Friendlings,
Finally! For those of you who haven’t been quite clear on what The Illumination Project is, here is the place where you can get info, watch sample clips, hear from people who attended the Portland filming, and sign up for mind-blowing updates.
Seriously, your mind will. be. blown. Read more
Joy,
I have an Ask Joy question for you. Can you do a blog post about guys that actually step up and clearly ask girls out (via the phone), pick them up, open the car door, pay for everything, drop them off, walk them to the door, call a few days later to go on a second date….and then the girls tell their friends they aren’t sure if it was a date or not? We have a spreading disease in my city. Read more
Brad and I became friends a couple years ago through our mutual friend Jeff Shinabarger. (I’m starting to think Shinabarger is the Kevin Bacon game of my life.) I am very impressed by Brad’s work ethic and his ability to lead people well.
Last week we told you about a site for men that features food, fashion, music, and just general, all-around know-how for men. Think bow-ties, blue grass, bowling league. Actually, I’m not sure if they’ve done a piece on that last one, but I submit that they do. Nothing says “gentleman” like two-toned shoes and polyester.
So speaking of fashion…this week, I’m excited to share about a new women’s magazine that is seeking to be, well, realistic. I doubt you will get your fix of anorexic models and a “Stars! They’re Just Like Us” section with Drew Barrymore picking up two-ply toilet paper at the local grocery store. Read more
Hi, Joy!
My girlfriend and I have been in each other’s lives for four years. We dated my senior year in high school, dated for two years, and then broke up. Later, after we broke up, she became a follower of Christ and being agnostic myself was interested in her faith. I started going to church with her and after a couple months I accepted Christ too. After awhile we started dating again and it’s been almost a year.
My friend, Jeremy Blume, saw a problem and decided to fix it. And instead of me blabbing on and on about how he can probably give you a three-point speech on beard etiquette and bowtie a tie one-handed in his sleep, I’ll just let you read about how he got the idea for starting Bearings. A magazine for gentlemen.
I know Blair from the streets. We used to hoop it up on Saturday mornings in our SE Portland hood.
And by hoop it up I mean we would play H.O.R.S.E. or I would run around and try to set picks and do a lot of screaming. Read more
We had wedding bells ring this month for one of our interns (it’s one of the pre-requisites to being on the team). We were so excited to hear about Julie’s wedding plans and when I found out how she and her fiancé (now husband) were working against the typical western wedding grain, I told her that they needed to share with you all.
Listen up, folks! Read more
Hello my friendlings,
For all of you who have a case of the winter blues, take heart, because things are about to change. Spring is on its way. And you know what this season brings? Hay fever. Read more
Friends,
More and more people are finally talking about the neurological impacts of porn and the way it affects our ability to distinguish between reality and fantasy. I hope you see the relational impact it’s having on all of us—not only are we affected in our single, dating, and married life, but our children will be impacted, too. So much so that Iceland is considering banning pornography from their Internet all together.
Well hello friendlings,
Conferences are a great way to get a lot of great information all at once…kind of like the Internet. And I have great news, because what I’m about to tell you combines conferences and the Internet.
It’s a conference on the Internet.
Mind. Blown. Read more
Jeff is a guy I go to when I have an idea. I respect his faaaaar-from-sugar-coated feedback—so much so that, if he told me my next project needed a baby elephant involved, I would probably get on the phone with the zoo, stat.
Recently, Jeff and his equally-just-as-wise wife, Andre, did a number of social experiments asking the question, “What is enough?” I love them both and love his newest book. Read more
If you are a female that shuts down [in conflict], what would be practical advice or a step to take to head towards healing? Read more
A little history on Lesley: we bonded in college over a WWII project in our Public Discourse class. Our group created an interactive experience where our peers could emotionally engage in different aspects of the war—the London bombings, Nazi gas chambers, families receiving news of soldiers killed and the atrocity of the atomic bomb. You know, light stuff like that.
Our goal was for people to “never forget” and I’m pretty sure our class never did. Read more
My old roommate Michelle and I lived together through most of college and then moved to Los Angeles after graduation. During those years in LA, we were pretty inseparable and predictable. We would meet at the gym after work, make dinner, watch Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy and then go for a walk on the beach like two geriatrics. On many of those walks, we’d pray for our future husbands and talk about what they would be like. Read more
How important is it that we agree politically? Read more
Last year I wrote a post about Making Love. The title alone caused many of my Grandparent demographic to “unlike” me. So this year I think the only group that will be annoyed with my day-o-valentine’s post are those who don’t like to laugh and those who don’t like free things.
If that’s you, feel free to hit the X in the upper right hand corner of your screen. Read more
When I was in college, my parents sold my childhood home (and all of my childhood dreams) when they moved to Grand Rapids, Michigan. Though it’s only an hour away from where I grew up, the news still threw me for a loop. Read more
Hey Joy!
I’m having a hard time figuring out whether the “children obey your parents” verses apply to adult children as well. My parents feel I need to obey them until I am married, but I’m pretty sure God directed those verses at children who were still being reared. What’s your opinion? And if it’s true that I don’t need to obey my parents anymore, how do I proceed to have a good relationship with my parents?
Today I visited a community that Food For the Hungry had a presence in for about ten years. In keeping with the development model FH works towards, they were able to leave this muslim and hindu community when their trainings allowed many of the members roles of leadership and entrepreneurship. My realization on this trip is that when you sponsor a child, (like my little Fulmoti) you aren’t just sponsoring a child. You are sponsoring the impact of a community. Read more
So much of this country is in heart wrenching poverty from over population, caste system discrimination, health and economic ignorance. Pictures alone can make those of us who grew up with running water and more than three meals of rice a day- weep. But what is blowing me away and why I want you all to listen closely is because over the last few days I’ve heard so many stories of entire communities that are pushing against social norms and deciding to do life differently. For themselves, but mostly for their children and children’s children. Read more
I really can’t put into words how my soul was moved today. As we piled into the van at 6:30am to drive two hours to our destination, I had a few things heavy on my mind and heart. I felt down and distracted and the Bangali landscape of polution and poverty deepened it all.
By the end of the day though, things had drastically changed. Read more
Nomo Shkar! (Hindu/Christian/Buddhist Greeting)
Here is a little bit of my story so far. Hopefully over the course of the next few days I will do justice at telling theirs… Read more
So, usually with these “Stuff I Like” posts, I share with you Stuff I Like. But I’m going to get really revolutionary here and break all of my own self-imposed rules. Instead, I’m going to do a “Stuff I Like” post about “Stuff Somebody Else Likes.”
Today, I’m putting Karen, one of the amazing Love and Respect Now interns, front and center. She kind of embodies what you would imagine a Portland hipster to be, but she’s cooler, less pretentious, and doesn’t smell like patchouli.
When I used to direct my parent’s Love and Respect conferences, I would always hear the phrase, “If only I knew then, what I know now.” There is so much we can learn from hearing the stories and wisdom of those who have done marriage and relationships longer than us. Though everyone’s stories will be different, and while I don’t think there’s a formula to fit everyone’s definition of success, I believe we will all be the wiser for listening to what Trisha Davis has to say about her journey with Justin these first 17 years of marriage.
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