John Gunter

Thoughts on Life and Living

An awkward conversation about singleness (and 2 thoughts)

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I didn't have a cool pic to put here, so just did a selfie from my computer while writing this. . .
I didn’t have a cool pic to put here, so just did a selfie from my computer while writing this. . .

Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in!

I honestly thought I was done with my thoughts on singleness. However, I had an experience recently which has changed a bit of my thinking. I set out a few months ago to get ALL of my thoughts on singleness on paper. I unimaginatively called the series “My thoughts on singleness (a series. . .)” Very creative, I know.

Recently, I was sitting with a pastor friend of mine. He is a wonderful man, very smart, and has a great heart for the Lord and the work of the Kingdom of God. He has sacrificed for the advance of the Gospel in ways I can’t imagine. We are good friends and meet whenever possible.

As we often do, we met for coffee. We talked of life, our personal issues, and even touched on some theology. He has enjoyed reading the works of John Stott, as I have as well.

Then the conversation took a familiar, yet uncomfortable turn.

[Read more…]

Learning about obedience from Noah (my 3 year old friend)

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Noah with his celebratory ice cream after surviving his first day of school
Noah with his celebratory ice cream after surviving his first day of school

One of my very, very unofficial roles here in this relatively unknown city in Asia is to simply pray for, serve, and come alongside a few of the American families which are trusting God to raise a family here.  My investment and role in this process is minuscule and insignificant.  Their investment is everything. . . the health and well-being of their families.

One of the families is the LIttlepages.  Scott and Cat moved here with their son, Noah, the summer of 2011.  They have since added Addie to the mix. [Read more…]

Missing home. . . and the celebration of “Annie”

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Here is Anna and Timothy at St. Simons in summer 2003
Here is Anna and Timothy at St. Simons, GA in summer 2003

This morning was pretty good.  It was the first day of college football and my school won.  Though it’s hard to get too excited about a victory over mighty Elon College, you take what you can when you are from Georgia Tech.

I was feeling pretty good and then it came.  It was in the form of an email from my sister, Becky.  It was for the purpose of pulling me into a celebration.  My beautiful, smart, sweet, and overall wonderful niece, Anna, tried out for a community play house production of “Annie”.  She would have been thrilled to get any part in the play, but was waylaid by exuberance upon hearing she has been selected to play the lead role of the red-headed orphan herself.

My joy in imagining Anna’s happiness was tangible, as I literally laughed aloud in the corner of this coffee house upon reading the email.  However, my euphoria for Anna quickly shifted to the pain of missing being there for her celebratory pizza or sushi or however they choose to celebrate this big accomplishment. [Read more…]

The roles of COMFORT and FOCUS in friendship

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This post is the second of a three part series on “Encounters (and lessons) of friendship from this summer”. You might want to read this first (CLICK HERE) if you have not already.

Learning for my great friends, Sam Shin (left holding Emmy) and Tim Waddel on the far right (I am beside him) in 1998. . .
Learning for my friends, Sam Shin (left holding Emmy) and Tim Waddel on the far right (I am beside him) in 1998.

Sam Shin and I met during summer weight lifting prior to our first season of high school football. We were among the only football players at my high school which were also in advanced classes. We spent massive [Read more…]

Encounters (and lessons) of friendship from this summer

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I took this during our hike in Palm Springs, CA. . .
I took this during our hike in Palm Springs, CA. . .

As you have seen in my previous two posts, I spent the month of July on the road. Some of this time was working in America. Though I am worn out from my time (been sick the past few days from exhaustion), I was blessed by several life-giving “encounters” with dear friends during each of my stops.

One of the themes I come back to time and again in writing on this blog is that of friendship. Friendship, strong, life-giving, mutually committed friendship, is one of true beauties in life and one we rarely think about. A need for friendship is admittedly heightened in my life since I am single. However, I am confident that friendship should play a vital role in every emotionally healthy and growing person; single or married.

[Read more…]

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