01 Apr

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I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world. ~ John 16:33 (NIV) A global threat. A world in chaos. And a people looking for hope. Sounds a lot like April 2020, right? But did you know it also captured first century Israel’s sentiments under the oppressive Roman Empire as Jesus prepared to take the cross? In the Upper Room as He observed the Passover, Jesus encouraged His disciples with four sentences captured in John 16:33 (NIV), “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” In short, we can experience peace amidst chaos. Using the four sentences Jesus spoke, here’s why: I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. Jesus repeatedly...

01 Mar

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But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. ~ 2 Corinthians 4:7 (NIV) Might makes right. Kill or be killed. Only the strong survive. It seems there are dozens of platitudes that view strength as, well, a strength. Why? Because weakness is vulnerability, the opposite of strength. But let’s be clear: we all have vulnerabilities. So why do we go to such great lengths to pretend or downplay that we don’t? Because we fear our vulnerability will defeat us. It’s actually just the opposite: there is victory in vulnerability as these fascinating stories demonstrate. Spruce Lake Men’s Retreat 2020 Earlier this year, A Faithful Dad was invited to speak at a large men’s retreat at Spruce Lake Retreat in the Poconos. The format for this two-day event for hundreds of men features a professional sports star who speaks once Thursday night, and a Bible teacher who speaks...

01 Feb

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And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. ~ 1 Corinthians 13:13 (NIV) It’s February, the month of Valentine’s Day, when our thoughts turn to love. Over the past decade, I’ve often closed out my messages with this “fan favorite” which God prompted me to share with you this month. It goes something like this. Many of our wedding ceremonies included 1 Corinthians 13 – the Apostle Paul’s famous “love” chapter (a show of hands overwhelmingly confirms this). Yet, married or single, 1 Corinthians 13 is a subtle but powerful testimony to God’s agape (unconditional) love which I’m humbled to recite now: And now I will show you the most excellent way. If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all...

01 Jan

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Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Messiah. Acts 5:42 (NIV) Over the past several years, God has allowed me to minister to men in the Rochester, NY area. During that time, I met a number of godly men who’ve become dear brothers in Christ with whom I regularly connect. On one overnight visit, my good friend Dean Tzounakos and his bride Holly hosted me at their house where we enjoyed fellowship, food, and fun: what a blast! In time, Dean and I both experienced significant employment changes. God called Dean to drive trucks and me to become a bivocational pastor (i.e., a pastor with two vocational jobs: one ministry, one secular). And because of the connection God built between us, we both began to sense that the Lord was nudging Dean to increased responsibility within...

01 Dec

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While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them. Luke 2:6-7 (NIV) Unexpected relatives. Unexpected company. Unexpected anxiety? ‘tis the season! Each year the weeks between Thanksgiving and New Years (with Christmas at its heart) represent one of the best opportunities to open your family to others. Examples include extended family, friends, and even college kids who live too far to make it home. But how? Here are three helpful lessons God taught us over the past few years. Lesson #1: Extended family means extending grace When a buddy of mine “Will” (not his real name) lost his job and then a house to live in, he humbly turned to his friends for shelter. Upon learning of Will’s situation, my bride Suzanne sensed God’s call...

01 Nov

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For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Romans 3:23 (NIV) Charles Quinton "C.Q." Smith, center, is shown in a photo that ran in the Chambersburg Public Opinion in 2002. The Boy Scouts of America honored him for 53 years of service. He served as the scoutmaster of Boy Scout Troop 127 from 1966 to 1991. A longtime scoutmaster stands accused of monstrous crimes. And something like a bomb exploded in my heart. Why? Because this scoutmaster was my childhood scoutmaster, a man and mentor I’ve known for nearly 40 years: Charles Quinton “C.Q.” Smith. C.Q. Smith first taught me the Boy Scout Oath which begins like this: On my honor I will do my best to do my duty to God…. As a then 11 year-older learning the Scout Oath in 1981, I had no idea how my duty to God would impact me as an adult. Over those nearly...

01 Oct

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That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh. Genesis 2:24 (NIV) This month of October 2019, Suzanne and I celebrate 25 years of marriage: what a milestone, what a miracle! Here are five lessons we’ve learned over the past 25 years: Lesson #1: Don’t expect perfection It’s funny how we set out looking for the perfect spouse, but we begin with a flawed premise: that somehow, we’re perfect! To this day, I still have a few friends who are seeking the perfect spouse, just like I did years ago. So, as we search for someone else who’s looking for the perfect spouse, it’s easy to see how frustrating and disappointing this search for the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow can be for both parties. So, here’s what I learned: expect perfection from God but don’t expect perfection...

01 Sep

Posted at 12:00h in Uncategorized

Follow my example as I follow the example of Christ. 1 Corinthians 11:1 (NIV) This is big – REALLY big: we’re celebrating 10 years of God’s faithfulness to our ministry! First came a whisper in 2006, “Travis, speak My Word, and I will take care of the rest….” In 2009, God lead us to found Speak My Word Ministries, an IRS 501(c)3 non-profit charity. Later in 2016, we honed our focus and transitioned to A Faithful Dad. Now, in 2019, we’re celebrating 10 years of God’s faithfulness to our ministry! 1,000,000+ video views: subscribe to our YouTube channel HERE: God is faithful! Thousands have heard God’s Word at live events from Maine to Florida and New Jersey to Wisconsin: God is faithful! Hundreds have made a decision to follow Jesus. Indeed, God is faithful! Yet, our mission remains straightforward: we encourage dads and families. The need is great! Here’s what our supporters are saying: What the world needs right now is...

01 Aug

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Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. ~ Hebrews 12:2 (NIV) A Family Guide to Joy (in All Circumstances) (Chapter 12) concludes with Destination Joy? Here we celebrate the twelfth station of Jesus’ Journey to Joy (see map below): Jesus knew joy because He conquered death! Through this guide, and through our lives, we’ve walked with Jesus on His journey. That journey included good times, transitions, rejection, and dying to self, to name a few. Jesus, considering the joy set before Him (Hebrews 12:2), endured the cross, and His journey has reached its final destination. Jesus’ journey is complete. But what about our journey? Will we also reach destination joy here on earth? No! As we’ve seen, joy is not something we get...

01 Jul

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Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” When he had said this, he breathed his last. ~ Luke 23:46 (NIV) (Jesus’ seventh statement from the cross) This month’s focus in A Family Guide to Joy (in All Circumstances) (Chapter 11) is Joy in Dying to Self where we reveal the eleventh station of Jesus’ Journey to Joy (see map below): Jesus knew joy because He died to self. What is dying to self? Leonard Bernstein, the late conductor of the New York Philharmonic Orchestra, was once asked to name the most difficult instrument to play. Without hesitation, he replied: “The second fiddle. I can get plenty of first violinists, but to find someone who can play the second fiddle with enthusiasm — that’s a problem; and if we have no second fiddle, we have no harmony.” Hit close to home? It seems we all want...