I suppose it’s better than not having food, but flying today is SUUUCKING. Everything is delayed; already changed my 2nd leg hoping to get home; maybe I’ll get home? Currently watching SNL in the Raleigh United Club.

Stoked to speak to these 1200 teenagers this morning and evening at Pilgrimage (UMC NC Conference) in Rocky Mount, NC.

I made crab cakes tonight with no recipe, and they turned out amazing! More deets at my food and cocktail insta: www.instagram.com/p/DQveTEUlPJ...

Diced some jalapeños, thought I washed my hands enough. Ran out to grab a prescription, and apparently touched my face and, I don’t know, picked my nose or scratched an itch!? Waiting for the prescription and my face and nasal passages are on freaking FIRE!!!

Last evening with the San Diego TENx10 cohort. Amazing year with these fantastic youth workers. Love ‘em all!

The focus of this week's episode of 5 Minutes with Marko is right in the title, but the questions it led me to ask might surprise you: open.spotify.com/episode/7lYg...

Youth workers at sunset. What an amazing day with the San Diego TENx10 cohort on our final retreat. Last full day tomorrow.

The view from the final retreat of the San Diego TENx10 cohort. Will be here three days and it does not suck.

why a 12-year-old loser is a mythical creature: open.spotify.com/episode/3Ihx...

Crazy-good flank steak cooked in a pizza oven after marinating all afternoon. Plus some mashed sweet potatoes and a cucumber Asian pear salad. More deets at my food insta: www.instagram.com/p/DQYNX3GkZK...

i made a dill pickle salad for dinner, completely not remembering that Jeannie had worn a dill pickle costume to a work halloween thing today. #winning!

we're super low on groceries and also on whiskey; but i only had time to run to one store. so... guess we're getting carry-out tonight.

this week's episode of 5 Minutes with Marko covers a topic that should be fully embraced in every youth ministry, that no matter what size your group is, you need a team: open.spotify.com/episode/4g28...

Lions game with my sis, bro-in-law, and my nephew who happened to be in town from Denver. Also connected with my cousin from Northern MI who has season tix. So fun!!!

Gorgeous day to be in the Big House with buddies. Go Blue!!!

Taught my 6th grade guys about psalms of lament tonight; then I gave them a framework and had them write their own. They were instantly silent and focused for 10 minutes and did an incredible job. Amazing.

"How do I know when it's time to leave?" It's a question youth workers have been asking me for decades; and I figured it deserved an episode of 5 Minutes with Marko. open.spotify.com/episode/5pI1...

random pics from the last few days...

a friend asked me to write a letter to his daughter as he was collecting letters for her 14th bday. i share that letter in this week's episode of 5 Minutes with Marko, as a reminder/encouragement of what we youth workers should be focusing on: open.spotify.com/episode/24PV...

On my way to the TENx10 Summit in Atlanta. Gonna be an amazing few days with the 177 partner orgs and denominations who are working together to make faith matter more for 10,000,000 teenagers.

New T day

on this week's episode of 5 Minutes with Marko, I address the question "Is youth ministry biblical?" open.spotify.com/episode/3MuT...

Last year, and early into this year, I helped create and general edited The Message Student Devotional Bible. 320 devos with guided Qs, section and book intros, 30 character studies. Psalms just released (and I got mine today!), and the whole thing releases in January. Fun!

The butternut squashes in Jeannie’s garden are full on, man. Thursday evening we’re having a butternut squash dinner where each family member is cooking something different, but with squash as the main ingredient.

on this week's ep of 5 Minutes with Marko, a question I've been asked hundreds of times over the years: when to separate middle school and high school? open.spotify.com/episode/5hvx...

The Life-Saving Adventure of Gracelyn Gordon and Her Dog, by Ethan Bryan. Gorgeous story of an isolated woman who discovers her adventure-loving dad is posthumously sending her on a cross-country scavenger hunt. I got teary many times, and kept wanting to know what would happen next.

Every Saturday that Michigan plays is automatically a lovely day (even though this game is stressing me out).

One two guys at my 6th grade guys small group tonight. But holeee cow, they are just the sweetest dudes ever.

here we gooooo! the new season of 5 Minutes with Marko kicks off with an episode about working with young adult youth ministry volunteers: open.spotify.com/episode/16vR...

finally. new season of 5 Minutes with Marko heading your way. I recorded EIGHT episodes today!

Go Blue! Now let’s make this our scoring norm from here on out!

Welp, it was a rough football weekend for a UofM and Lions fan like this guy. But I still believe!!!

employed church youth workers: it's that time of year when we collect data for our annual salary survey (this is our 9th year!). this report has been so helpful to so many, and your input is part of that! please take 5 minutes to fill it out: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...

Spicy pistachio-crusted rack of lamb, with combo mashed potatoes and crispy leeks! Come on! More on my food and cocktail insta: www.instagram.com/p/DN9k2bjEVX...

I’m at the point in my journey of learning to cook with jalapeños where I’m getting pretty good at using them, but I’m really bad at remembering not to wipe my face or rub my eyes.

My resident nail tech (Riley) gave me a badass pedicure!

It’s been a wild and wonderful 5 weeks of travel with only 36 hours home. But just landed, and am now home for 5 weeks. Huzzah!

Final retreat with the 2024 North GA cohort of the Youth Ministry Coaching Program. Amazing growth, tons of fun. Friends for life. (We missed you Nate!)

At the Tigers game with my sisters and bros-in-law. First time, finally, in Comerica Park.

Geez, Missouri, why do you keep your outside temp so hot!?

got home from 2.5 weeks in England last night, then led a 6-hour zoom meeting today. my eyelids feel like sandbags. time to run out an get a diet coke or a celsius or something.

Heading home. But I’ll be buzzing on a post-Satellites high for a while.

Ok, here we go! About to speak to these 3500 British teens about spreading hope to others.

Young teens busking outside the Wells Cathedral in Somerset. All around the world, teenagers are awesome.

It was insanely windy on top of The Needles on the Isle of Wight this evening!

This sign over the super low bathroom doorframe in our Airbnb, that I keep cracking my head against, is really starting to tick me off.

Next stop: London

me: that sure ended up being a nothingburger. jeannie: yeah, but it really felt like it was going to be a somethingburger.

I needed some info from a book I wrote long enough ago that I didn’t have a digital copy (of the manuscript or the interior), and discovered I didn’t have a copy of the book. I had to buy a copy of my own book on Amazon.

Massively upped my rib game tonight thanks to input from the meatmaster Kevin Libick (who responded to my questions while on a beach in El Salvador). www.instagram.com/p/DMReePiRfi...