I debated whether or not to specifically address moms in this article, but I have for two reasons. One, I am a mom of four (soon-to-be-five) kids, so it’s what I know. Two, there is something unique and special about a mother’s love for her children. So, moms, this is for us. I believe that a mother’s nurturing, strong, protective spirit enables children to feel loved. It is this love that helps our children flourish, even from an early age. […]
This April, my wife and I will have been married for twelve years. And I’ve spent the majority of those twelve years bouncing back and forth on the pendulum of pleasing her and simply shutting off. It’s an exhaustive charade that has robbed me of peace and caused me to fall into the trap of loving her circumstantially. I treasure the fact that she challenges me and pushes me beyond my comfort zone, but it grates on every last nerve. For more than thirty years, I’ve been […]
It’s that time of year when a lot of parents are preparing for their children to leave. And regardless if it’s kindergarten or college, the emotions are the same. We’re sending someone we love out into the world—a world that doesn’t seem love them like we do. But in both the sadness and excitement, it’s important for us to remember that we raise our kids to leave. When my son, Matthew, Jr., was born, my best friend sent me a song […]
Four years ago, I wasn’t a very good dad. I never was a baby person, but taking care of three humans made me feel incapable. I guess that’s God’s grace on display. Sometimes He gives us the very things that incapacitate us so we’ll finally let go and trust Him. The truth is, He was molding me for something far bigger than I could see. And this is what it was going to take to break the strongholds that would finally set me […]
The past seven months have been the most challenging seven months in my five years of being a father. Constant illness has shrouded our family and tried to rob us of peace. Whether it’s the health and well-being of those you love, your financial situation, or something completely different, I hope this testimony will provide unshakable truth and unwavering hope despite your circumstances. Our struggles began in October, when our four-year-old twins had their tonsils and adenoids out due to recurrent hospitalizations […]
My four-year old twins were given matching Cam Newton jerseys for their birthday last fall, and every day since then, they’ve woken up with eager expectation, “Are the Panthers playing today?” “No buddy, they play on Sunday,” I’ll reply. They frown for a moment, then they insist on watching highlights so that they can run around the house mimicking Cam Newton as they chant KEEP POUNDING. As a late Christmas present, my parents surprised all of us with tickets to the Panthers final home […]
My sons have recently developed a desire that has become quite frustrating. Whether they’re going to school, getting ready for church, or simply playing outside, they want to dress just like their dad—down to the very last detail. If I had one child, that might be a realistic expectation, but with three boys, it has become downright comical. It’s not uncommon for all three of them to be inconsolable with emotion because “my shirt doesn’t have buttons all the way down”, or “dad’s not wearing […]
We get busy in life. Matt reminds us of why we dedicate ourselves to something other than ourselves.
- Robert Wagnon, CEO, Republic State Mortgage
