Here’s some of my work.
For Araceli, home is a place where her family is safe. It's a place where her kids can be themselves. It's a place for making memories and sharing meals, where there's always room for one more. I wrote and co-directed This is Home with Daniel Pérez Robinson, who filmed it.
A short film.
Sometimes it feels like we live in different worlds. But really, we're not that far away. I wrote the script for Dear Friend and coordinated production in Puerto Peñasco, Mexico, and Phoenix, Arizona. A collaboration with the talented filmmaker Jay Worsley and two first-time child actors, Ailin and Keenan.
Another short film.
Small group curriculum.
Drawing upon some of the best theological minds and community development practitioners out there, I co-wrote this e-book with Nate Hughes. It’s written specifically for those preparing for mission trips with 1MISSION. But small groups of various kinds have found it to be a helpful resource for understanding poverty and development as well. The True Story That Changes Everything: A Community Development Bible Study in Six Acts is free to download and share.
Over the course of several years, Fr. Chris Schutte and I curated and organized a series of events in Phoenix aimed at shaping the imagination for Christian faithfulness and witness.
Andy Crouch (2013) challenged us to love our neighbors through everyday common-good decisions.
James K.A. Smith (2014) invited us to experience the formative power of time-tested liturgies in a new way.
Wesley Hill (2015) spoke to us about sexuality and the importance of spiritual friendship.
Stephanie Summers (2016) urged us to see politics as a vital matter of Christian discipleship.
Bruce Herman (2018) opened our eyes to the indispensability of art and beauty in the church.
Veronica lives in Mexico. Evelyn lives in the United States. Their lives are very different, or so they think. In this beautifully illustrated children's book, two girls discover the power of friendship and the meaning of home. Oh, and there's a dog named Pepe.
A children’s book.
During grad school, I received a research grant to return to the rural community in Guatemala where I had lived as a child, to research local opposition to a new foreign-owned gold mine. This cover story for PRISM came out of that research. Of all the magazine writing I’ve done, this remains the work of journalism that means the most to me.
A cover story.
My PRISM article on the Fambul Tok peacemaking movement in Sierra Leone won second place in the Evangelical Press Association’s 2013 Higher Goals Awards in its category. It was a special treat to be recognized along with my former World Vision boss and enduring hero Kari Constanza!
Award-winning journalism.
Imagination-stirring events.
For 15 years, as part of 1MISSION’s Bikes Fight Poverty event, 120 cyclists pedaled from Phoenix to Puerto Peñasco, Mexico. 2 days, 2 countries, 200 miles. All to give families in poverty access to safe, secure housing. I wrote the script for this short, punchy promo and the filmmaker Jay Worsley took it from there. Warning: may raise blood pressure and make you want to do something crazy.
A high-testosterone promo video.
Freelance writing.
My journalism, commentary, and essays have appeared in a variety of magazines and digital publications, including Christianity Today, Comment, and RELEVANT.
During my time at World Vision, I co-wrote a chapter in this book with my colleague Jesse Eaves, a tireless advocate on Capitol Hill for children who are victims of exploitation. This collection is intended for practitioners, not as an introduction to the issues surrounding human trafficking. Originally published in 2014 by Regnum Books, it was reissued in 2020 by Fortress Press.
A book chapter.
For two years, from inception to its close, I edited Flourish Phoenix, a digital magazine celebrating the good, the true, and the beautiful in metro Phoenix. All told, we published 90 pieces of “celebratory journalism” from 35 contributors that were read and shared by thousands of people in Arizona and beyond. Though the Flourish website has long since gone the way of the dodo, here’s a 2014 interview with Christianity Today capturing a bit of what animated this labor of love.
A digital magazine.
On top of what I’ve written about books right here on my website, I’ve published book reviews for a variety of publications, the bulk of them at Englewood Review of Books.
