Jimmy's Story: Changing the Future of His Family

I'd been in basic training about 6 weeks I'd been in basic training about 6 weeks when I was called into the commander's when I was called into the commander's when I was called into the commander's office office office and he said and he said and he said we hate to report to you but your dad we hate to report to you but your dad we hate to report to you but your dad passed away. So I I grew up So I I grew up knowing the church, knowing God and my knowing the church, knowing God and my knowing the church, knowing God and my mom and dad were both very active in our mom and dad were both very active in our mom and dad were both very active in our local church. It was It was a good local church. It was It was a good local church. It was It was a good family situation but a lot lot of hard family situation but a lot lot of hard family situation but a lot lot of hard work. work. work. That was nearing the end of the Vietnam That was nearing the end of the Vietnam That was nearing the end of the Vietnam War War War and and and I received a draft notice. I had to I received a draft notice. I had to I received a draft notice. I had to report [music] report [music] report [music] to be inducted into the army. I'd been to be inducted into the army. I'd been to be inducted into the army. I'd been in basic training about 6 weeks when I in basic training about 6 weeks when I in basic training about 6 weeks when I was called into the commander's office was called into the commander's office was called into the commander's office and he said and he said and he said we hate to report to you but your dad we hate to report to you but your dad we hate to report to you but your dad passed away. Uh that was a shock, you know, I Uh that was a shock, you know, I didn't really know how to react to that didn't really know how to react to that didn't really know how to react to that particularly. particularly. particularly. My dad's passing was [music] as a result My dad's passing was [music] as a result My dad's passing was [music] as a result of suicide. of suicide. of suicide. That was certainly not expected. That was certainly not expected. That was certainly not expected. Well, the emotions that I experienced in Well, the emotions that I experienced in Well, the emotions that I experienced in [music] that time were really not [music] that time were really not [music] that time were really not understanding why he made that choice, understanding why he made that choice, understanding why he made that choice, why he decided that why he decided that why he decided that his family would be better off by his family would be better off by his family would be better off by choosing suicide choosing suicide choosing suicide instead of choosing to live with us. So instead of choosing to live with us. So instead of choosing to live with us. So you know, we had to wrestle wrestle with you know, we had to wrestle wrestle with you know, we had to wrestle wrestle with that [music] how, you know, how he came that [music] how, you know, how he came that [music] how, you know, how he came to that decision.

to that decision. to that decision. As we started our marriage about 3 years As we started our marriage about 3 years As we started our marriage about 3 years in after our first daughter was born, we in after our first daughter was born, we in after our first daughter was born, we had an incident happen where my granddad had an incident happen where my granddad had an incident happen where my granddad he was about 80. he was about 80. he was about 80. He chose suicide. He chose suicide. He chose suicide. You know, we look back at the tragedy You know, we look back at the tragedy You know, we look back at the tragedy that occurred in our lives. that occurred in our lives. that occurred in our lives. So that on top of what what I'd seen So that on top of what what I'd seen So that on top of what what I'd seen with my dad with my dad with my dad we wanted things to be we wanted things to be we wanted things to be safer in our family. We knew we could safer in our family. We knew we could safer in our family. We knew we could not trust on our own to be able to get not trust on our own to be able to get not trust on our own to be able to get things done for our family but we had to things done for our family but we had to things done for our family but we had to have God. Through what I did as a father and what Through what I did as a father and what I showed to my kids that they understood I showed to my kids that they understood I showed to my kids that they understood [music] that no matter what happens, [music] that no matter what happens, [music] that no matter what happens, don't choose things like suicide, choose don't choose things like suicide, choose don't choose things like suicide, choose things like depending depending upon things like depending depending upon things like depending depending upon God, trust him, know know that he will God, trust him, know know that he will God, trust him, know know that he will direct your life. direct your life. direct your life. He has a plan for you that he will guide He has a plan for you that he will guide He has a plan for you that he will guide your steps, [music] that he will take your steps, [music] that he will take your steps, [music] that he will take care of you. So, I wanted to be able to care of you. So, I wanted to be able to care of you. So, I wanted to be able to model that in my family, let let them model that in my family, let let them model that in my family, let let them know that God is there for you. He can know that God is there for you. He can know that God is there for you. He can get you through the tough times.

get you through the tough times. get you through the tough times. He has a plan for your life. He has a plan for your life. He has a plan for your life. I'm very proud of my two kids. You know, I'm very proud of my two kids. You know, I'm very proud of my two kids. You know, they they individually had to make the they they individually had to make the they they individually had to make the decisions, but decisions, but decisions, but both of my both of my kids have chosen both of my both of my kids have chosen both of my both of my kids have chosen to follow God and serve in [music] to follow God and serve in [music] to follow God and serve in [music] ministry. That makes me very proud as a ministry. That makes me very proud as a ministry. That makes me very proud as a father and I know my wife is very proud father and I know my wife is very proud father and I know my wife is very proud as a mother as a mother as a mother that they have chosen that path. that they have chosen that path. that they have chosen that path. And I know it wasn't it wasn't me that And I know it wasn't it wasn't me that And I know it wasn't it wasn't me that did it. did it. did it. >> [music] >> [music] >> [music] >> It was God through me that made it >> It was God through me that made it >> It was God through me that made it happen. As I look back on my on my life, happen. As I look back on my on my life, happen. As I look back on my on my life, I I I my encouragement [music] is to to dads my encouragement [music] is to to dads my encouragement [music] is to to dads today, today, today, put your faith in Jesus Christ, [music] put your faith in Jesus Christ, [music] put your faith in Jesus Christ, [music] understand that understand that understand that through him that opens up the pathway to through him that opens up the pathway to through him that opens up the pathway to God, to let him bless you and direct you God, to let him bless you and direct you God, to let him bless you and direct you and guide you. and guide you. and guide you. Don't [music] try to do it yourself. Don't [music] try to do it yourself. Don't [music] try to do it yourself. Do it with God's help. Do it with Do it with God's help. Do it with Do it with God's help. Do it with [music] God's guidance. [music] God's guidance. [music] God's guidance. Trust him and he will bless you Trust him and he will bless you Trust him and he will bless you in anything and everything that you do.