My mission: live with wonder and gratitude.

I want to stay connected to the vital sources of life: to build loving relationships that make me more kind and generous; to revel in the natural beauty of our world; to take part in important conversations with caring people about things that truly matter; to protect what is sacred and see the value in what others discount; to tell meaningful stories that captivate and move people; to share what is good. And when I inevitably fail, I want the grace to start again with humility and gratitude.

You, too? Let’s connect!

courtney@courtneyball.com
319-521-3765

My Story

(Or, at least some highlights.)

Dad was a preacher and what people these days might call a “social entrepreneur”. He was always on the lookout for innovative ways to help people. Mom took care of us kids and extended that nurturing love to all kinds of other people through her work. She spent a lot of her career helping refugees and migrant workers before she joined my dad’s nonprofit.

Family is deeply important to me. So is vocation. And so is play. Like most of us, I spend much of my energy trying to find the right balance between the three.

My wife Emmy and I have two daughters. I am so lucky to have the three of them in my life. They have also profoundly shaped me into a better human being.

Professionally, my career path has not been a straight line. After seminary, I served as a United Methodist pastor for two years before starting a nonprofit (Matthew 25) with my brother (who was also a UM pastor at the time). We focused on strengthening core urban neighborhoods in Cedar Rapids, IA.

After seven years there, I spent some time focused on writing, which eventually led me to join a small team starting a media company. After two-and-a-half years and lots of ups and downs, I took over ownership of Flow Media and still run my commercial video production projects through that entity.

My professional passion these days is demonstrated by what you see on this site: writing, photography, and film production. I’m focused now on building a body of work that reflects the values in the personal statement above. (“I want to live with wonder and gratitude.”)