About Me
I'm a son, brother, friend, coworker, follower of Christ, husband, and father. The longer I exist as each of these, the more I learn about life's complexities and struggle to understand my place. As it's been said, "when I was a child, I reasoned like a child." But now that I'm grown I've put away the childish things and dug deep, looking into the semi-disturbed soil of myself, my nation, my world, and my God to see what's truly there. Much as well-diggers do in the search for water, I dig for the source of what the Bible calls "living water, springing up to eternal life."
But I don't want to search in such a way that I'm merely re-enforcing the beliefs I've always had. I'm searching for the Truth, and as Jesus claims to be the truth, I want to see how deep that well goes. I have the belief, but I want to be ready to give a defense for the hope in me, a defense formed with blood, sweat, and tears and shared with love, compassion, sincerity, and faithfulness. I've come to realize that doing that -- at least honestly, with respect for those you engage with -- is much easier when you have stock answers for just about everything. But it doesn't amount to the living water Jesus speaks of. Just as Jesus exemplified, you don't get to the genuine love, compassion, sincerity, and faithfulness except through the blood, sweat, and tears. You have to associate with the sinners and prostitutes first to share the joy they experience when God does His work of transformation. You have to touch a leper or two before you see the healing with your once-blind eyes. And you have to hear the stories of the hurting before you recognize God speaking to your own deaf ears.
In a way, I'm trying to look at my life -- my opinions, my thoughts, my expectations and assumptions -- as an outsider and come to the root of it all. I struggle with God, as Jacob once did [and knowing I am no better than him], as I strive to know God more and learn how to hear His voice. As I read, I learn more about myself and the God who knows and loves me, and wrap my head around what that actually means. The more I honestly reflect these lessons and trials to those in my life, the more I hope to be understood and (God-willing) a well of refreshing to them as well. I want to be the kind of man who is strong, but approachable; full of conviction, but never underestimating the value of hearing and understanding the opinions of others; learned, and yet always learning; and above all faithful -- to my family, friends, and God.
Welcome to a Father's Deep Well!
But I don't want to search in such a way that I'm merely re-enforcing the beliefs I've always had. I'm searching for the Truth, and as Jesus claims to be the truth, I want to see how deep that well goes. I have the belief, but I want to be ready to give a defense for the hope in me, a defense formed with blood, sweat, and tears and shared with love, compassion, sincerity, and faithfulness. I've come to realize that doing that -- at least honestly, with respect for those you engage with -- is much easier when you have stock answers for just about everything. But it doesn't amount to the living water Jesus speaks of. Just as Jesus exemplified, you don't get to the genuine love, compassion, sincerity, and faithfulness except through the blood, sweat, and tears. You have to associate with the sinners and prostitutes first to share the joy they experience when God does His work of transformation. You have to touch a leper or two before you see the healing with your once-blind eyes. And you have to hear the stories of the hurting before you recognize God speaking to your own deaf ears.
In a way, I'm trying to look at my life -- my opinions, my thoughts, my expectations and assumptions -- as an outsider and come to the root of it all. I struggle with God, as Jacob once did [and knowing I am no better than him], as I strive to know God more and learn how to hear His voice. As I read, I learn more about myself and the God who knows and loves me, and wrap my head around what that actually means. The more I honestly reflect these lessons and trials to those in my life, the more I hope to be understood and (God-willing) a well of refreshing to them as well. I want to be the kind of man who is strong, but approachable; full of conviction, but never underestimating the value of hearing and understanding the opinions of others; learned, and yet always learning; and above all faithful -- to my family, friends, and God.
Welcome to a Father's Deep Well!