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NOTES FROM THE
FIRE PIT
Some of the most meaningful conversations I’ve ever had didn’t happen in an office.
They happened around a fire.
No agenda. No PowerPoint. No clock. No pressure to perform.
Just people slowing down long enough to tell stories, ask better questions, wrestle with ideas, laugh, reflect, and sometimes say the things they’ve been carrying for far too long.
There’s something about a fire.
It has a way of stripping away distractions and making room for conversations that actually matter.
Our fire pit has become one of my favorite places on earth. It’s where I think. It’s where I pray. It’s where I process the week behind me and prepare for the week ahead. It’s where ideas are born, perspectives change, and lessons become a little clearer.
Every Sunday morning, from the fire pit, I’ll share a story, an observation, or a challenge that’s been on my mind. My hope is that something in it encourages you, stretches you, or simply gives you a different way to think about the week ahead.
Not because I have life figured out. Far from it.
But because I’ve learned that one honest conversation, one good story, or one meaningful question can change the direction of an entire week.
If you’re looking for one quiet moment before Monday begins, pull up a chair.
There’s always room around the fire. 🔥
#17: What If Your Yes Is Costing You Everything?
What if the biggest threat to the life you want is everything you've already said yes to? I believe that one of the keys to finding peace in life is making sure your calendar reflects your core values. But I've also learned that there's a big difference between knowing what matters most and actually living like it does. Between work, speaking, writing, traveling, and family, I could fill every hour of every day. And if I'm being honest, part of me enjoys that. I love being pr
Brandon Smith
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#16: You Remember Me. But You Don't Know Me.
Sitting here at the fire this morning, watching the flames dance, my mind keeps wandering to something I heard recently. "Many people from your past know a version of you that no longer exists." That one hit me. There are people who knew me 20 years ago who probably wouldn't recognize the person I am today. And I'm not just talking about the gray hair or the fact that my knees make noises they didn't used to. I'm talking about who I am. I've made mistakes. Said things I wish
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#15: Nobody Warned Me About the Last Time.
I had an idea. The more I thought about that idea, the more it became a dream. And this past week, for the third and final time, I got to watch that dream become a reality. Several years ago, I decided I wanted to create a special tradition for each of our kids as they approached the end of junior high. One trip. Just the three of us. My wife, our child, and me. But here's what made it different. They would plan it. The destination. The activities. The experiences. Whatever r
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#14: I Played Jesus Once. Apparently, I’m Still Being Judged.
"You need to watch your mouth." Those were the words I heard Friday night when I extended my hand to shake someone's hand after my son's football game. And somehow, about 15 seconds later, Jesus got dragged into the conversation. Let me explain. Friday night, my son's football team played an incredibly competitive game. It was close, emotional, and filled with controversial calls on both sides. The kind of game where emotions run high, the crowd gets loud, and everyone is con
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#13: I Left a 50% Tip. I’m Not Sure It Was Generous.
I left a 50% tip at a Michelin restaurant recently, which is a pretty obnoxious way to start a story about generosity. Nothing says “humble” quite like announcing where you ate and how much you tipped. Here’s the weird part: I thought the food was mid. I realize saying that about a Michelin restaurant probably says more about my palate than the chef. I’m a guy who considers chips and guac an entree. But the service was incredible. Maybe the closest thing I’ve experienced to w
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#12: Play It Like You Chose It
I’ve spent more time than I’d like to admit wishing parts of my story had gone differently. There have been seasons when I looked at someone else’s career, family, opportunities or path and thought, “Man, that looks easier.” Not necessarily easy. Just easier than mine. Fewer detours. Fewer closed doors. Fewer moments that required starting over or figuring out a completely different plan than the one I had in my head. I’ve wondered what my life would look like if certain peop
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Sep 275 min read
#11: I Could’ve Made It Work
I recently got a “no” on a speaking opportunity I really wanted. And I’d love to tell you I handled it with complete maturity and immediately thought, “What a wonderful opportunity for personal growth.” I did not. It stung. Not because it wasn’t a fit. Not because they didn’t see the value. Not because the event wasn’t excited about what I could bring to the room. It came down to budget. Which is completely fair. Budgets are real. Organizations have numbers they have to live
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Sep 203 min read
#10: Can We Stop Saying “Everything Happens for a Reason"?
I know. That sentence alone might make some people uncomfortable. We have been told the opposite for most of our lives. Something goes wrong, a relationship ends, a business fails, tragedy strikes, and eventually someone offers the familiar reassurance: "Everything happens for a reason." But what if it doesn't? What if sometimes life is simply unfair? What if sometimes bad decisions have bad consequences? What if sometimes we miss the flight because we left the house twenty m
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#9: I’d Give Anything to Have 50% Again
I’m angry. Not disappointed. Not frustrated. Not “working through some things.” Angry. I’m angry at time. At how quickly eighteen years disappeared. At the moments I missed and the moments I had but didn’t appreciate enough. And this morning, sitting beside this fire while the rest of the world is still quiet, I’m angry about something I’ve carried for a long time. Avery was still little when divorce changed the math of fatherhood for me. Fifty percent. Half the mornings. Hal
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Sep 66 min read
#8: I’m a Great Person Until I’m Around People
Our church has been working through a sermon series on the Fruit of the Spirit. You probably know the list: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. It is a great list. It is also considerably easier to read than to live. If I were allowed to build my own personal fruit basket, I would probably load it with joy, add some peace, grab a little love, and call it good. Patience? I'm out. Gentleness? Maybe next year. Self-control?
Brandon Smith
Aug 302 min read
#7: I Had The Hard Conversation. Then I Got Blocked.
A while back, I had one of those conversations I had rehearsed in my head about seventeen times before actually having it. You know the kind. You carefully choose your words, anticipate every possible response, remind yourself to remain calm, and somehow convince yourself that because your intentions are good, the conversation will go well. That was adorable. The conversation was with someone I cared about, and there were things between us that needed to be addressed. Nothing
Brandon Smith
Aug 233 min read
#6: Apparently, Kindness Has Become Political
I’m frustrated this week. Not with one political party, one candidate, or even one particular issue. I’m frustrated with what politics seems to be doing to us as people. Somewhere along the way, disagreement became personal. Different opinions became character flaws. Political affiliation became enough information for us to decide whether someone is good or bad, smart or stupid, worthy of respect or deserving of ridicule. And social media has only poured gasoline on the fire.
Brandon Smith
Aug 164 min read
#5: I Was Right…And I Was Still Wrong
This week, I didn’t show up as the husband I want to be. Joy and I got into an argument. I felt hurt, misunderstood, and, more than anything, disrespected. In response, I became angry. I raised my voice and said things I shouldn’t have. Instead of bringing calm to the conversation, I poured gasoline on the fire. For a while, I convinced myself that my reaction was justified because of how I felt. But once the emotions settled and I had time to reflect, I was forced to acknowl
Brandon Smith
Aug 92 min read
#4: The Thing You’re Avoiding Isn’t the Real Problem
Last week, I found myself staring at a list of things I didn’t want to do. There were a few difficult conversations I had been avoiding, a project I’d been procrastinating on, and a workout I kept telling myself I would get to tomorrow. None of it was impossible. None of it was beyond my ability. I just didn’t feel like doing any of it. It’s amazing how often we wait for motivation when what we really need is movement. We convince ourselves that we need the right mindset, t
Brandon Smith
Aug 22 min read
#3: The One Question That Could Change Every Relationship You Have
A few weeks ago, our pastor was preaching through the Fruit of the Spirit and spent the morning talking about love. I’ve found myself thinking about that message ever since. Not because love is a new topic. Quite the opposite. It’s one of the most common words in our vocabulary. We use it to describe everything from our spouse to our favorite pizza. We hear phrases like, “Love is love,” but the more I’ve thought about it, the more I’ve realized that while those words soun
Brandon Smith
Jul 262 min read
#2: Stop Letting Them Live Rent-Free
I’ve noticed a pattern on social media. Some people spend more time talking about the people they dislike than the people they love. Every week it’s the same names, the same outrage, the same criticism, the same reminders of how much better they think they are. And honestly…it’s kind of sad. Not because disagreement is wrong. Healthy debate matters. Different opinions matter. Holding people accountable matters. But there’s a difference between standing for something an
Brandon Smith
Jul 192 min read
#1: Notes From The Fire Pit
Some of the most meaningful conversations I’ve ever had didn’t happen in an office. They happened around a fire. No agenda. No PowerPoint. No clock. No pressure to perform. Just people slowing down long enough to tell stories, ask better questions, wrestle with ideas, laugh, reflect, and sometimes say the things they’ve been carrying for far too long. There’s something about a fire. It has a way of stripping away distractions and making room for conversations that actually ma
Brandon Smith
Jul 121 min read
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