There is a song I learned in children’s choir that often echoes through my mind. “Do, do, do what the Bible says. Don’t, don’t, don’t just listen, no!” What a simple concept! Just obey. Don’t just listen and hear God’s words, but act on God’s word. That was a fun and catchy song to sing through my elementary years. But at the time I learned that song, I could never have imagined how difficult it would be to live out those words.
Birmingham, Ala. resident Adelaide Jowers attends Homewood High School.
Those of us who grew up in faithful Christian homes heard those and many other wise words. But what I have realized in the past few years is that hearing and doing are two totally different things. Many people hear the truth. Many people even acknowledge Jesus died for sinners yet show no willingness to turn from sin. However, through discipleship, I have learned that we must be doers of the Word, not merely hearers of the Word. When you are a “doer” of the Word, your decisions can be tough. Your decisions can be unpopular. Your decisions can bring ridicule. However, my identity as a follower of Jesus Christ has given me the courage and freedom to choose wisely. I have learned I must have a Christian world and life view, where the anxieties of current events are seen through the lens of God’s sovereignty. I have learned that cultural affirmation is fleeting and rarely based on truth. I have learned that instant gratification, while instant, is not fulfilling. I have learned that truth is only true is if is rooted in the gospel of Jesus Christ. While Christianity impacts me in many ways, the biggest impact my Christian faith has had on the decisions I’ve made during my high school career has been providing me the ability to look beyond myself and my current situation and trust in God’s wise and perfect plan in my life. Romans 8:28 tells us “And we know that God works all things together for the good of those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose”. It’s not easy to be a doer of the Word. But I know I have been called for a specific purpose. And God’s purpose for me begins and ends with me following him, obeying him, and not just being a hearer of the Word, but being a doer of the Word.
I woke during the night… rain pitter-pattered on the tent top. A once soothing creek right behind our camp now gargled into the Cahaba River, as if it were angry. The slow, steady rain had swollen both creek and river. The noise likely wouldn’t have disturbed me had my air mattress not deflated sometime during my slumber. And it was getting colder in the night… for which I wasn’t adequately dressed. Nor was I prepared for the big rock that now positioned itself in the middle of my back as I lay on the cold, hard ground. It seemed that amidst life’s discomfort… I needed better shelter.
My dad never took me camping and that’s okay. God put men in my life so that I could learn the outdoors. Chris was one of those men. And now that I’ve taught my girls… I hope they will one day teach others too.
At sunrise, Chris Jackson and I got up to begin the day… Easter Sunday. Chris, an Executive Coach with C12 in Montgomery, has been a dear friend for much of my adult life. But more than that, he has been a spiritual mentor, accountability partner, brother in arms, and any number of other titles at various points in my life. A tarp hung lowly over the fire bed from the previous night. Chris, always thinking ahead, had anticipated the rain. After breakfast, Chris’ two youngest boys and my two oldest girls all scavenged the rain-soaked woods around trying to stave off boredom… there would be no floating further down the river today with the threat of some severe weather looming. We hunkered down to try to keep shelter from the elements. The rain, though, would not dampen the cause for celebration… and after the kids had all worked off some of their restless energy, we called them all back up to the campfire. The rain had slowed to a drizzle and the warmth of the fire, and the smell of the smoke was inviting. I read the Gospel’s account of the Resurrection, and Chris delivered a great devotional about the importance of finding Jesus wherever you are. He then commissioned the kids to conduct a very special scavenger hunt. “Go find something from nature and bring it back to the group and tell how you “found Jesus” in that piece of nature you bring back.” Before dismissing us, Chris reached into his pack and pulled out some bread and a small bottle of grape juice. Communion on the Cahaba… and on Easter Sunday, no less. What a memory to be made. And in memory of Him, we did.
I’m sure daughter Cape will contemplate killing me for sharing this picture. But she is not unlike the plastic egg she holds… a mysterious beauty on the inside protected by a tough, but colorful exterior. Aren’t we all? That’s how God made us!
Assembling the crew back together, Chris and I settled them down with a few ‘booger tales.’ For whatever reason, they didn’t believe Chris and I once captured Big Foot and shaved him down…. turns out he is really a French Poodle with a bad perm! One by one the kids opened their plastic Easter egg to reveal the fruit of their scavenger labor. Bay took a sweet gumball and cut it in half to signify the Crown of Thorns. Jake fashioned briars in a similar Crown. Cape put salt in her plastic egg and then read from the Good Book about how we are to be the salt of the earth. Grey held fast to a flat granite rock… “the cornerstone” he explained. And Chris and I both knew that these kids had truly found the Shelter they needed. No rain, no passing thunderstorm, no flood of life… will ever sink their spirit. For they know well where to find Shelter… “[their] refuge and [their] fortress, [their] God, in whom [they] trust.” Psalm 91:2. A few hours later the sun majestically made a triumphant and glorious entrance in the treetops above our camp… and then just as quickly, disappeared again. I couldn’t help but think it was just a reminder that just as the sun and the rain falls on everything, His grace does too. Matthew 5:45.
-Walt Merrell
A Christian Outdoorsman who writes of his adventures with his family, with the hope that others might be inspired and encouraged to embrace God’s tapestry, otherwise known as the great outdoors, as a means of finding Common Ground. You can follow him at Shepherding Outdoors on FB, YT and IG and at shepherdingoutdoors.com. His most recent book is available at shepherdingbook.com. Read his faith story at www.BirminghamChristian.com.
One branch of my family arrived in the Alabama Territory in 1818. I am so thankful my ancestors realized that Alabama was our family’s promised land. Writing my cookbooks that celebrate the culinary heritage of Sweet Home Alabama has given me a beautiful gift. As I researched and wrote the stories, I was able to look back over the lives and times of my family since Alabama became a state in 1819. What I found in my family is what many of our Alabama families have embedded in their DNA: fortitude, grit, and determination along with a heaping helping of hospitality.
Danna Standridge is seen here making homemade dumplings with her granddaughter Leah while using Great-Grandma Parker’s rolling pin.
I found out who we are through our stories and recipes. When my Great-Grandma Parker passed, I was gifted with her rolling pin. It’s a treasure to me. I display it proudly in my kitchen. The secret of the rolling pin? It gives me strength every time I look at it. When my son was shipped off to defend our country, I thought so often about my Grandma Parker and the God-fearing strength she needed to cope with her son missing in World War II for eighteen months. I looked at her rolling pin often, and it gave me strength. I said to myself, “If Grandma Parker made it through that, then I can make it through sending my son to war in Afghanistan.” I’m happy to say that both our soldiers returned home to the warmth of home and their momma’s kitchen. Grandma Parker even had her hands in her dough bowl making biscuits for her family when she found out that her oldest son was still alive and coming home. So, you see, food is at the heart of our homes.
When thinking of my ancestors and the times they went through, both good and bad, I have hope. Hope that my children and grandchildren will learn where they came from, and what our Alabama families have been through, both the triumphs and the hard times. I hope that this knowledge will propel them into the future and sustain them with the certainty that we are Alabamians and that we will prevail and gain strength as we gather around our tables, love one another, and break bread together. As I cook with my grandchildren in my Alabama kitchen, as the flour flies, so do the family stories.
April is the perfect time to gather family together and make fresh strawberry pound cake. Where to get the perfect farm fresh strawberry? Seek out our Alabama u-pick strawberry farms near you at www.sweetgrownalabama.org. Cooking with your children and grandchildren is the time for passing along those family stories. And getting them out into the strawberry patch is a great adventure that will turn into a sweet pound cake and a sweet family memory.
Our Favorite Fresh Strawberry Pound Cake
Ingredients:
2 sticks butter, softened
2 cups granulated sugar
3 large eggs
2 Tablespoons lemon juice, divided
Zest of 1 lemon
2 ½ cups all-purpose flour, divided * (if using self-rising flour, omit the salt and baking soda)
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
8 oz. plain or vanilla yogurt
12 oz. fresh strawberries, washed and diced
1 cup powdered sugar
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease and flour a Bundt pan. Sift together 2 ¼ cups of flour with baking soda and salt. Mix in lemon zest and set aside. With mixer, cream butter and granulated sugar. Beat in eggs one at a time. Stir in 1 Tablespoon lemon juice. Alternate adding the flour mixture and the yogurt until just incorporated. Toss in the diced strawberries in the remaining flour and stir into the batter. Pour in the prepared Bundt pan. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees. Bake for 60 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Turn out on a wire rack and cool completely. Whisk together 2 tablespoons lemon juice with the powdered sugar. Drizzle over the cake.
In March, Two by Two Animal Rescue received 17 dogs evacuated from the war-torn area of Israel and Gaza. The International Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals asked rescue organizations from all over the world to help. Two by Two Rescue was the only organization in Alabama to volunteer.
If you’d like to learn more details about fostering or adopting one of the 17 Israeli-Gaze war dogs, click here.
Executive director and founder, Sonya King, said, “During a time of human crisis, everybody wishes to help. While monetary donations are critical, being able to help in such a tangible way really feels good to the heart. We are just doing what we would hope someone would do for us if we were in a war and had to leave our dogs. I was really moved by the young American men who left to go to the area to work the Kibbutz and maintain agricultural progress to feed the surviving villages. I was so excited to be offered this opportunity to save these animals’ lives.”
The Israeli-Gaza rescue dogs are currently adjusting to life in Alabama.
Without Two by Two Rescue raising their hand, these dogs would have continued to suffer and would have died. Some of these dogs were pulled from underneath the rubble of collapsed buildings. Others were abandoned when their families were forced to flee. While they are all friendly, some of them will need time to learn to trust again. Out of the 17 dogs, some are miraculously well adjusted, while others will need families with an extra measure of grace and patience to walk them through their trauma. The dogs were flown from the Israeli-Gaza area in a 747 cargo plane to JFK Airport. At JFK, they were transferred to Race For Life Rescue, which is a non-profit organization of pilots that fly dogs for free in order to save their lives. Race for Life flew them to the Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport where Two by Two Rescue anxiously waited for their arrival.
Finding time to connect with God as a family can be challenging in a world filled with busyness and distractions. However, one simple yet powerful way to nurture faith and strengthen bonds within the family is through prayer walks. By combining physical activity with spiritual reflection, family prayer walks offer a unique opportunity to deepen your connection with God and each other while experiencing the beauty of God’s creation.
What is a Family Prayer Walk? A family prayer walk is an intentional time set aside for walking together as a family while engaging in prayer and conversation with God. It can take place in a variety of settings, such as a local park, a nature trail, or even around your neighborhood. The key is to intentionally incorporate prayer and reflection into the walk.Here are five tips for a meaningful family prayer walk:
Choose a Scenic Route: Select a location that offers scenic views or natural beauty to enhance the experience of prayer and reflection.
Set a Prayer Theme or Topic: Begin the walk with a specific intention or prayer focus. For example, you could spend one prayer walk focusing on God’s creation and praising Him for its beauty. You could spend a prayer walk around the neighborhood, praying for the neighbors whose houses you are passing. You could pray for a specific person, need, or upcoming event in your family.
Engage the Senses: Encourage family members to engage their senses by noticing the sights, sounds, and smells of nature around them and reflecting on how they reveal God’s glory.
Pray Aloud or Silently: Invite family members to pray aloud or silently as they feel led, allowing each person to express their thoughts, feelings, and desires to God. You may also want to walk in silence to listen to the world around you and the voice of God speaking to you.
Reflect and Share: At the end of the walk, reflect on the experience and share insights, prayers, and blessings with one another.
Family prayer walks offer a simple yet profound way for families to grow closer to God and each other plus you might get some steps in along the way. As you embark on this journey together, may you experience the joy of encountering God’s presence in the beauty of creation and the warmth of a shared experience of faith as a family together.
Have you considered all the things we measure with a thermometer? Assessing temperature is a normal part of life. We check the temperature of foods, our bodies, and the weather. Envision a thermometer with a sensor that calibrates and displays your marital health as hot, cold, or normal. Your assessment may involve inspecting your words, behavior, and communication. The findings will help you determine if you are drawing closer or farther apart. Before you analyze your relationship, examine yourself. Inspect your heart to see if it is pure. If not, ask the Lord Jesus to give you a clean heart to live honorably with your spouse. (Psalm 51:10)
Let’s Explore Temperature Readings.
1. Hot. In marriage, temperatures may rise, and before you know it, communication between you and your spouse escalates to a degree that is hurtful. Words are spoken that lead to regret. The atmosphere can be cooled by remembering James 1:19- “Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger.” Choose to use your words to build up rather than tear down your spouse. The goal is to listen, seek to understand, be reconciled, and live in peace with one another.
2. Cold. Can your communication be described as lackluster? You do not have to remain in this chilly state. You can warm things up by spending time together. Do a community service project. Visit a new town. There are numerous options. Discuss each other’s interests, highs, and lows. Reflect on when things were better and strive to make steady improvements. Work towards having a stable and enjoyable union filled with harmony and love.
3. Normal. Normal is the ideal and desirable temperature for maintaining a God-honoring marriage. In this environment, unity is demonstrated through mutual service to one another. Nurture the well-being of your marriage to avoid freezing or burning. Remain diligent in expressing love to each other.
When your spouse is assured that you are committed to them, they feel valued and wanted. This assurance leads to stability, trust, and reasons to celebrate your oneness. Like the warmth of a cozy fire on a blustery morning, your relationship temperature is just right. What is your marriage thermometer reading? If it is not registering normal, implement changes so you can have a well-regulated marriage.
-Vanessa M. Jones
Vice President & Co-founder of Biblical Marriage Institute
As the April tax deadline approaches, many households find themselves wondering if they are paying more taxes than necessary. Here are a few high-level concepts to keep in mind.
Retirement planning: When allocating 401(k) or IRA contributions between Roth or traditional accounts, it can be difficult to know which is better. Assuming that tax rates in the future mirror the current structure, a simple way to approach this decision is to compare your marginal tax rate today to your expected marginal tax rate at retirement. For example, if you file jointly and your taxable income is $200,000 today (32% marginal rate), and you expect your taxable income in retirement to be $100,000 (22% marginal rate), you generally are best served to maximize your pre-tax, or traditional, allocations. However, if your taxable income today is $50,000 (12% marginal rate), and you expect a higher taxable income in retirement, it is likely better to allocate funds to Roth accounts. Keep in mind that there may be income limitations to consider. Traditional IRA contributions may not be deductible if either spouse has access to a workplace retirement plan, and Roth IRA contributions are not allowable at higher incomes (although there are strategies to deal with this limitation).
Asset allocation: As yields on cash and fixed income have increased, many are feeling the bite of ordinary income taxes on interest income from taxable bonds or high-yield savings accounts. In many cases, it is wise to invest taxable accounts in assets that offer preferential tax rates on long-term capital gains and qualified dividends (such as equities or equity funds). Conversely, you may want to hold assets that produce ordinary income (such as taxable bonds) in retirement accounts to defer those taxes as long as possible. Your time horizon, risk tolerance, liquidity needs, and your values are other relevant factors to consider before finalizing your allocation.
Fund selection: Due to the fund structure, exchange-traded funds (ETFs) are typically more tax-efficient than mutual funds—even when tracking the same index. When similar mutual funds and ETFs are available to meet an investment goal, it may be better to choose ETFs if the account is taxable. Additionally, actively managed mutual funds often distribute more income (and result in higher taxes) than index mutual funds, since active funds typically have higher turnover of the underlying assets.
BMSS Wesson Wealth Solutions offers comprehensive financial planning and investment strategies aligned with your values. We specialize in serving business owners, corporate executives, and families stewarding earnings or inherited wealth. Please feel free to contact me to discuss your interests in our services. Qualifying portfolios may be eligible for a review at no cost.
We learn in Genesis that God is the Creator and the Source of life. Life is a gift from God and is to be celebrated. How can we celebrate life? To celebrate means to give special attention to and to recognize and rejoice as significant. Physical life is a gift and is sacred and should be treated as such. Spiritual life is also available. There is new life, abundant life, and eternal life.
To experience new life, one must be “born again.” In John 3:3, Jesus tells Nicodemus that a new birth is necessary to enter the kingdom of God. Just like physical birth is necessary for natural life, spiritual birth is necessary for new life (2 Corinthians 5:17). A new life in Christ leads to an abundant life.
In John 10:10, Jesus said that He came to give us an abundant life. Abundant means plentiful, full, and complete. Without Jesus in our life, we are incomplete. Something is missing. There is a “hole in the soul,” or a void that only Christ can fill and satisfy. I believe it was St. Augustine who said, “Man’s soul does not rest until he makes peace with God.”
Spiritual life involves new life in Christ (new birth), an abundant life (full, complete), and eternal life. Eternal means everlasting and existing forever. John 3:16 says that faith in Christ leads to everlasting life. In John 11:35, Jesus says He is the resurrection and the life and whoever believes in Him lives after physical death. Romans 6:23 says that the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. So, let’s celebrate the physical life that has been given to us and the spiritual life that is available to us through Jesus Christ!
With two championship seasons already under their belts, Coach Skip Holtz and the Birmingham Stallions look to win an unprecedented third title for the Magic City in the United Football League. Coach Holtz and his wife Jennifer have made Birmingham their home during the football season, and say they feel comfortable and welcome in the city that prides itself as a football capital of the South. “We absolutely have fallen in love with the city of Birmingham,” Jennifer Holtz said.
Jennifer is a huge supporter of the Birmingham Stallions and can’t wait to cheer the team on this season. “Knowing how difficult it is to three-peat is both challenging and extremely motivating,” she said. “Our Stallions team will be ready to play. That I know!”
Champions x Two. The Birmingham Stallions won the United States Football League (USFL) in 2022 and 2023, beating the Philadelphia Stars and Pittsburgh Maulers in the title games. For this season, the USFL combined with the XFL to create the UFL; the new football league is owned and operated by actor Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. The team continues to play its games at Protective Stadium in downtown Birmingham and is in the midst of the season, which began on March 30 and ends on June 1, although the team hopes to extend its season into the playoffs and try for a “three-peat” of championships.
Coach Holtz has been at the helm of the team for all of its seasons and says that it will be a challenge to win another title. The new makeup of the UFL has 8 teams, instead of the 16 in prior seasons, making the league and teams stronger. “The league is much more talented now because there’s a real dispersal of talent and teams are starting over again,” he said. “The league’s going to be much better, and we’re trying to be as good as we have in the past.” Also important will be the quality of play from its high-profile players. Former Alabama running back Bo Scarbrough recently announced his retirement from football, and last year’s league MVP quarterback Alex McGough moved onto the NFL after the season. Fans, though, will have new stars to look forward to– with potential quarterbacks being Stallions returner J’Mar Smith, former Ole Miss player Matt Corral, and former Nebraska player Adrian Martinez in the mix. Of the newcomers, Holtz said they are “two great people, two extremely talented quarterbacks, both their arms and their legs.” Holtz said that the play from all of the teams in the league will make it an exciting season for football in Birmingham. “I’ve truly been blessed throughout all of the seasons of this sport over the years, and I’ve loved everything about it. From practicing with college guys in the spring to sitting down with recruits in their homes. It’s all been a blessing,” he said. “And now to get to coach in this league, in the spring again. It’s exciting, and I think the fans have a lot to look forward to.”
Skip Holtz said some of his fondest memories of his childhood and youth were helping on the football field. “I’d be a ball boy, or help equipment people pull out gear,” he said. “I didn’t think I would go into this business until it was time to leave the game. And then I realized I wanted to coach.”
According to Jennifer, she and her husband have become passionate both about the team and its future, but also with Birmingham in general. “Our previous visits were always football related, coming in and out to play UAB or at the Papa John’s Bowl in 2006,” she said. “But now I’ve had more time to explore and learn the city.” She mentioned the team’s experiences at Children’s Hospital as one exemplary example. “We had a player visit Children’s and the staff blew my socks off,” she said. “It truly was the most memorable day.” Holtz emphasized that they’ve come to appreciate Birmingham, especially the downtown area where they have lived during their two seasons with the Stallions. They’ve lived both by Railroad Park and by Pepper Place. “The city has great restaurants, great people, and we’ve had an awesome experience in Birmingham,” he said. “It’s so welcoming, and it’s really what I like to call a little big town. All the appeal of a big town with the welcome of a small town.” While in Birmingham, the Holtz family worships at St. Paul’s Catholic Church downtown; Jennifer said that the church has “one of the most beautiful cathedrals” she’s ever seen and that she especially appreciates the choir and the strong sense of family throughout the congregation. The move to Birmingham came after many stops along the way playing and then coaching football at all levels of the sport.
A Legacy of Winning. Holtz’s father is legendary football coach Lou Holtz, who won a national championship at Notre Dame in 1988 and went on to become a popular commentator for ESPN and other outlets. His father has influenced Coach Holtz all along his journey as a football coach. Born in Connecticut, Holtz grew up in college towns across the country where his father coached; he graduated from high school in Fayetteville while his father coached at the University of Arkansas and then joined his father at Notre Dame after enrolling for two years at nearby Holy Cross. At Notre Dame, he walked on and played on special teams. When he was finished playing, Holtz realized that he wanted to stay in the game–despite never making that plan for himself and hearing from his father to not follow in his footsteps. “I realized that I want to coach, I want to be a graduate assistant,” he recalled. “I went to Florida State, met my wife there, and it was the best time in my life. And I never wanted to do anything else from that moment on.” Holtz served as an assistant coach at South Carolina, Notre Dame, and Florida State and as the head coach at Connecticut, Louisiana Tech, South Florida, and East Carolina. Most recently he served as a special assistant to Northwestern University’s interim head coach last year after its coach was fired amid controversy.
Of his father (legendary college coach Lou Holtz), Skip said that he truly has had a lifetime of learning from him. “I was in a home with him for 18 years, but then I got to spend time on the field with him as well,” he said. “There’s so much I learned from him.”
“I love coaching football and am passionate about leading young men to achieve their very best,” Holtz said about his decision to help Northwestern during the UFL offseason. That dedication to the players he coaches has been just one of the many lessons and motivations that Holtz learned from his father. Chief among the lessons from his father was a sense of optimism; he always taught him that success in life is about the right attitude. “One of the greatest gifts he gave me is that I choose whether to be happy or sad. He taught me that you can’t get in a bad mood without your own permission,” he said. The most important lesson, however, that his father and his mother Beth gave him was a reliance on faith. When his father came to Notre Dame, it was a dream come true for a family rooted deeply in the Catholic faith. And when his mother Beth passed away in 2020 after a two-decades-long battle with throat cancer, Holtz described his mother as “an incredibly religious woman who was the glue to this family.” He adds that the faith he was taught by his parents has become the force that helps him through the challenges that come his way– whether on a football field or in life in general. “You can’t do it without a Higher Power, and a personal relationship with Jesus Christ,” he said. “It’s like the whole ‘footprints in the sand’ idea. He carries you through the difficult times.”
Watch the video below to hear more from Coach Holtz on how his faith impacts his personal and professional life.
Family Heritage. That focus on faith continued as the Holtzes started their own family. “I was raised in a loving and nurturing family environment, and our Catholic faith was the foundation of my morals and ethics,” Jennifer said. “My father in particular walked by faith and lived it daily. He taught me discipline and devotion to prayer.” As she and her husband raised their children Trey, Chad, and Hailey, they instilled the same values in their lives.
Celebrating his 60th birthday in March, Coach Holtz reflected on what he calls a “blessed life.” He said he’s been blessed with wonderful opportunities and feels like he’s “never had to work a day in my life.”
Today, the Holtz family spreads far and wide as their children serve in both sports-related and other careers. Their oldest son Trey played college football at the University of Texas and currently serves as an offensive analyst coaching quarterbacks at LSU. Middle son Chad played basketball at Notre Dame and today works for Andor Health in Orlando. Daughter Hailey graduated from Louisiana Tech and works as a football operations director for the Seattle Seahawks. Growing up in a football family taught their children important lessons. “Not only did our children grow up alongside other coaches’ kids, but they got to see young men handle adversity and success,” Jennifer said. “We felt the thrill of victory and suffered together through losses and injuries. It fosters great humility when everyone is vested in the outcome. And building lasting relationships beyond the football field has been a blessing for us all.”
As they look back on their experiences both in coaching and parenting, the Holtzes said that they can see God’s direction in the places they’ve been, the teams they’ve served, and the lessons they’ve learned. “It’s no understatement to say our faith has guided every decision we’ve made and through an unwavering trust in God’s grace we know to believe that His ways are greater than ours,” Jennifer said. And their advice to parents and families today? “Love big and pray constantly.”
“Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives.” Galatians 5:25 NLT
We are completely called as believers to do what we are doing as a Resource Family. We are fulfilling exactly what He asks of us – to bridge gaps, to love on, to pour into, to fill the role of being another layer of relationship and consistent love to children who need it.
Colt and Katy Langley have been Volunteer Resource Parents to Miguel for two years. Volunteer resource parents at Big Oak Ranch serve as a child’s extended family. Resource parents volunteer as often as one weekend a month. To learn more, visit www.bigoak.org/resource-parenting.
I believe that the more people each child has who pours into them, the greater they are equipped to continue forward on the straight and narrow path. We have been a Resource Family for Miguel for two years now. Together we love to go fishing, go to the lake, enjoy sports, celebrate his birthday and other holidays. Over the past two years, Miguel has completely come out of his shell. My son, Reid, and Miguel are four days apart in age and the best of friends. On the very first weekend he was with us, I was blown away from the instant connection and friendship they had. As I sat in the front seat driving back to the Boys’ Ranch, Reid and Miguel sat in the back talking on and on without any quiet moments – they are still this inseparable.
We recently got our family pictures for this year made, and it was our joy to include Miguel in them. He is genuinely a part of our family, and we cherish our time with him. This is such a special relationship we can all enjoy together, as a family.
-Katy Langley
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