Scripture Focus
“Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.”
— Matthew 10:37

God gave me an unexpected and beautiful gift in my late 50s — two precious daughters, Katelyn (now 5) and Hannah (now 2). I cherished them deeply. I believed I was living the life the Lord had called me to: walking with Him daily and being a devoted father.

Then, in early October, false accusations suddenly tore my world apart. I was arrested, separated from my girls, and have not seen or spoken to them since. The pain of this separation has been almost unbearable. In the middle of it, the Holy Spirit has been gently but firmly showing me the purposes of this trial, one of which is founded on Matthew 10:37.

Loving Jesus More

This verse is not telling me to love my daughters less. It is telling me that my love for Jesus must be supreme. He must have first place in my heart. Everything else — even the best earthly gifts like my children — must flow out of that first love.

This trial has forced me to confront the quiet ways my affections had become out of order. I loved my girls so much that they were beginning to occupy a place that only Jesus should have. The separation, as painful as it is, has become a refining fire. God is using it to realign my priorities and teach me that my identity is first as His child and follower of Jesus, and only second as a father.

I still pray every day for full restoration that I am vindicated from these lies. I still long to hold my daughters, to teach them about Jesus, to pray with them, and to be the daddy they need. But I am learning to hold them with open hands — loving them fiercely while surrendering them (and myself) completely to God.

Please pray for me and for the truth to emerge so I can be restored to my family.

Application

• Is there any good gift in your life (family, career, health, ministry) that may have quietly taken first place over Jesus?
• How is God using your current trial to test and reorder your affections?
• What would it look like for you to love Jesus with all your heart, soul, and strength this week — even if it costs you something you hold dear?

Prayer

Father,

Thank You for speaking to me today through Matthew 10:37. I see it more clearly now. You are using this separation from Hannah and Katelyn to test and realign my priorities. You want my love for You to be first — above even my love for my precious daughters.

I confess that before this trial, my affections were sometimes out of order. I loved my girls deeply, and that is good, but I now see how easily they could have become an idol. Thank You for loving me enough to refine me, even through pain.

Lord, I surrender my love for Hannah and Katelyn to You. Help me love them well, but love You more. Let this season teach me what it truly means to seek first Your kingdom. When I am restored to them, let my love for them flow out of my first love for You.

I still ask You to restore me to my daughters. I still long to be their father and to raise them in Your ways. But above all, I ask that my heart would be fully Yours — that nothing, not even my love for my children, would compete with my devotion to Jesus.

Thank You for this hard but necessary realignment. Continue to purify my heart. Make me a man after Your own heart.

In the name of Jesus, my first and greatest love,
Amen.