Whew… it has been a long time since I posted to this blog! What can I say. During this extended commercial break, my beautiful wife and I have had 3 kids, and now we have a 4th on the way. A...
Read More ≫
Recent Posts
Dear New Dad: 5 Tips on How to be a Rockstar Daddy to Your Baby + Free Bonus Wisdom
I became a 1st-time Dad just over a year ago. I’ll never forget the excitement, anxiety, bewilderment, confusion, and mind-numbing fear I experienced when leaving the hospital on B-Day (Baby-Day) with a our very own brand-spankin’ new, fresh baby! Everyone says the same joke “where’s the instruction manual” because everyone feels that way!
In addition to rounding off my first year as a new dad, we have our second kiddo on the way! I have learned a lot in the past year, and will do a better job with baby #2, Maximus Excalibur. (Sigh… sadly, my wife keeps vetoing this name.)
IMPORTANT CAVEAT: I definitely have NOT done all of these things superbly, or even decently at times. I have learned a lot from my wife and others. By the grace of God, I am improving and growing. Nonetheless, you can file all of this wisdom away as near Gospel. You are welcome.
I don’t know if I’m allowed to say this, but this first year has been really… well… weird, exhausting, annoying, frustrating, and wholly overwhelming. In a previous post I shared a couple major epiphanies about being a new dad: [Ponderings of a New Dad] God’s Love is Illogical and I Surrender All?.
For most guys, it is difficult to connect with babies. I am most guys. At initial, selfish glance… they just get in the way of life, marriage, sex, social activities, happiness, hobbies, and sanity. Side Note: Speaking of hobbies, say goodbye to those for the next couple decades. You have much more important things to do.
It DOES get better. It can be awesome. I have grown more than I could have imagined. There is a reason the word “exhaustion” appears many times throughout this micro-eBook of a post.
My love, appreciation, admiration, desire of and attraction to my wife has never been as high as it is now. It really is growing at alarmingly rapid rate, despite the inevitable tension that has occasionally flared up [more than the combined history of our pre-baby marriage ]. I am frequently overwhelmed by the stature, strength, heart, compassion, beauty, and innate motherliness of my wife. I remain baffled at (and learn from) how easy everything seems to come to my wife AND the constant insecurity she feels regardless of how awesome she is. I feel like a bumbling buffoon…
Read More ≫
Humble Servant Friend & Warrior Commander King
In a recent small group we read through passages of scripture about Jesus from John and Revelation. There are two very interesting, compelling, and overwhelmingly important description of Jesus. When he first came… he came as a humble, servant and friend. In the second coming… He will come in in glory as the undisputed Warrior King Commander. He is the same Jesus in both passages.
I don’t feel led to try and write much about this to “set it up”. Jesus speaks for Himself in word and action…
Read More ≫
“Missions Exist Because Worship Doesn’t…” Two Teaching Approaches: Old White Guy & Young Black Dude
This post will not contain much original content. The characterization of “old white” and “young black” is not about condescension, racism, or anything like that whatsoever. So if you think there is any sinister motivation here… shut it and chill. There’s not. If Michael Jackson taught us anything… it doesn’t matter if you’re black or white.
The purpose of this post is to celebrate how the beautiful gospel can be preached and taught in widely varying ways and contexts. Another purpose of this post is to explore this idea by me asking questions for your contemplation. I also hope to expose my readership to a different context and the idea of contextualization.
Believe it or not… this is Part 1 of 2! There is another awesome specific correlation between John Piper and Lecrae’s worship and teaching.
Read More ≫
Reader Response: On Marriage, Gender Roles, Submission, Scripture, God’s Sovereignty & Grace
One of the most popular and controversial posts on my little blog is Lowly Woman: Cook, Clean, Make Babies & SUBMIT to Your Husband.
Tonight, the post received a comment that I really appreciated. I really enjoy interacting with my few readers!
I started writing an email response to him, but it got pretty long so I thought I would just publish it as a blog post. In order to full appreciate the context, you might want to read the complete referenced post.
“Brandon” submitted the following comment:
Hi, this is in response to your post: “Lowly Woman: Cook, Clean, Make Babies & SUBMIT to Your Husband“. My wife, we are both new too our faith, has taken the scriptures on a wife’s role distressingly. There have been many times when she comes to me in tears and we seem unable to find “adequate” answers through praying or other knowledgeable Christians.
Her biggest issue is why God declares that women can’t be spiritual leaders like pastors in a church and why did He deem that only men should have leadership roles? Honestly, it is a bit unsettling for me as well. I try to tell her and myself that it has nothing to do with superiority but I guess we are still blinded by our human perceptions of pride and worth.
If you have any input on this it would be much appreciated. Thank you.
First of all, Brandon… thank you for writing!! I really appreciate your thoughts, honesty, and the desires in your message. I sense a real “seeker’s heart”. Thirst for God’s truth is awesome.
I hope this is not too disappointing, but I will not have a magical cohesive and conclusive answer for you. However, I am humbled to share some of the thoughts and considerations. Some of the thoughts below may seem like “cop outs”… but, I don’t think they are….
Read More ≫
A Note from Our Sponsor…
