There have been multiple seasons in my life defined by a nagging, scraping feeling: I am a failure.

There have been others where I have felt on top of the world for months at a time.

I write about those 'book-end' moments, and the many in between them, where the great stories of our journey play out.

Why? Mostly, because writing is cathartic for me. But also because there are many others like me who struggle through the coaster-like ups and down of life. Maybe my writing will bless those people someday.

For a little context, my name is Samuel...but I go by Sam.

I grew up in Morocco. Years 0 to 17 looked like a very curly-haired, very blonde, very white boy going to French school, speaking Arabic with his friends, playing pickup soccer games in the first street outside our home.

After a childhood abroad, my family moved to London. I was only there for 6 months before leaving for a short stint LA, where I intended to go to university to study film-making.

A girl got the better of me. I left school, moved to WA state, we married. Now, some 18 years later, we've celebrated our 16 year anniversary and have three wonderful children, ages 13, 10, and 6.

I'm a follower of Jesus, an entrepreneur, a cocktail enthusiast. I like working out, playing games, smoking cigars and travelling.

My journey, and my family's, has been quite the ride. Bumps, bruises, dreams, smiles, pivots, sleepless nights, hard work, laughter, stress, comfort, sickness, travel, tears, joy: a life full of great and heart-breaking stories that I hope to write to you about.

Welcome.