Dear Friends and Family,
This December will mark 6 years since our mother died and Johannah and I took in my four younger siblings, three of whom still live at home with us. I immediately felt a burning responsibility and calling to bring them in and raise them as our own, knowing that it would be difficult, but not truly understanding how hard it would be.
When my mom first passed away our community raised nearly $60,000 to help us cover funeral expenses and the initial cost to transition my brother and sisters into our home. Aside from that GoFundMe, we've received no government aid or long-term support, despite desperately needing it. The past six years have been the hardest I've ever faced; the trials, loss, and grief have tested the limits of my faith and resolve. We've struggled to make ends meet, struggled to find adequate and fulfilling work, and fought to keep our family together even when it seemed as if the world was against us.
But this past year was the hardest yet. The company I worked for stopped paying the salary we had agreed upon and kept thousands of dollars in commissions that I was owed, this led to our family moving multiple times in search for work and struggling to pay the bills. We had to sell our house, search for a job in an increasingly difficult job market, and take the first job I was offered. On top of that, we have been doing the difficult work of parenting our own children and my siblings as they grow into maturity and deal with the trauma of losing our mother. It has been a grueling year emotionally, spiritually, and financially.
When my mother died I had to put my education on hold. It wasn't feasible to pay for school and our basic living expenses, I also didn't have the time to give to completing my degree and supporting my family in the midst of our grief. I believe I made the right choice to pause my schooling and devote more time to my wife and kids, but it was also a significant sacrifice for me as I laid down many hopes and dreams in the process.
Through much prayer and discernment, we've come to the point where I believe it is imperative for me to finish school and further my education. Not only to increase my earning potential, though that is certainly a factor, but also to allow me to pursue a meaningful and fruitful vocation.
It’s to that end that I am now asking for your support.
This week I received a job offer to teach at a classical Christian School, the same school that Genevieve will be attending in the fall. This position is within my wheelhouse, I will be teaching humanities and Latin, and it will afford me the time and resources to continue my education. While this position will give me greater flexibility to further my education, it does come at a significant pay cut.
Jo will continue to homeschool our other kiddos and they will also attend Highlands Latin School in the fall. We will also be working hard on our side businesses for additional income, but we know that those may not always cover our needs.
I know that God called us to take in my siblings and I believe that God is now calling me into a new vocation and ministry. But I can do neither without the help of our community. I’ve asked myself if we should have asked for help sooner, hindsight is always 20/20, but we see now how hard it is to travel this path alone. James 1:27 says that “Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction.” And we have endeavored to do this for 6 years to the best of our ability, but in this season of transition we need your financial support.
Your generosity will help us provide for our basic family budget and give me the bandwidth to focus on teaching, studying, and above all: being a faithful husband and father. I know that God will provide for us, he always has, and maybe in this moment you can play a part in that provision.
I have felt called by God for most of life, since my earliest memories as a young child, to pursue Kingdom work - whether that be ministry or theological education - and while I have put that off in a formal way for many years and that caring for my siblings has been a partial fulfillment of that calling, I still feel the pull to dive in deeper. I believe that pursuing my vocation in Christian education is exactly where God has been leading me for many years.
We do not expect to meet support forever, but I anticipate that we will rely on our friends and family to help bridge the gap financially for at least 2 years.
We need approximately $2000 a month to be sure our family budget is covered and we’re asking that you prayerfully consider donating monthly to help us in this exciting endeavor for Christ’s Kingdom!
Will you join us as we care for the fatherless in our own home and embark on this new mission?
For now you can give through WayGiver, Venmo, CashApp, or through a tax-deductible Widows and Orphans Fund (please message me for details).
Thank you and God be with you!
