John Gunter

Life - Faith - One Bridge

The vitality of “leaning into pain”

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Phil Autry, Troy Coons, and I during our marathon "taping session" two days after Philip Clarke's passing.
Phil Autry, Troy Coons, and I during our marathon “taping session” two days after Philip Clarke’s passing.

As I pulled up to my house just off of the Georgia Tech campus, I was excited to get home and see my roommates. I had been in Florida for the previous two days celebrating my Grandmother’s 82nd birthday. It was a good time.

My friend Phil Clarke and I had gotten into a habit of often walking around the campus at night and simply “processing” the day. This night walk would take on the added interest of my “exotic travels” to Central Florida.

Upon exiting my car on the street, I began walking to the house. Almost immediately my friends David Moon and Phil Autry pushed open the screen door of the house and began walking towards me. They had strange, puzzling looks on their faces and they seemed to approach me with a purpose.

My immediate response; [Read more…]

Traffic batman

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John Gunter with his new Batman mask fighting East Asian road rage

New technique in fighting #asia road rage.

This pic is born from two realities; traffic in Asia is HORRIBLE and you can buy cool stuff for really cheap here.

The traffic is inexplicably stressful here. It really does make the traffic in America look like a Girl Scouts meeting. [Read more…]

3 invaluable life lessons from the death of a best friend

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L to R: Zan Ianerina, Julian Krevere, Phil Autry, Troy Coons, Howie Espensheid,and Philip Clarke at a BIble study a few months prior to Phil Clarke's passing.
L to R: Suzanne Iannarino, Julian Krevere, Phil Autry, Troy Coons, Howie Espenshied (Campus
Minister at Tech), and Philip Clarke at a Bible study a few months prior to his passing.

I was deeply and eternally impacted by the life and premature death of a best friend. His name was Philip Andrew Clarke and he passed on to heaven 18 years ago this week.

As I said in a post last year, Phil was a best friend and brother in Christ of the highest order. It is incredible how I can STILL miss someone who has been gone for so long, but I do. It is not as often as it used to be, but thoughts, memories, and emotions of Phil, his friendship, and powerful life still hold a big piece of my heart. Amazing.

Upon Phil’s passing, I made two personal commitments. [Read more…]

Fire fighting

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Problem (top): fire today at a construction site next to the local shopping mall
Solution (bottom): ONE mall employee in a black business suit with a garden hose

Funny thing about this country; MOST establishments are WAY overstaffed.  It is downright awkward going into most department stores, as there are so many employees there to help you, you are literally followed everywhere you go.  There are people on every isle to “help” you at every turn. [Read more…]

Thanksgiving dinner

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As I said in my larger post this weekend, this was my 12th Thanksgiving in Asia.  Pretty amazing to think about.

Though I knew that I would be in Asia “long-term”, I don’t think I could have conceived of still being here in Asia in 2013 when I arrived in August 1999.

Anyway, it was an amazing Thanksgiving here. I definitely missed home, BUT I do love the people I get to do life with here.

In summary, the dinner was great.  The location was perfect.  The fellowship was even better.

The location was at the “home” of a group of five local American students.  They were able to get a great deal on a HUGE apartment.  It was the perfect place for a large Thanksgiving dinner.

This picture was taken of the two rooms we had tables spread out in.  My particular favorite was of the “kids table” you see there in the lower picture!

(This post part of my Instagram(able) Asia! pics.)

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