I'm Sending A Lifeboat.

I'm Sending A Lifeboat.

Nobody takes their first drink with the intent to become an alcoholic. The desire to throw away your future career, your future marriage, or your future family doesn’t cross your mind as the bottle hits your lips for the first time.

You’ve been told that it’s fun. It’s a part of growing up. It’s just what people do.

The Ripple Effect.

The Ripple Effect.

When a stone is thrown into the water, the ripple begins. If anything is near the rock when it breaks the surface, it’s effected. This is not something that is mind blowing.

We’ve all done it. We grab a rock. We throw it in the water. We watch the splash. We see the ripple.

You Can't Outrun Your Shadow.

You Can't Outrun Your Shadow.

I never intended to hurt Shayla that day. We had been through too much for me to hurt her like I had before. We had overcome the unthinkable in a marriage.

We had overcome an affair just 16 months prior. I never wanted to see her hurt like that again.

We Wouldn't Trade a Thing.

We Wouldn't Trade a Thing.

20 years is a long time. Think back to what you were doing 20 years ago. Some of you reading this were not even born yet. Others can remember 20 years ago like it was 20 minutes ago.

For us, we were getting married 20 years ago today.

Love's Renovation.

Love's Renovation.

During this week 13 years ago, the darkness was so dark that no glimpse of light was to be found. During this week 13 years ago, the pain was so real that it was difficult to breathe. During this week 13 years ago, we both desperately wanted the hurt to disappear.

Our marriage was over 13 years ago this week.

4018 Days of Sobriety.

4018 Days of Sobriety.

Today will always be a day of celebration. January 30th will forever by the day that my life changed. The day that my marriage changed. The day that generations would be changed.

January 30th, 2008 is the day that I took my last drink of alcohol. 

Take That World! 19 Truths About Marriage.

Take That World! 19 Truths About Marriage.

Today we celebrate 19 years of marriage. That’s a really long time. 19 years. It is hard to believe that it has been that long. 6,940 days of being together.Best friends. Husband and wife. Bryan and Shayla.

However, what we have now almost never happened.

Pursuing a Purpose.

Pursuing a Purpose.

YOU ARE TOO LITTLE. YOU ARE TOO YOUNG. YOU ARE TOO SMALL.

These are all phrases that Addyson, our incredible daughter, could have easily given in to and no one would have blamed her if she quit what she said she was going to do. Little did we know that our lives would never be the same because of her passion that was birthed nearly two years ago.

The Silent Drug.

The Silent Drug.

I DON'T DRINK.

It’s only three words but with these few words, a line is drawn in the sand.

You are not asking the question, “you don’t drink what?”. You know exactly what I mean when I say these three words.