Why the name “Glenbogle?”

Glenbogle is an imaginary place. I took the name from a television series that was set in Scotland, and when we bought our first home, we named it “Glenbogle Cottage.” Glenbogle represents the concept of fernweh a German word that roughly translates as “homesickness for a place you’ve never been.” I think that all of us experience fernweh in our lives–longing for places we’ve never been, wanting to be the people we’ve never been able to be (which is really our true selves, and that’s what we’ll learn if you sign up for coaching or spiritual direction from me!) Glenbogle is my way of reminding myself that where I currently am is my ideal place, and that I don’t need everything to be perfectly aligned in order to be happy and successful. I want to help you feel that way too, so feel free to register for a session of coaching or spiritual direction with me sometime soon!

Why the Thistle?

The thistle represents three things for me:

First, it is the national symbol of Scotland, which I love.

Second, it has special significance to our family. When we moved to our current home, we realized very quickly that we were not destined to have the most beautiful garden in the village. We often let the weeds grow quite tall, and among them are some of the most deadly–and most beautiful–thistles. So, we leaned into it, and chose the thistle as our family plant.

Third, the thistle represents the two parts of me: the prickly part, that wants to just be left alone, and may appear grumpy (check out my blog for a sample of that side of me), and the softer, gentler side that can bring beauty and delight into the world (my wife is the person who sees this side of me the most, but it occasionally shows itself from time to time around others.)

Whether you’re prickly or soft and breezy, let’s chat about spiritual direction, coaching, or ministry consulting. Book a time to meet with me today!

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