"By Faith..." - The Next Chapter of the Sneed's Story

March 2, 2015

"Trust the past to God's mercy, the present to God's love, and the future to God's providence." - Saint Augustine

To follow God is no simple task, it brings about joy and sorrow, clarity and mystery, trust and doubt. And ultimately, no words have resonated more true than the words of Saint Augustine above. God's mercy, love and providence carry on, regardless of circumstance. Below is a bit about Lindsey and I's journey of the past few years and the few years to come, there are countless other stories to be shared, much more than could be typed in a blog post, but here is a bit of where God has led us...

The Hidden Spirituality of Resolutions & Why You've Already Failed

February 11, 2015

Research shows that 44% of American adults made some sort of New Years Resolutions in hopes of bringing about change in their life. I am apart of that 44%. The same research suggests that only 8% of those who make resolutions will actually accomplish these resolutions. I am not apart of that 8%...for the most part. Some of the goals I've set for this year I am struggling with and others I have already waved the flag of defeat. I don't think many would argue these numbers. We all have experienced the desire for change only to find our motivations waning months, weeks, even days later.

There is a hopeful allure about the start of a new year.

The Danger of Creativity & Passion

February 3, 2015

"Artists love without reservation. They give their hearts completely and leave nothing on the table. They are naked and unashamed. They leave no room for pretension. And because they have given all of themselves, they live without regret.

But not without struggle. This path is not an escape from life's wounds and disappointment. To live from our souls is to pursue our greatest passions and expose ourselves to our greatest pain. We cannot live to create and be surprised that we have traveled through failure. We cannot live a life of passion and not know sorrow. To pursue a dream is to invite a nightmare! To live a life of love is to know betrayal and loss. The soul is both fragile and resilient..."

I'm Reading 26 Books This Year

January 14, 2015

With the new year comes new goals and resolutions. One of my goals this year is to read 26 books, an average of one book every two weeks. My hope is to grow in knowledge and challenging my thinking by more reading and by reading a variety of authors. Below is the incomplete list of books, in no particular order. Take a look and let me know if you want to read any of them along with me or your brief review of books you've read.

5 Lessons from 5 Years of Marriage

August 8, 2014

A week ago, August 1st, my wife and I officially celebrated 5 years of marriage. No doubt, marriage has been the craziest, life altering journey either of us have experienced. It has changed us and shaped us in ways we expected and ways we never would have imagined. We have gone from young idealistic twenty-somethings, to exhausted parents pursuing careers.

I still consider myself very much a rookie at marriage, a struggling rookie at that, but here are five things I have learned along the way...