My filmmaking journey has always been a personal one.
Documentaries let me be immersed in subjects that become part of my own formation. My hope is to open myself to a subject and the people at its heart. The stories I tell may well inform, inspire and impact others, but for me the journey always has to start with my own transformation.
I started out marketing films to faith and family audiences, including Disney’s The Chronicles of Narnia, before producing my first feature documentary, It’s a Girl, with director Evan Grae Davis. Then came In Pursuit of Silence with director Patrick Shen, a film that grew out of my own longing to rediscover the practices of Sabbath, solitude and silence. It was part of why we moved to the tranquil French countryside (though the neighbor’s roosters are pretty loud). I consider it a privilege and a gift to do this kind of work.
Alongside filmmaking, much of my work over the past twenty years has been as a communications consultant for small and medium-sized nonprofits and businesses. It draws on the same posture: listening well to their needs, making the most of limited resources, and connecting with the heart of their mission.
Along the way, I’ve found fresh life in the contemplative path, which led me to train as a spiritual director. It draws on ancient roots in my Christian faith, yet it’s really about now: learning to be fully present to God and neighbor in each moment. In a world that can feel like it’s spiraling into chaos and division, it keeps me grounded, inviting us to slow down, pay attention, and realize we have all we need right here. I’m learning to love silence and to receive all of life as a gift.
Taste and See grew out of that same path, and it’s where I first stepped fully into the director’s seat. Reading Robert Farrar Capon’s The Supper of the Lamb opened my eyes to the beauty, mystery, wonder and delight to be found in all things related to food, and I’ve since been on a journey exploring how God meets us in the very sacred gift of eating and gathering around the table.
As an American living in Europe, I’ve been given the unique gift of being rooted in an international Christian community. It’s wildly diverse, with folks from every corner of the globe seeking to follow Jesus together. A beautiful mess.
My wife Esther grew up in France as what you’d call a “third culture kid,” which means you shouldn’t ask where she’s from unless you really want to know. Together we’re raising three third culture kids of our own. Esther comes most alive out on a trail; I’m happiest in the garden and with my chickens. We’re living with an abundance of gratitude.
