Deacon Michael Halbrook

Deacon Michael Halbrook

Faith, family, work, and life — all intertwined

I'm a husband, father of four boys, Catholic deacon, and 30-year veteran of media, marketing, and tech consulting and leadership roles, including 18 years at Adobe. I write about the intersection of faith and every day life — because they were never meant to be separate.

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A Formation House for the Domestic Church
Faith & Life

A Formation House for the Domestic Church

Last night I sat down with Suzanne, Joseph, and Andrew to walk them through what I've been working on - family meeting style. Thomas and Matthew are next.

Let Your 'Yes' Mean 'Yes'
2 Minute Homilies

Let Your 'Yes' Mean 'Yes'

In this Sunday's Gospel, Jesus goes deeper than the Law—teaching that it's not enough to avoid murder or adultery or false oaths. God cares about what's happening in your heart. And he ends with this: "Let your 'Yes' mean 'Yes,' and your 'No' mean 'No.'"

You ARE the Light - So Stop Hiding It
2 Minute Homilies

You ARE the Light - So Stop Hiding It

Notice what Jesus says: "You ARE the light of the world." Not "try to be the light." Not "work really hard to become the light someday." You ARE the light. Right now. By your baptism.

The Beatitudes Are a Mirror, Not a Checklist
2 Minute Homilies

The Beatitudes Are a Mirror, Not a Checklist

We read the Beatitudes like a spiritual to-do list. Be meek. Check. Be merciful. Check. Be a peacemaker. Check. But that misses the point entirely.

Stop Waiting
Sunday Homilies

Stop Waiting

"At once they left their nets and followed him." "Immediately they left their boat and their father." Not "let me think about it." Not "after I finish this project." Not "once my life is in order." At once. Immediately.

Offering the Miles
Faith & Life

Offering the Miles

Somewhere around mile eight, I hit the Presentation again. I run with a finger rosary. It's the only way I've found to pray consistently through a half marathon - my mind wanders, my legs burn, but my thumb keeps moving bead to bead.

The Name Before the Work
Faith & Life

The Name Before the Work

It was the summer of 1994 when I kept my vigil in the Order of the Arrow. The OA is Scouting's honor society - you don't apply; your peers select you.

Walking Main Street with Purpose
Faith & Life

Walking Main Street with Purpose

There's a moment at Disneyland that gets me every time. You walk through the tunnel beneath the train station, the sounds of the outside world fading behind you. And then you emerge onto Main Street, U.S.A., and the world opens. The castle rises in the distance.

The Pivot to the Real
Faith & Life

The Pivot to the Real

I send at least one handwritten note every week. It's slow. It's inefficient. It can't be scaled. And it lands differently than anything digital ever will

The Seeds That Form Us
Faith & Life

The Seeds That Form Us

I've been thinking a lot lately about the little moments that shape who we become. It started with a conversation in the car. My son asked me something from his Civics class about speeding tickets