A Safe Place To Be

I hate hearing of men who refuse to protect their daughters-who won't stand up or speak up when the wolves come looking for food. Since when was 18 the age that girls needed to defend themselves; to provide for themselves; or to make it by themselves? I don't find that in the Bible, so I'm left to assume that someone, in years past, declared this, and the masses who were...(better not say it) followed suit.

The LORD has blessed me with three of the most beautiful girls any man could hope to marry, and I'll tell the world- without hesitation- that my girls have a safe place to live until the day I give them away in marriage. I love them, and when you love something, you protect it. How many men wouldn't even leave their xbox out in the rain, but would have no problem leaving their daughters out in the world unprotected, unprepared, and unloved. Oh, but, "I do love my daughter," they'll say, and I say, "nonsense," you love your freedom and extra money more than you love your daughter, and that's why the wolves are well fed tonight!

A daughter should be protected by her dad until it's no longer possible to do so. When he walks her down the aisle and places her hand into the hand of her husband, the exchange should be more than tradition, it should be symbolic of what has truly occurred; she was cared for and protected by her dad, and now that duty passes to her husband. And while we're on the subject, may I say that the white dress should mean she's a virgin?- or would that upset too many people? Indeed, to raise a virgin daughter to adulthood, and give her away pure and undefiled to her husband is a lofty goal in the culture we live in, but guess what, we serve a God who has declared that with Him, "all things are possible."  

Nehemiah says that men are supposed to fight for their sons and daughters (Neh. 4:14), not give them to the enemy for his own pleasures. No age is mentioned in scripture when men are to stop doing this either. We can apply wisdom to this, and understand that not all families are in tact and walking with the LORD. We all know girls who, for one reason or another, don't have a dad to protect them, and to them I say, there's still a way. Maybe other Godly men in your family can oversee your affairs, or perhaps an Elder or Deacon at your church. I'm sure any Godly man would relish the opportunity to protect and invest in the life of a sister in Christ.

So go ahead, men, dream big for your daughters, don't settle for the low, sleezy standard that our culture says is normal. Get a vision for beautiful girlhood from scripture and take the steps necessary to see it come to fruition. They don't have to look like Miley, LiLo, JLo, Gaga, Britney, or Katy to be special, accepted, and loved; all they have to do is be who God made them, and not who culture hopes they become. 

Your girls should not fear growing up thinking that they'll have to move out, get a job, and make it on their own: they should grow up knowing that their dad will always provide a safe a place for them to live and grow, to prosper and mature, to learn and develop, and to be courted and wed. God has a plan for girls, and it isn't what we see all around us. Give your daughters to the LORD and see what He does with them. Don't give them to the wolves, because we all know what they'll do. Protect your girls...they'll be eternally grateful you did!

~Strength and Honor~

Our Children's Reputations

I recently started Vlogging in the hopes of being able to interact with you, my readers, more. I'm new at this, so it will take some time to work out the kinks, and improve upon my skills. My wife and other lady friends have already said I need to smile more, so I'll keep that in mind! :-)

Share your thoughts, and let me know what you think. Also, if you have any ideas on a topic you'd like me to cover, or have a question you'd like me to answer as a Vlog, please let me know. Thanks, and God Bless...

(If you'd like to receive new videos as I release them, you can subscribe to my YouTube channel by clicking here!

A Masculine Trajectory

Jenna Lyons with son, Beckett.

A recent story about a mom (pictured above) who enjoys time with her son by painting his toe nails neon pink caught my attention--not because of what she does to him so much, because after all, we live in a fallen and depraved world--but because I read comments and opinions from "Christians" defending this mom. The story appeared on the Fox News website, and you can read it by clicking here.

Educating Children Pt.4 - Education as Discipleship

In this, my last post on 'Educating Children,' I would like to write briefly about how the education of our children helps or hinders us as parents in our attempt to obey the scriptures and "bring up our children in the training and instruction of the Lord."

Over the years as a Father of 8 homeschooling children, I've been pleasantly observing the transitional language that those in the homeschool movement have begun to perpetuate.

I've seen the movement go from one of "homeschooling," to "home education," to "home discipleship." And I like the last statement the best. I believe it encapsulates what home educators are after. We're not trying to do public school at home, or trying to compete the public schools at all. We are after something much more significant. Much more substantial. Much more faithful to scripture.

Those families who we spend time with, who are also home educators, are after the multi-generational vision that the word of God sets forth for parents to pursue in the covenant relationship that they have with Him and their children.

The Lord doesn't save people to be cul-de-sacs. He saves them to be 6-way intersections, affecting lives in all direction. Telling others of His goodness, grace, mercy, forgiveness, and most of all His Son. And He expects parents to begin their missionary life by bringing up their children firmly grounded in His word, and thoroughly protected from those who would seek to harm them.

"...Remember the Lord who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives and your houses."

Nehemiah 4:14

Did you hear that Men? The Lord says to fight for your families, not to offer them on the alter of convenience in the name of education.

Use the 12+ years of educating your children as a precious time of molding them, shaping them, developing them, and directing them in the way they should go. The Lord promises that if we do this correctly, they will not depart from the faith when they get old! (Proverbs 22:6)

How sad it is when a Father and Mother hear the great commission in Mathew 28:19, and never think to begin with those living in the same household as them. If you think I'm exaggerating, think again. The following is true:

• Between 75-88% of children growing up in Christian homes are leaving the faith by the end of their 2nd year of college.
• Less than 1 out of 10 "churched" teenagers has a biblical worldview. (*Churched means they went to Sunday school and youth group for 13 years from ages 5-18)
• The average Christian Father spends less than 1 minute a day engaged in conversation with each of his children.
• Most Christian homes have no formal discipleship happening on a daily basis.
• Most Christian homes don't do Family Devotions at all, let alone on a regular basis.
• Fathers hearts aren't turned to their children as they are commanded to be in scripture. (Malachi 4:6)

Can we do better? absolutely! Will it be easy? nothing worthy is! Look to cross Men, and call upon the Lord for a fresh vision for your home!

Stand on His promises and enjoy the fruit of living under His sovereign Hand!

Educating Children Pt 2: The Pros and Cons of Public Schools, Private Schools and Home Schools!

OK, my 2nd post on 'Educating Children.' Today's title:

"The Pros and Cons of Public Schools, Private Schools, and Home Schools"

Hopefully, I'll be able to portray a pretty good picture of what I experienced in my own life as a public school student for 12+ years, and now a homeschooling Dad for 12+ years.

What I present is no way meant to be an exhaustive list of pros and cons, and may not accurately represent what you've experienced and have seen in your neck of the woods.

I understand that public schools in wealthier rural areas out perform public schools in poorer urban areas. My portrayal is based on national averages and overall behavioral patterns in general, not one district in particular.

We'll start with the pros and cons of Public or Government Schools, and end with the pros and cons of Home Schools.

Public or Government Schools:

Pros:

• Already paid for by your tax dollars. Out of pocket expenses are kept to a minimum, and limited to such things as field trips and perhaps fund raiser events. Depending on school, you may have to purchase uniforms as well.
• All the work is done for you. All you need to do is get 'em there. Either drive them yourself or have them ready for the school bus rain or shine.
• Your days are just that, YOUR DAYS. No kids to disrupt you while watching TV, surfing the web, making calls, running errands, etc., etc..
• Frees up Mom to pursue a career outside of the home where she can find her perceived happiness and true liberation from what the Lord says matters most.

Cons:

• Unbiblical world view is taught to your child for 8 hours a day, 5 days a week, 9 months a year, for 12 years of their life.
• Negative and evil peer pressures surround your child for time stated above.
  
• Child is faced with all types of sin that most children are unable to walk away from because of immaturity and lack of time being trained by parents.
• Innocents of child is lost at an age when unable to process the things they hear and see such as: sexual misconduct, vulgar language, homosexuality, immodest dress, poor character, rebellion to authority, rebellion toward God, hatred of God, etc.
• Parents sin against child by placing them in an environment that is hostile toward what they believe and where the child will almost always be the one who's converted. A lack of charity toward our children is to sin against them.
• Class sizes are about 1 teacher to 30+ students.
• No biblical or jurisdictional authority over the education of your child.
• Parental authority in the life of the child is almost completely obliterated.
• Unnatural surroundings (age segregation) leave children ill-prepared for real world.
  
• One size fits all approach to curriculum, learning styles, etc.
  
• Virtually no one on one time with teachers unless they're deemed 'special need' or 'underachieving.'
• Slave to schools calendar and schedule.
  
• Child is forced to violate the commands in Psalm 1 which reads:

1 ¶ Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful;
2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night.

Private Schools:

Pros:

• The Same as for Public Schools, with the following added.
• Teachers try harder because they're paid better.
• In Christian Schools, at least the Teachers are suppose to have a biblical worlview. But according to the Barna Group, only about 20% of Evangelicals actually have a biblical worldview.
• Facilities are better maintained than at public schools.
• The sins of the students are more white-washed, giving the appearance of 'not-so-bad.'

Cons:

• The same as for Public Schools with following added.
• Students at Christian Private Schools act and think like their public school counterparts sending confusing signals to your child who you tell that the kids there are better because they're "Christian."
• With so many "Christian" students doing 'it', 'it' must be ok for your child to do it, or so they think.
• Many students there are there because their parents are hoping that private school will 'get out' what public school 'put in' for 8 years.
• No biblical or jurisdictional authority over the education of your child.
• Parental authority in the life of the child is weakened by time apart and by who the child views as "intelligent."
• Financial Costs. Can leave many families financially burdened, especially larger families with multiple students attending.

Home Schools:

Pros:

• Controlled environment.
• Environment conducive to learning.
• Child is taught by parent or co-op leader who is under the authority of Jesus.
• Parent-child relationship strengthened throughout school year.
• Authority of parents in child's life is established and strengthened .
• One on one time of student/teacher.
• Class size limited to number of children in family.
• Curriculum tailored to child's' learning style(s).
• Supremacy of God in academics upheld.
• God's relevance in the world is taught to child throughout school year.
• Superior academic performance on SAT, ACT.
• Higher level of performance per grade level compared to public and private school students.
• Hebrew method of discipleship (walk beside, talk beside) established in child's life.
• Obedience to commands to "bring up" children "in the Lord". (Deut. 6: 4-9; Eph. 6:4)
• Family vision impressed upon child without negative influence dissuading child from it.
• Negative or ungodly behavior can be dealt with swiftly while still trainable.
• Complete control over calendar and schedule.
• Children mature much quicker.
• Adapts much easier to people of all ages and genders.
• And everything else I missed!

Cons:

• Children can suffer if parents are lazy and undisciplined.
• Parents don't take the eduction of their children seriously enough and leave child ill-prepared for life outside of home.
• Some parents who opt for the "relaxed" method to home educate their children are so relaxed that they sleep thru entire year of school.
• Boys can suffer identity issues and become feminine with Mom doing all the educating, if Dad isn't pro actively discipling his boys on how to Men and making them work hard outside of school.
• Added cost of curriculum per child every year.

Again, these aren't exhaustive lists by any means. Just what I've seen and experienced in my own life and in the lives of those around me.

Share your thoughts and add to any list you'd like via a comment or two!

Educating Children Pt 1: The Goal of Education

In this, my first post on 'Educating Children', I thought I'd start by asking the question, "What is the goal of childhood education?", then giving what I believe the bible says is the answer to the question.

How we answer this question will set the course for how we will go about educating our precious gifts from the Lord. And remember Men (and Ladies reading) we only get one chance to raise and educate our little ones. When it's done, it's done. You can't start over!

To preface my answer let me first turn to scripture, as this is good to do being a Christian!

Let's see what the bible says about education:

Genesis 1:1 1 ¶ In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

Genesis 2:16-17 16 ¶ And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, "Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat;
17 "but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die."

Deuteronomy 6:4-9 4 ¶ "Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one!
5 "You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.
6 "And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart.
7 "You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.
8 "You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes.
9 "You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates. (emphasis mine)

Ephesians 6:4 4 Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. (emphasis mine)

So why all the scripture on a Christian blog you ask? Good question. Let's try and answer it.

Obviously, if this were a sermon or lecture, I could systematically expound on each verse, support it, sustain, etc., etc.. This being a blog, I don't have that liberty. But let me at least say that I chose these from among the whole bible because they begin the process of laying a foundation for the the fact that God cares deeply how we as parents think and act and how we as parents teach our children to think and act. This is called orthodoxy (what we believe), and orthopraxy (how we act based on what we believe).

We see from the very beginning that God had an ideal in mind for his creation when it came to right belief and right conduct. He wanted them to obey Him and see the world as He sees it. When they didn't and that ideal was compromised, the result was mankind's loss of God-consciousness and him becoming self-conscience. One minute he's eating fruit in his birthday suit with his lovely wife Eve, the next minute he's hiding from God with leaves covering up his nakedness that only became an issue after he became a sinner, then began blaming his wife for his sin. Sharp contrast and poor headship!

So what about us and this post? OK, here's my answer. I believe the goal of childhood education should be to help our children see the world as God sees it, and help our children to act in this world as God intends for them to act. Any educational system that doesn't lead our children toward this goal is leading them down the wrong road in the wrong part of town and only the most diligent of parents will be able to overcome what is being taught to their children. It's Eden revisited; "Hath God really said?"

Can children who are being taught at Government Schools grow up to be Godly individuals? YES they can, and I know many who have. In fact, I'm a product of the Chicago Public Schools educational system myself. But more importantly, I'm a testimony of God's grace as well! But does this educational system make raising Godly individuals more difficult? The answer again is YES! I'm just being honest. If we Christians can't speak openly and honestly on these vitally important issues, then who can? If you don't hear this from someone who loves you as a brother in the Lord, then who will you hear it from?

As Christians, we cannot, and I repeat, we cannot separate education from our faith. A good education will help to strengthen our faith, not weaken it! All that we do in this world is an act of worship unto the Lord, including how we educate our children. Consider this question: Is acceptable worship rendered when we educate our children with an educational philosophy that at it's core, teaches that God is irrelevant and that all gods are equal? I'll let you wrestle with the answer to that. But remember, God doesn't stand at the top of the list of acceptable gods. Besides Jehovah there is no other God!

So let us consider whether or not the method we've chosen for our children to receive their education will in fact accomplish the goal of educating children. Regardless of what method you choose for your children; government schools, private schools, home school, or some other, God will still hold you as the parent, and Father's especially, responsible for how your children turn out!

So let us think deeply on this issue, and when we've all made our decisions, let us pray for one another and seek to help one another in raising up a Godly generation of young people!

"Lead Me" by Sanctus Real

A friend of mine thought this song would be a good fit for my blog, and after listening to it, I must say, I agree. Enjoy!

You Only Get One Shot

Pictured here is my little, Joy Noelle. She's 6, and it seems like just yesterday we welcomed her into our home after her arrival in the world.

The same is true with all my children. When each of our eight children have been born it seemed as though June and I had our entire lives to raise them. We felt like we had time to squander, time to make mistakes, time to pursue our desires, and then, eventually get around to raising our kids.

Sadly, this isn't how life goes. Time waits for no one, and like it or not, our kids grow older whether we invest time in them or not. They will eventually become adults, move on with their lives, start families of their own, start businesses, become parents, and do all the things that God created them to do--question is-- will I feel content with how I raised them when that time comes?

I only get one shot at raising them, so I need to be sure I'm aiming my arrows at the right target. What will it matter if I play in sports leagues as an adult, if my kids wished I was with them? What will it matter if I pursue my desires, if my kids wished I pursued them? What will it matter if I advanced my career, if my kids wished I had advanced my relationship with them? What will it matter if gain the whole world, but forfeit the souls of my little ones to the god of personal pleasure?

We only get one shot men, are you aiming at the correct target? Will you be one of those Dads who grows old with a heart of regret because you pursued the meaningless, at the expense of the meaningful? Will you wish you had invested in them as much as you invested in those who in the end, are no where to be found?

Don't be that Man!
Invest in your kids while you still have time. Devote your life to ensuring that your kids walk faithfully with the LORD, cause truth be told, that's all that really matters!

"If I teach my son to keep his eye on the ball, but don't teach him to keep his eye on Jesus Christ, I have failed as a Father." -Voddie Baucham, Family Driven Faith

Strong words from a strong Man of God. Hope they help you gain perspective!

Til Death Unites or Separates Us,
TMD

Educating Children Pt.3 - Educational Jurisdiction

OK... Part 3.. this time we're looking at the topic of 'Educational Jurisdiction.' In other words, who has God given the responsibility to for the education of His children?

Let's begin with some verses:

Eph. 6:4 4 And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

Deut. 6:4-9 4 ¶ Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: 5 And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. 6 And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: 7 And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. {teach: Heb. whet, or, sharpen} 8 And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes. 9 And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates.

Prov. 22:6 6 ¶ Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it. (This verse is very specific in the meaning of the words for 'train up' and 'the way he should go.' The education he/she receives should help, not hinder, the child to accomplish that which God wants to see happen in the life of that child, namely, that they love him and serve him for their whole lives.)

Psalm 78:1-4 1 ¶ Maschil of Asaph. Give ear, O my people, to my law: incline your ears to the words of my mouth. {Maschil…: or, A Psalm for Asaph to give instruction}
2 I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old:
3 Which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us.
4 We will not hide them from their children, shewing to the generation to come the praises of the LORD, and his strength, and his wonderful works that he hath done.

So we see that from the beginning, God's desires for the children of His children is that they be brought up in a covenantally faithful household, and a large part of the discipleship process is the how we educate our children.

We see this evidenced by what the Lord said of Abraham being covenantally faithful in the following verse: (Genesis 18:19 19 For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.)

Again, I'll repeat what I stated in another post, We as Christians cannot compartmentalize various areas of our lives and separate certain parts of them from the counsel of the Lord. Education is not spiritually neutral. In fact, education is inherently spiritual. Few things are more spiritual than education.

Why do Men who have a desire for ministry go to Bible college or seminary? Why not go to a government college? You know why! Because they wouldn't receive an education that would edify them and help them in their desire to serve the Lord faithfully in their calling. Right?

So is it different with our children? Don't they have a calling on their lives? Doesn't God desire for them to serve him faithfully all their lives, regardless of vocation? Yes He does. And he expects, no, let me rephrase that, He commands parents to help ensure that this happens and holds them directly responsible for how they turn out. For better or for worse!

The state has no jurisdiction over your children outside of keeping the rule of law. God didn't establish state governments to educate the children of His covenant members. In fact, he established it primarily to punish evil doers. So if you've been thinking that the state does have jurisdiction over the education of your children, they don't, You Do. Assume it, and set out on the path of giving your children a thoroughly biblical education. Your children may just thank you with their life for all eternity!

Educating Children

These Posts first appeared on The Male Domain in August of 2007. I am re-posting them now for those who may be new to my blog. Let me know what you think!

Throughout the month of August, I will be presenting a series of posts on the topic of "Educating Children".

With the start of school just a few weeks away, I thought covering this topic might help some Men think through the whole area of how to go about educating their children.

We will look at:

• The Goal of Education
• The Pros and Cons of Public Schools, Private Schools, and Home-Schools
• Education as Discipleship, and
• Educational Jurisdiction

So be sure and check in throughout the month of August and be ready to share your thoughts with me!

I look forward to the conversation!

The blessed burden that I bare...

Here I am with a Larikeet on my head. This was taken at the Cincinnati Zoo on a recent vacation we took. Just thought I'd share this photo.

Anyway, at a recent conference I attended, I sat in on a message from James McDonald, who pastors a church in Peoria, IL., and he said a very interesting comment.

He was sharing about his visit to Massachusetts some years back and his visit to the Plymouth Plantation where the Pilgrims set up shop after arriving in America. While talking to a gentlemen dressed up as William Brewster, James' two daughters with him began to cry. Not wanting to end his conversation, James reached down and picked up his daughters and held them in his arms. Without missing a beat, "William Brewster" replied "that is a blessed burden you bear Master McDonald."

James was very impressed by the comment and I have been since hearing it as well.

We men, who the Lord has blessed with children do bear a "blessed burden." Raising children isn't easy. If it were, more men would do it, and those that are doing it would have more. Though not easy, it is quite enjoyable. I wouldn't trade the experience of raising my eight children for anything anyone could offer.

I'm thankful that the Lord's grace has fallen upon me in the area of child raising and I pray that it has on you as well. Stay strong in the task men, and know that you serve a mighty God. Never tire in your calling, for it truly is a blessed burden that you bear!

Sweet Times at Home - Pt.2

Hey Men, want to have a very interesting bible discussion with your kids? Watch the Rapture video below this post and ask your kids some questions about it. It's bound to spark some serious conversation.

We watched it altogether the other night, and man did it raise some questions. All the kids had questions they needed answered. I was surprised at the level of theological depth that such young minds can have. I loved helping my kids better understand the necessity of believing in the Lord Jesus before its too late!

So go ahead and do it with your families, then let me know how it went. I'd love to hear about it!

Our 1st Gift from theLord!

This is Janai Marie, our 14 year old, and oldest child in our family.

Janai is quite a young lady. She's friendly, intelligent, and very beautiful. (See what happens when you marry well!)

The Lord knew exactly what our family would become when He decided on giving us Janai first. She helps Mom in so many different ways, I can hardly begin to share them in one post.

She rises early to do school, and makes sure her little sister Naomi gets up with her during the week. She gently cares for her baby twin brothers, Christian and Josiah. She allows Mom time to go food shopping and to run household errands without having to take everyone with. She can pull together whatever food Mom has on the menu, and see to it that it's ready on time. Janai's skills in the kitchen already put her at the top of the list for future brides-to-be!

Janai is also very talented musically. She plays piano, violin, and recorder. When Janai plays her music, it brings a soothing effect on the whole house. Thank you Lord for Janai and her musical talents!

Another terrific attribute about Janai is her great sense of humor. She laughs at all of my jokes and always likes to join in on some good clean fun. She enjoys music, is an avid reader, and likes to spend time outside in the yard. Janai also greatly enjoys blogging on her and Naomi's blog site "Daughters of the King." Check it out, you'll enjoy it!

One other thing to mention about Janai is that she truly loves the Lord. She has read through the Bible cover-to-cover, I believe 3 times, and she's only 14. Wow!

Every family should have a Janai because she's a tremendous blessing to our home. I couldn't have picked a better first child to have than Janai. Thank you Lord!

And Lord, may you continue to mold Janai into the kind of Woman you desire her to be. Give me wisdom as her Dad to see the future as you see it, and to help Janai make good choices in this world. Amen!

Sons of Thunder!

Here they are, my baby twins who will be turning 1 on June 6th. Christian Elijah is on the left, and Josiah Lucas is on the right.

They are, as one friend said, "a blessed handful."

These guys are full of energy and life, and really keep Mom and siblings busy caring for them at home.

They're not identical twins, but some things about them are similar. For instance, they both cost $ to raise!

June and I love having them and consider ourselves truly blessed to have been given them by the Lord. We hope to raise them in a manner worthy of the King who chose to bestow them upon us. Lord give us wisdom....and energy!

Raising twins has proven to be quite enjoyable, especially from the provider stand-point who isn't home with them all day. Seriously,I know my wife enjoys every bit of having them and wouldn't trade them for the world. Having them should keep everyone in my home from getting chubby since there's never an inactive moment.

Thank you Lord Jesus for Christian and Josiah, and help us to raise them in a way that pleases you. May they grow to know and love you and serve you all the days of their lives!

The 'Joy' of My Life!

This is my little Joy Noelle, the happiest 4 year old I know. Joy's full of life and is a very good sister to her siblings.

We call Joy are little strawberry, because she just loves to eat them, and would like to have some with every meal. Joy is always happy, well almost always.

She really brings life to our home and is always looking to learn from her Mom and older sisters.

Joy is extremely handy around the house too. She can tidy up a room with no problem, and is good at helping Janai and Naomi in the kitchen. She's going to be quite a wife for some very fortunate young man out there who we'll find at a much later date!

Joy's always good for a hug and a kiss, and my life wouldn't be the same without her. Her favorite thing to do is to have a tea party with family and friends.

Lord, protect Joy from the evils of the world and give June and I wisdom in raising her to be a maiden of virtue!

The Helpful Ravi Zachariah

This is my second oldest son, Ravi Zachariah. That name may ring a bell for some of you who enjoy listening to Christian Apologetics. My son bears almost the exact name of the world renowned Apologist, Ravi Zacharias!

Ravi is 6, and is extremely helpful around the house. He especially enjoys doing jobs where he can use his God-given strength. Few jobs are too heavy for Ravi. From carrying groceries for Mom, to hauling drywall for Dad, Ravi likes it all.

He also enjoys the fact that he's a boy. He loves to flip over stones in hopes of finding bugs for his bug house. I told him with Cicada season upon us he would need to eat one to maintain his manhood. And knowing Ravi, he'll probably do it.

I look forward to seeing Ravi become the Man-of-God that I know the Lord created him to be. He can use his strong work ethic to build the Kingdom of God. Ravi also has a very big heart and enjoys making others comfortable. This too will be invaluable in building the kingdom for his King!

Lord, may you always keep Ravi's heart close to yours and use him for your glory!

My Little Joshua Marcus

Meet Joshua Marcus!

He's my very active 2 year old son who enjoys the little things in life like popsicles and chocolate.

He's a good boy who likes to run around outside and try to keep up with his older siblings.

Joshua enjoys wrestling with his brothers and myself. Not to rough though, he's still little and likes to feel no pain!

My desire for Joshy (as we call him) is to serve the Lord Jesus with his life and to become a strong Godly Man with a strong faith in his Lord.

Lord, may you use Joshua to accomplish great things for your Kingdom!

My Sweet Naomi Elizabeth

This is my 9 year old daughter, Naomi Elizabeth. She is truly a gift from the Lord.

Her heart is very gentle and she likes everyone to be happy!

She is an excellent Baker and a very good helper to her Mom and big sister.

My desire in raising Naomi is to protect her heart from anyone or anything that would seek to steal it away and take her off of her mission of serving the Lord Jesus with her life.

She is going to be an excellent wife (if I let her marry!) and whoever approaches me about courting her had better be a Man worthy of such a precious gift!

A Noble Desire...

This is my 7 year old son, Stephen Josiah Fuentes. His desire for the past couple of years has been to be a Pastor. Paul wrote in 1 Tim. 3, that if any man desired the position of Overseer, (which is synonymous with Pastor, Elder, or Bishop) that man desired a noble thing.

My goal for Stephen is that he would grow and mature to the point that he meets all of the qualifications laid out by Paul in that passage for an Overseer. I pray that the Lord's mercy and anointing would fall on Stephen for his entire life and that He would give him the desires of his heart.

My job in raising Stephen is to protect his heart from anything that would seek to steal his heart and take him off mission with his Lord. How many a young man has begun his young life with the same desires as my son, only to see his life become a spiritual shipwreck because he had a Father who failed to stand at the gate and fight for him when he was unable to fight for himself.

Please pray that I would fight the good fight for my son, along with my other children who I'll write about soon, and that when all is said and done, many will say that their Pastor, Stephen Josiah, is a mighty Man of God!