Soul Man » Parenting

Africa

My first trip to Africa was in 1995. I went on a medical and Bible teaching mission trip to Ghana, West Africa. We visited the capital city of Accra, where I preached and witnessed God do an amazing work of transformation. I assisted Dr. Mervyn Smith treating illnesses and organizing a clinic in Obuasi and Kumasi. That trip changed my outlook of the world and gave me a deep desire to be involved in serving Africa is some way. When we arrived in Ghana, one of the natives asked me, "What took you so long to come home." That statement ...

Heart of my Soul

I have been married to Tonia for the last 14 years. We will celebrate our 15th year anniversary on July 10th of this year. This year, for our yearly escapade, we will celebrate our 15 years together in Aruba. Thanks, Stowers. I really love being a husband, and I am learning more and more what it means to be a good and godly one. By his grace, I am learning how to love Tonia as Christ loved the church. Each day, I am understanding more and more of what it means to die so I can truly live. God has blessed ...

Soul Story

My story begins on the Westside of Chicago. I am the second child to Silas and Beatrice Williams. I had a fairly normal childhood - summer breezes, little league games, hide and seek, fishing trips, riding bikes, sitting on the stoop, talking about what we were going to get for Christmas, catch a girl kiss a girl, Saturday morning bowling and martial arts movies, sleepovers, Friday Night hamburgers, watching Creature Feature and Night Gallery beneath blankets and eating stove top popcorn. Man, those were the days. I didn't fully realize it at the time, but my parents loved us very much ...

Posts Tagged ‘Parenting’

Dad and Daughter

Friday, March 13th, 2009

Because I saw so much marital and familial carnage when I was growing up, I made a decision that I did not want to get married nor have children. Well, God had different plans. I did get married almost fifteen years ago and we have three beautiful children. Although I did not desire to be a father, the father I imagined myself being, is the one you see in the picture – one whose heart is fully captured by his children and one who is learning to be fully present with and for his children.

This evening my daughter, Mikayla (Sweetie), and I went to the Father and Daughter Banquet, hosted by a local radio station in Grand Rapids. We had a good time getting dressed up and spending quality time together. We talked about a number of subjects, laughed at one another's corny jokes, and enjoyed the singing of Jimmy Needham (dude can straight up sing). It was a great night.

As I write this post and look at these pictures, I am really emotional. The little girl you see in the picture is my little girl and God has given her to me to mold, shape, influence, and protect. It hit me hard tonight that I must be her first hero and I am the primary shaper of her thoughts and values about men and how they are supposed to treat her. I must not and I will not yield my privilege to schools, coaches or even the church. I will not abdicate my responsibility because of busyness and laziness. God has given her to me for a short time to empower her to be a strong woman of God, listening carefully to his promptings and having courage to influence and impact her culture.