Some mornings, I sit on my front porch and listen to the birds. In the stillness, I find companionship with my coffee and God’s word. Despite the feverish pace of the world, these moments provide solitude. My spirit and soul are nourished. Then, at some point, I grab my phone and scroll through my social media feeds. Peace begins to dissipate. The birds’ chorus fades into a bitter backlash of human emotion as friends, acquaintances and complete strangers destroy each other […]
2016 has brought me to my knees. The news has been horrendous enough, but the subsequent fallout is what has broken me. Like many of my fellow citizens, I’m sadden by the state of our country and at the same time I’m puzzled. I find myself asking, “How did this happen?” As I survey the landscape, I can’t help but think that Mary Shelley’s classic novel, Frankenstein, is unfolding before our eyes. We’re Dr. Victor Frankenstein, obsessed with bringing something to life to deal […]
When my wife was fourteen-years old, she lost her father to cancer. A spot on his tongue spread eventually stealing his capacity to speak, and then, his life. But just before he died, he wrote each of his children a letter. As you can imagine, my wife treasures her letter from her father. After my cancer diagnosis in 2014, I decided to write my children a letter, starting with my oldest, Matthew. I share this letter with you as encouragement to do the same for your children. ◊♦◊ Matthew, […]
The deepest longing of the human soul is the desire to be worthy, the desire to matter, the desire to be loved. However, popular culture has prescribed material flourishing as the end goal of our lives. From a young age we’re taught to get a great job, make lots of money, and retire comfortably. As a husband, father, and provider, this hits me in the throes of life’s greatest struggle. And, as I continue to talk with people from all […]
As a father to three boys under the age of five, there are many words that permeate my household. No, Don’t, Stop, and Wait are all-too-familiar phrases; they echo from our walls. Lately, a new word has entered this discussion. I constantly repeat it to my boys, and not just for the sake of repetition. I am painstakingly trying to teach them. With great patience, which I often lack, I enter their arena—dropping down to a knee or sitting with […]
Mother’s Day is an opportunity for us to celebrate and cherish the women in our life. And sometimes the word “mother” goes beyond the one who carried us in the womb. In my own life, mothers have come in great variety. I have been blessed beyond measure with many women who have shown me the varying shades of love. But too often, I unintentionally take these mothers for granted and overlook how much they have shaped and influenced my life. […]
Somewhere along the way, my wife and I let someone else define what our marriage should look like. Those one-size-fits-all definitions created dramatic expectations that grew from a seed of hope into a weed of perfection that threatened to choke out the possibility of us ever bearing fruit. I was conditioned to believe that if every dish was cleaned, if every meal was cooked, if every bill was paid, then we would have a great marriage. On the other hand, my wife expected me to […]
We get busy in life. Matt reminds us of why we dedicate ourselves to something other than ourselves.
- Robert Wagnon, CEO, Republic State Mortgage
