by Gary Taylor | Oct 13, 2017 | Blog, Busy, Journaling, Joy, Pause
I was at a water park with my family when our daughter – about 5-years old at the time – snuck off without us noticing. Upon realizing that we were separated, I scanned a huge crowd of hundreds in my immediate area, feeling a wave of panic and of deep concern. How...
by Gary Taylor | Mar 12, 2017 | Blog, habits, Journaling, Lent, Pause, Solitude, transformation
A vine-covered trellis was my landing spot for a day of retreat. I sat in the cool morning shade of its leafy canopy. The obvious-to-me characteristic was that the vines were closely wrapped around the structure. Beginning at the base, circling the posts, then...
by Gary Taylor | Dec 25, 2016 | Blog, grace, habits, Journaling, transformation
When you have done something 6,864 times, it becomes a deeply ingrained habit. In 1994, I bought a combination padlock. I carried it back and forth from the gym for 22 years. The combination: 23-12-27. I estimate that I dialed that combination 6,864 times over those...
by Gary Taylor | Dec 4, 2016 | Blog, Humbling, Journaling, Lectio Divina, transformation
My website is called Gary’s Journal. No big surprise here: The vast majority of my blog posts originate as journal entries. For me, journaling is a form of discovery. Some people may write something in their diary that they know and don’t want to forget. But I most...
by Gary Taylor | Nov 27, 2016 | Blog, Community, Israel, Journaling, San Jose, transformation
I order my coffee then wait for an available table. Popular places are crowded places. I eventually squeeze into a spot among a cluster of occupied chairs. While reading and journaling, a phrase from Psalm 122 resonates with my surroundings… “Jerusalem is...
by Gary Taylor | Oct 30, 2016 | Blog, Journaling, transformation
I’ve put pen to paper several times a week for the past 20+ years. At last count I filled over 60 journals with thousands of entries. This sounds like a boastful statement, until you know why I journal. Allow me to preface why I journal (and why journaling would be...
At the age of 32 I married my best friend, Beth. Thirteen years later we are blessed with two very energetic kids - Jack (12) and Calleigh (9). My wife is a ridiculously good cook who loves hosting dinners in our home, and then I go to the gym to work off the calories. I am an avid reader who appreciates contemplative, Spiritual conversations shared over a cup of coffee. Hobbies and interests include reading and writing, journaling, working out, and St. Louis Cardinal’s baseball. More 