by Clint Watkins | Feb 6, 2021 | Reflections
Today, our son would have turned two years old. Our souls ache as we wonder what it would be like if he were still here. At the same time, we remember the joy he brought us with his brief life. So every year on his birthday, we do something that allows us to both...
by Clint Watkins | Feb 6, 2021 | Reflections
One of the things I love about my wife is her commitment and ability to remember our children in unique ways. These mountains are just one example. They represent our frail-yet-fierce family of four: We lost Eli in November 2018 because of a terminal condition. Rowe...
by Clint Watkins | Feb 6, 2021 | Reflections
“My son, my son…If only I had died instead of you.” (2 Samuel 18:33) David’s agony captures the hearts of many dads today. It’s not only the grief of losing a child, it’s the pain of not being able to take their place. Sacrificial love is at the heart of fatherhood....
by Clint Watkins | Feb 6, 2021 | Reflections
Read through the Psalms carefully and you will notice a distinct difference between Biblical and American worship: lament. It takes up over a third of the book, yet it rarely makes an appearance on Sundays. Our corporate songs and prayers typically lack the...
by Clint Watkins | Feb 6, 2021 | Reflections
I used to recoil a little bit when my parents spoke about me with pride. Their delight in me seemed foolish and naive because so much of my youth was marked by stupidity and selfishness. I thought, “If they knew some of the things I’ve done, they would stop applauding...
by Clint Watkins | Feb 6, 2021 | Reflections
Some gifts speak with a depth beyond the reach of words. Our son’s fatal diagnosis had thrust us into terrifying darkness. Each day was saturated in tears as we stumbled toward Eli’s birth and death. The Psalms that once seemed foreign or figurative had become our...
