17 results for tag: Hope Dads

Be Devoted to One Another: His Story

“Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.” -Romans 12:9-12 Romans 12 is really a remarkable chapter. It encourages us to use our differing gifts to build one another up (vv. 3-8). It goes on to define the love we are called to have for each other; one that is sincere, dedicated to goodness, devoted, self-sacrificing, and zealously serving to God’s glory (vv. 9-11). Finally, Paul describes the outworking of this ...

Honor One Another: His Story

It was a startling wake up I wasn’t expecting. “Ken, I think I lost the baby!” Quickly our plans for this Easter day faded and the new plan included a trip to the hospital.   The celebration of Easter or Resurrection Day is about life—Christ risen to life after a cruel death, and new life for all who believe because Christ rose from the grave. Easter 2006 was a celebration of life but not in the way we had expected. After having four children without major pregnancy complications, and currently at 16 weeks without any issues, a miscarriage was not even on our radar. But God had different plans for this Resurrection morning. Waiting for my ...

Pray For One Another: His Story

It's been said before, you really can't understand somebody's pain until you walk through it yourself. As men, we are wired to try to fix things. However, the loss of our son was something I could not fix. I remember standing in the delivery room and looking at Nelly as the nurse said, "Your water broke." I called for the doctor. My mind kept racing. "No God! No God! This is not what we had planned! Corbin is not going to make it! It's too early for him!” With all of our family in the waiting area, we welcomed Corbin into this world on March 27, 2014 at 5:38pm. Our precious Corbin lived for two hours and three minutes. I suddenly was in disbelief ...

Love One Another: His Story

It was a typical weekend filled with family activities in late September 2009. Chelsea was 36 weeks pregnant with Chase and we were both trying to keep up with his three big sisters—Kendyll (7), Carlie (5) and Abby Kate (2.5). The long hot Texas summer was nearly behind us. We were in the homestretch of this fourth pregnancy, and simply ready for this new era as a family of six to begin. We completed all of the typical "night before church” routines—baths, hair-drying, and story time, and announced to the girls that we were going to see a live Broadway style performance of Mary Poppins after church the next day. We finally got in bed ourselves, ...

Encourage One Another: His Story

Therefore encourage one another with these words. -1 Thessalonians 4:18 Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing. -1 Thessalonians 5:11 Both of these verses in 1 Thessalonians come immediately after sections of Scripture where Paul the author is giving us a glimpse into things that will happen in the end times. After cracking the window into the future for us Paul concludes with “go encourage one another. Go build each other up.” I fear that the norm is actually the opposite when we think of the events, both marvelous and terrifying, that must take place when the world as we know it comes to an end. We ...

Be Patient With One Another: His Story

Patience How my wife has shown me great patience during this deep loss Pause: The loss of our little girl caused our lives to pause and stop at a moment in time, a moment that will never be forgotten. I’m reminded of a margin in a book or a comma between words; it’s there for a reason. Watching my hurting bride, Kelly, at this deepest pause God put in our path was the hardest sorrow my heart has felt. Then I called on the name of the Lord: “O Lord, I pray, deliver my soul!” Psalm 116:4 Acceptance: At the beginning of this trial, what my wife and I experienced was more of a shared, mutual state of shock. From the emergency C-section ...

Serve One Another: His Story

Serving One Another I am going to start off by saying that I did lots of things wrong… just ask my wife. It is only by God’s grace that Ashlee and I have been able to serve one another in the midst of loss because we are two sinful people. But God still worked through me as I tried to serve my wife despite all my faults and failures. If this whole “serving one another in grief” thing seems overwhelming, well that’s because it is. But here is the thing: we have God multiplying our work. As you move ahead one step at a time in obedience watch what God will do. Don’t let your past failures and selfishness in your marriage keep you from ...

Father’s Day Encouragement: Abide In Jesus

A HIGH CALLING Father’s Day. I love this day, and most of the time I use it as an excuse to take our family camping. “You know, it's Father’s Day. Maybe we should do what any good dad would do with his family, and head into the woods for a few days.” It works most years.  But, Father’s Day is also a day where I reflect on what it means to be a good father in all seasons. As fathers, we share a title with God—our heavenly Father. While this is a great honor, it is also sobering. To be a father, as God is our heavenly Father, is a high calling. We need to take time to reflect on what it means to be a father—what it means to ...

Two Books for Hope Dads

Today, we wanted to share with you two books, written by fathers who have experienced the loss of a child, which might be meaningful and encouraging to you as Hope Dads. Written In Tears, by Luke Veldt In August of 2006, Luke Veldt endured the sudden and unexpected death of his thirteen year-old daughter, Allison. After Allison's death, Veldt dove into Psalm 103, reading through it every day for more than a year. Written In Tears describes Veldt's journey through this Psalm, and how he experienced God's presence and love in the midst of his grief. This book is filled with reminders of God's faithfulness and teaches the griever to call upon ...

Theology Matters

Theology matters. As believers, we often hear that word and think it is only for pastors, seminary students, and Sunday school classes. But theology matters in every day life. Our understanding of God, His creation, and His plan matters in our day-to-day lives. This has never been clearer to me than when my wife and I experienced our first miscarriage. As we worked through our sorrow, our theology was invaluable. It helped directed our grieving process and brought us great comfort in the midst of the pain. Here are three truths that helped us form a theological framework from which to view and respond to our loss. THIS WAS A ...