Tissue? Crybaby...

Don't be a wimp. Be a man.



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It's The Dad Life

This is too funny...



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It's a GIRL!

This past Tuesday, we had our first sonogram. Going into the appointment, we were really nervous and praying for a healthy baby. And praise the Lord, we will be having a healthy baby girl! Here's her first pictures:

It has been fun to hear everyone give their predictions, but I "knew" we were going to have a girl. Just kidding. Above all the predictions, God is the One who gives and does so graciously and abundantly! And we are extremely excited to see what all God has in store for our family! More so, we are excited to be the recipients of God's grace and favor.

When we saw all the images and movements of our baby girl, we couldn't help but cry. I cannot express the joy we are experiencing right now. We are having a baby girl!

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How Do You Find Joy In Serving?

Biblical Answer: God wants you to serve your wife. As Christ has loved the church so we are to love our wives (Ephesians 5:25). A way to lead her and love her immensely is by serving her.

Since finding out 4 months ago that my wife is pregnant, I have had to put some things in my life on hold in order to help her and take care of her. For you guys who do not understand what I am talking about, along with being pregnant comes nausea, fatigue, loss/change of appetite, loss of sleep and the list goes on. There has been a change of pace around our home. Having said that, how do you find joy in dropping what appears to be a list of important tasks in order to care for someone else, namely your wife?

As godly men, we are called to be good stewards of all that He has given to us. This includes our wives. We must understand, first and foremost, that our wives belong to God. With that, you and I have the biblical responsibility to care for our wives by leading them in a way that honors and pleases the Lord. Because serving is biblical, we are to lead our God-given wives by serving them. Lead by serving.

But how do we actually do that?? How about something as simple as...doing things without complaining? Or...helping with something that she would not normally expect you to help with, like the dishes. Better yet...tell her to go relax while you take care of the kids or cook a meal or clean the house. Do something that will bless her!

Also, reevaluate your relationship with your wife. How are you doing with loving her? Does she know that you still love her? When was the last time you told her? When was the last time you showed her? I am extremely thankful that I can show my love instead of just telling my wife that I love her. Love is not just a feeling/thought/idea, but rather, it is an action verb! Love does not sit still, but instead, it DOES SOMETHING. My wife hears it and sees it. She fully knows that she is loved by me. She fully knows that she is taken care of by me. I have the desire to serve my wife. Do you?

A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to serve my wife. We babysat for some friends of ours and while there, Michelle passed out. She was taking a nap on the couch and jumped up when the doorbell rang. With this increased blood flow in her body, she passed out. On the way home, she threw up and did so later that Saturday afternoon. Needless to say, she was sick most of the day on Saturday and some of the day on Sunday. We were not sure if this was due to her pregnancy or her having a stomach bug. During this time, I had to drop everything that I wanted to do in order to cook, clean and buy groceries for her. This gave her the time that she needed to relax and recuperate. Praise the Lord for the opportunity to serve my wife!

Sometimes it may be hard to know how to serve your wife. The main gist of this article is the need for men to have a servant's heart when it comes to interacting with their wives. Make sure she knows that you are willing to help her in the home and outside the home (kids going crazy in public). This is such a huge support structure for your marriage and your relationship with your wife.

Jesus gave us the greatest example of a servant's heart in John 13:1-17. In particular, verse 17 struck me as the key to the servant's heart. You can know all about serving and how to do so, but until you sacrifice to serve someone, you'll have a hard time grasping it. What are you giving up in order to serve?

Does it humble a man to serve his wife? Yes, but didn't the King of Glory humble himself and take on the form of a man in order to be the Suffering Servant found in Isaiah 53? Since Jesus left the glories of heaven to have a servant's heart, is it too much to ask of a husband to serve his wife?

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One Year Later

On June 13, 2009, Michelle and I entered into a marriage covenant between each other and God.

This is one decision that I will never regret. I can hardly believe that we have been married for one year. It has flown by, but I have enjoyed every single minute of it.

I'll admit it...I'm still on our honeymoon and I gladly rejoice in it! Tell me that this phase of life will end and I'll call that foolish. I believe people lose their "honeymoon feeling" because they stop working on their marriage.

My wife is worth fighting for when my time, my heart, my attention, my decisions and everything else gets tested by the world. Our marriage is worth fighting for just the same. (Note: Men...guard your marriage, your wife, and your heart from the world.)

I love my wife.

I love her more today than when I first understood that she was the one I was to marry. I know that sounds cliche and I have heard other people say it time and time again, but I understand it now. I cannot wait for our relationship to continue to grow in the years to come, Lord willing.

There she is...beaming with joy right before our wedding. Isn't she gorgeous? This is the woman I absolutely love. This is the woman who holds my heart.

Does it sound a bit too much for me to keep talking about my wife and how much I love and adore her? Absolutely not. I want you to know how I feel about her and how much I care about her.

As you probably already read, we are pregnant with our first child. We have already heard his or her heartbeat and he or she is about the size of an onion this coming week. We are extremely excited about this child and continue to pray for God's protection and provision for him or her.

There she is...pregnant and beautiful!

As I have stated in a previous post, "Now that I am going to be a daddy, I cannot wrap my head around Psalm 139:13-16. I mean, to talk about God knitting and forming a baby in the womb is one thing, but to actually see it in progress is completely different. I am truly amazed by the work of our great God!"

I am so very thankful for our marriage! I am thankful that the Lord has been providing for us so abundantly. We have truly seen God's faithfulness to us. Trust me, if you remain faithful to the Lord, His abundant grace and provisions will become apparent.

For us, He has provided everything right when we needed it. This reminds me of Matthew 6:25-33. Men, here's the key. Provide for your family, but above all, rely on the Lord and teach your family to trust Him. Remember that you will fail. But if you have taught your family to trust God in everything, their complete trust will not be rooted in man (you), but in God.

I hope you have enjoyed reading this summary from our first year of marriage. Michelle and I cannot wait see what all God has in store for us! We ask that you continue to pray for us as our child is due in November and as we continue to seek the Lord's guidance for the future.

Be encouraged!

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How To Recover From Failure

As a follow-up from my last post, how do you recover from failing to lead your family in a biblical way? To be honest, I have not been intentional with my family. I fail in leading my family in Bible study. I do not lead in talking about God and what He has been doing in our family. This is something that I am definitely working on. I am sure you probably feel this way or have felt this way at one point or another in your life. Feel free to share your heart.

Although we fail at leading our families at times, God grants us grace and His grace is sufficient. But that does not give us, as husbands, slack. We must constantly strive to lead our families and I believe that God will honor and bless our efforts. Our wives are begging for godly leadership and stability from us. Our children are in dire need for us to teach, lead and love them. Husband, do you love your wife enough to lead her and love her as Christ loves the church? Father, do you care for your children in a way that lets them see your love for them?

If your family does not feel love and leadership from you, they will find it somewhere else. They will find it in someone else. This is why wives are leaving their husbands and children are growing up in rebellion. (Note: Wives, please do not give up on your husbands! Pray for them! Show them your love and support!) It is time for us to stop being boys and begin living as mature and godly husbands and fathers. Begin by grounding yourself in the Word of God and by confessing your failure to your family. They will greatly appreciate your honesty and will begin to see your leadership at this point. Are you willing to recover from your failure or are you complacent to remain defeated?

How are you leading your family? Please share.

I recently heard this amazing song by Sanctus Real, "Lead Me." This song really convicted me about how I lead my family.



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It's Easy To Fail

I recently read this article by Justin Hyde, an Acts 29 pastor from Brenham, Texas. This is an article called "How I Pastor My Family" and it is DEFINITELY worth reading!

Men, I hope this article will challenge you to reevaluate your home and how you pastor your family. You may not be a pastor of a church, but as a follow of Christ, you are the leader (pastor) of your family.

Remember that failure will happen. Hyde reminds us that it is easy to fail and to fail often. He also says,

"Please know, I fail often. I need much grace. God has given me a forgiving wife and patient kids. Husbands/dads, this is the most important work you'll ever do, and it will have more impact than anything you could imagine. Wives/moms, encourage your man to lead; create conditions in which he can succeed. Couples, be patient and forgiving. Don't be short-sighted. Love well. And savor your time together."

Click the picture above to read the article and for photo credit.

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I'm REALLY a Daddy!!

Today, Michelle and I went to hear our baby's heartbeat for the first time. Today, we met our baby. Wow...I am a daddy...I'm REALLY a daddy!! I use to think that I "will be a daddy" when the baby is born, but I fully believe that I am a daddy NOW! I am overwhelmed with this very thought! Our baby is alive and well! Praise God! Praise our Creator!

During our doctor visit, I was able to capture audio of our baby's heartbeat. In this video, you will hear LIFE. In this video, you will hear what I will continue to CHERISH for the rest of my life.

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Getting Ready: Parenthood

My wife is now 11 weeks along in her pregnancy. We are even more excited today than we were yesterday about our child! Now that I am going to be a daddy, I cannot wrap my head around Psalm 139:13-16. I mean, to talk about God knitting and forming a baby in the womb is one thing, but to actually see it in progress is completely different. I am truly amazed by the work of our great God!

This morning I read from a friend's blog that was really encouraging. He and his wife have a 3 month old little boy and they are such a great family. They have started a "New Parenting Series" on their website. If you are a parent or are expecting, please take a look at their website. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

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Family on FIRE

Here is a great article from a church planting blog by Dustin Neeley of Louisville, Ky. Dustin is the pastor of Crossing Church where my wife and I serve. He has a heart for the proclamation of the Gospel as evidenced each week in his sermons. My wife and I are very thankful for his ministry and the ministry of Crossing.

Please click the photo to read this article:

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Just For Fun...

Okay, I ran across this SNL video the other day. It is a good laugh. Enjoy!



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All I Have Is Christ

The past 3 days, Michelle and I have been at T4G here in Louisville. T4G stands for "Together for the Gospel." It is an amazing time of worship and hearing from speakers like Dr. Albert Mohler, C.J. Mahaney, John Piper, Ligon Duncan and others. This year there were nearly 7,000 attendees present. It was definitely a life-changing experience and it was all centered on the Gospel. Think about this: 7,000 people from different Christian denominations and ministries, but all have been changed by the Gospel, all are focused on the Gospel and all are sharing the Gospel!

Here is one of the songs we sang. I hope you are blessed.



I will be writing more about T4G soon.

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Exciting News!

So, my wife and I have been married for 9 months and we just found out that she is 6 weeks pregnant! We have been trying since the beginning of 2010, but stopped in order to take care of other things (dental, etc.). This is a prime example of God's sovereignty because He still allowed us to get pregnant! This shows that God's plan for our lives will be done no matter what. He is in absolute control. Anyway, the whole process of learning that she is pregnant has been VERY interesting (ER visits, etc.) You can read all about it here.

To follow every step of our journey towards parenthood, bookmark our blog.

We are extremely excited and cannot wait to be parents. Please be praying for us and pray that God will prepare us to be godly parents for our baby. Also, go ahead and prepare yourself because I will be writing on this website as a husband AND a father. Praise God!

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When God Turned His Back On Jesus

Here is the sermon video from today's chapel service at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Dr. Donald Whitney is the speaker and his text is from Matthew 27:45-50. The title of his sermon is "When God Turned His Back On Jesus." This is an incredible sermon and I strongly encourage you to listen.



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Railroad Tracks

It happens to everyone. You are driving with ease and come upon a railroad crossing. At first glance everything seems clear, but as you get closer the warning lights start flashing. It always seems to happen at the most inopportune times, right? Now, when this happens, the first thought is, "I wonder if I can make it?" So you speed up only to see that it is too late and the railroad arms are coming down and the train is in sight. This is where the heavy foot of impatience begins to grit its teeth and snarl. Well, for me, this is the case.


The other day this happened to me. I was on my way to work and suddenly the warning signs started flashing. Like normal, my first thought is awakened, but I end up disappointed. I get frustrated because it is going to be a waste of my time and the trains in Louisville are typically long and slow. I stopped my vehicle and proceeded to text my wife to tell her about my misfortune. By the time my text was sent, the train was gone.

For some odd reason, this made me start to think, mainly about my responses over the smallest things like this. Why do I get frustrated with flashing lights and railroad arms that are purposed to protect me from trains and save my life? Moreover, why do I find myself wanting to rush through the railroad crossing without taking a moment to understand what the bright flashing lights are telling me?

Sometimes, I bet we find ourselves doing the very same thing with God. We seek to make decisions based on what we deem as right and best for ourselves. If that is the case, then I should be dead right now because of a train. Whenever I begin to question if I can “make it through” God’s warnings, I begin to ignore God’s best for my life.


Men, we are called to be leaders who can make decisions that are for the best for our families. As followers of Jesus Christ, we are called to see ourselves as weak. I know, I know…how are we supposed to be leaders and confess to being weak too? It seems to contradict until you look to see what the Word of God has to say about it. Great passages that remind us of this are James 4:10 and Philippians 2:5-11. We are called to humble ourselves and this is a good thing. Only by submitting ourselves to Christ and implanting the Word of God in our hearts and minds will we ever come to the place of godly decision-making. We have to understand that God created the family and we need to trust Him and His Word when it comes to leading our families.

The next time you face a decision, take time to look to see what God wants you to do. Never rush into anything. Exercise patience and wait on God's timing. Trust me, my wife and I have wanted to rush into a decision, but instead, we waited on God and it proved to be for the best. Be still and know that He is God, that He is sovereign over all things and that you are weak. It is a good thing.

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Where's Dad?

This broke my heart when I saw it. Usually, I want you to enjoy the videos that I post, but this time, I want this video to make you cringe. I want the question, "Where's Dad?" to be driven to your heart.

I do not know the home situation of this family, but it sure is evidence of the lack of the father in the home. Most of all, it is the lack of Christ in the home.

By the way, I am not a fan of Dr. Phil.


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ManFood #2


Battle is the most magnificent competition in which a human being can indulge. It brings out all that is best; it removes all that is base. All men are afraid in battle. The coward is the one who lets his fear overcome his sense of duty. Duty is the essence of manhood.
- General George S. Patton


Take care of business.

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ManFood #1


Every part of my relationship with my wife should have her sanctification in view.
(See Ephesians 5)

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Adopting for Life

On February 26-27th 2010, Southern Seminary will be hosting an adoption conference. Here's the video that has been created for this event. Despite stereotypical views, adoption is not something to be feared. It is a beautiful picture of the Gospel. Please watch this video.

Adopting For Life Conference- Friday & Saturday, February 26-27th 2010 from Southern Seminary on Vimeo.

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