My Wonderful Family

I learned early in my ministerial career that if I was ever going to succeed at having a long-term, fruitful ministry, then I had to make my family my first priority in the Lord.  If a married man cannot be a good husband and father, he can never be a successful leader outside the home either.  Because I want that principle to be more than just a good concept in my life, I try to view all my ministerial activities through the lenses of my family life.  Having said that, I truly believe that if you want to know who I am as a minister, you have to know who I am as a family man first.  So before I ever try to wow you with all my ministerial accolades (yeah right!), I want to introduce you to my family.

In 2004, I was somehow fortunate enough to marry Erin, the most incredible woman I have ever known.  She is truly an amazing wife and mother, and she serves as my constant source of strength, comfort, and humility (amazingly, she has a way of humbling me like no other!).  Ever since I somehow convinced her to join her life with mine, she has served alongside me in my ministry as an ever-present supporter of all the Lord has called me to and as a steady filter of all that was not of the Lord.  And trust me when I say, I need that filter far more than I would ever want to admit!  She is the love of my life (cue the Michael W. Smith song) and will always be my favorite person in all the world.

In 2008, the Lord graced us with Reagan, our first child.  She is a walking bundle of joy and mischief.  Each day when I get home, she greets me with a running hug and slobbery kiss, and subsequently melts my heart every time.  Often you can find her dancing with daddy to her favorite album, Slugs, Bugs, & Lullabies by Andrew Peterson, or serving as a loving big-sister to her little brother, Evan.  Evan was born in the fall of 2009.  He has quickly grown into his mom’s good looks and is becoming quite the little ham with the ladies.  Some of Evan’s favorite activities include hanging out with Mommy, laughing at big sister, hamming it up for the ladies, and partying with Daddy at ungodly hours of the night (Evan hasn’t quite figured out the concept of sleep yet, but we’re working on it!).

These people make up my family, and they represent the context in which and through which I want to do ministry.  They serve as a great motivator and a wonderful encouragement to me in ministry.  They are my joy in this life, and they mean to world to me.

Continue to My Life in Ministry