Exciting News

We are excited to announce that we are expecting! Alicia is almost 17 weeks along and is due October 3rd. After losing our baby this past fall, this has been a much scarier process. But we are trusting in God's sovereignty over our baby's life and are reminded that he knows the number of all our days. 

The boys are so excited and we all can't wait to meet our baby!

Fight Club

Similar to the movie Fight Club, this Fight Club has rules too. This is about a group of men committed to living in community and focused on three rules:

1. Know your sin
2. Fight your sin
3. Trust your Savior

It's no secret that there is a continually widening gap in our culture of what true Biblical manhood looks like versus the world's definition of manhood. Most boys grow up into a state of confusion about their purpose and identity as a man.

And it's one of our major priorities on the college campus. To walk with freshmen throughout college and leave them with a vision of walking with God and leading out of that identity for the rest of their lives.

It has been an awesome time of depth, vulnerability, and speaking truth and grace into each other.

"I have been trying to battle stuff by myself and it just destroys me. I feel so strong when I have you and the other guys with me."

"That time was so powerful to me."

"I loved all the brothers there, that time will be a huge blessing in my life."

"I wish we could meet again next week."

Fun At The Table

I thought this was worth a share. Last night Wyatt wanted a cookie SO bad, rather than eating his supper first. Finally, he realized he could have fun with it. Can't believe our little guy will be two in a month.

From Buddhism to Faith in Jesus

"I completely believe..."

That was the response from my friend, who was formerly a practicing Buddhist. We met two and a half years ago through a spiritual survey we conducted on UNOs campus. After meeting for the first time and sharing our spiritual beliefs with each other, we kept in regular contact. We would meet for coffee to talk life, relationships, and whatever else came up.

Within those conversations were ongoing discussions about our faith. He would ask questions about what the church permits and what it doesn't permit. Which led to opportunities to continue teaching the incredible freedom of the gospel and what the truth of the gospel means.

Early this semester he began asking more intentional questions, brought on through some hardships he was dealing with. We began reading through scripture together and the cross started to make sense to him for the first time. He told me, "I never knew why Jesus died on the cross, but that makes sense now."

And right before Thanksgiving break, while dialoguing through some questions and asking him about where he is at with all of this, through tears he said, "I completely believe."

It has been fun, exciting, and scary all at the same time discipling him from a place of unbelief to belief in Jesus. And I'm thankful to have the opportunity to continue discipling him in his understanding of what it means to walk with Jesus for a lifetime.

In a post-Christian culture with largely apathetic or skeptical views, I have been learning to intersect God's story with their story. And I have also been learning to walk in the freedom of the gospel in the midst of it all, trusting God to work in however he chooses.

Mourning Our Loss

Many of you may already know, but I thought I would include an update from our most recent newsletter:

Two months ago, we were celebrating the exciting news that Alicia was pregnant. While Alicia was being closely monitored due to having hyperemesis (severe morning sickness), we heard what was described as a “strong” heartbeat at about 8 weeks. And just three weeks later, we learned the devastating news that we had lost our baby. 

These last few weeks have definitely been painful for us and we have been mourning our loss. 

Further research revealed no apparent medical problem with the baby or Alicia that caused this. What we did learn is that our baby was a girl and we have named her Isabella Mae. Her name means "consecrated to God". 

We are sad to never have met her, but celebrate our baby girl and look forward to the day we will meet her.

This time of loss has drawn us back to the great hope and joy that we have in the Gospel. As Tim Keller writes,

“Jesus insisted that his return will be with such power that the very material world and universe will be purged of all decay and brokenness. All will be healed and all might-have-beens will be.”