bigger than ours! The team I’m with is now officially 8 people, and in only 6 days God...

Update on Giving and Our Team’s Safety

Our dear family and friends, First of all, thank you for your patience as we got our fund-raising details taken care of! Our team has arranged two ways to donate to helping our brothers and sisters in Japan (electronically or by check). Gifts by check are tax...
Please Pray For Our Beloved Japan

Please Pray For Our Beloved Japan

Our hearts break for Japan. Never in all our years have we ever imagined that this kind of apocalyptic destruction could happen again in our hearts’ country. Japan has always been the safest, most disaster-prepared country we have ever known. And in one day, we...
Japan and the Water of Life

Japan and the Water of Life

May the floods that they so much dread make blessings break upon their head. -John Piper On March 11, 2011, the dreaded tsunamis swept away hope and life, leaving death and ruin in its wake. The water that swept them forward was dirty and dark, and carried the...