When I was in seminary, I worked at a big church in the Twin Cities. It wasn’t just a great place to learn about ministry—it was a place where I got to see how it’s done in real life. It was the perfect complement to all the stuff I was learning in class.

All three of my kids and their spouses run. I mean, they do it for fun. No one’s making them do it. I have no idea where they got the idea that running outside year-round in Minnesota is enjoyable. They certainly didn’t get it from me. They all started after they moved out. But they’re into it. They do 5Ks, 10Ks, half marathons, and full marathons. They’ve done races in Fargo, Grandma’s, the Twin Cities, New York, and even Boston. Me? I don’t run. I walk.

I’ve been friends with Bruce for 35 years beginning when we were roommates in college. I was in his wedding, and he was in mine. We still get together with our wives on a regular basis.

I was scrolling through my twitter feed, when I saw an article written by Ryan Burge. He first came on my radar a few years back when he spoke at a conference I was attending. He’s a university professor, pastor and author who does research and makes graphs on religion. Perhaps you’ve seen his book, The Nones: Who They are and Where They Are Going.

I recently finished a book that one of my son’s recommended to me. The book was Dedicated by Pete Davis. I think what really caught my attention was the subtitle: The Case for Commitment in an Age of Infinite Browsing. One of the key ideas found in the book is that in today’s culture, we don’t commit to things because one of the defining characteristics of our age is the desire to keep our options open.