"Look what I found!” It is a common experience at the ranch for a young child to arrive at our reception desk with a rock in their hand, proudly presenting their discovery as though they have uncovered something of extraordinary importance. Sometimes it is a smooth jade, sometimes it’
Rejection cuts straight to my bones. Perhaps because it's a demon I've been fighting for decades. So when a letter arrived in the mail a few days ago discouraging me from submitting a full grant proposal to a major funder in the religion news space — the
Apparently, there’s no “Friendship Divorce Court”- and I have questions. After my recent article about how to make a new friend- spoiler alert: invite them over to play Legos - almost a dozen people asked me to write about the opposite: How do you break up with a friend? Frankly,
Starting August 1, 2026, a complex of fast-moving wildfires—including the Old Trails, Autumn Lane, and Fairview fires—devastated the edges of Spokane, Washington. The wind-driven blazes scorched over 10,500 acres, destroyed at least 900 homes and structures, and forced roughly 65,000 residents to evacuate in
We had prepared for bears, cougars, coyotes, bobcats, storms, power outages, a freezing wellhead, and the occasional tree deciding it had stood long enough. Twenty-plus years of mountain ranch life have taught us to think in terms of the big natural disruptions. But we can never really be prepared
Many years ago, my aunt gave me a book called "The Art of Doing Nothing." I want to tell you it changed my life — that I read it on a porch with a cup of tea and rediscovered the art of stillness. I never opened it. It'
How one spectacularly awkward attempt to make a new friend reminded me friendship is built, one tiny brick at a time. I was trying to decide what to write about this month when my husband gave me one very specific piece of advice: "Absolutely do not write about your
Your business is allowed to change because you are allowed to change. You can adjust, simplify, rebuild, or redefine what success means now. You don’t have to burn everything down to make a different choice. Many of us start our own businesses with a vision for more freedom, more
At the mouth of Robe Valley, tucked into the foothills of the Cascade Mountains, lies a well-traveled route of humanity. It is in western Washington, north and east of an area the Indigenous peoples used as a portage between two rivers, now known as the city of Granite Falls.
Finding community one garden party, movie night, and bowl of cereal at a time. My last two articles have both been "Guides," which is ironic because I once guided an entire holiday parade down a dark alley and right into a dead end (true story for another time)
There’s a story that entrepreneurship loves to tell. The successful business owner is self-made. Independent. Tireless. They bootstrap their way to success, solve every problem on their own, and never need to ask for help. It’s a compelling story; it’s also one of capitalism’s biggest
Spring on the mountain is when connections become visible. And if you spend enough years paying attention to Nature, you begin noticing something else. Healthy systems are built through relationships; not through dominance, control, or uniformity. They are built through connection. Lately, I’ve been thinking about that old phrase:
We wanted our son to understand, from the beginning, that he is not the center of the world — he is part of it. That he is a steward, not an owner. We took him to Kamiak Butte to say so out loud. My wife and I have hiked Kamiak often
A public service announcement from a man who has been successfully gay married exactly one time with wisdom from couples smarter than he is. I received 67 written responses to my last column, “I Made All the Gay Dating Mistakes So You Don’t Have To.” …thank you. This doesn’
Ask most people what they know about religion in the Pacific Northwest and you'll get a shrug. Or a knowing smile. "Isn't that the none zone?" I've heard some version of this for the 14 years I've been running FāVS
There’s a particular kind of pressure that comes with being LGBTQ+ and self-employed. Not just to survive. Not just to succeed. But to know. To know who you are. To know what your business is. To know your niche, your message, your next move. To speak clearly, confidently,
