Titles

 I carry many titles. Pastor. Author. Preacher. President. Mr. Edwards. Coach Edwards. All of those titles mean a great deal to me. 

I take my role as pastor seriously. It is sober calling. I devote myself to all that serving as a pastor entails. Much of it centers around loving people. Caring about the flock is a huge part of my calling. This includes home visits, hospital visits, counseling, praying with people, listening, and leading them. The role of a shepherd/pastor is a huge honor for me. Many years ago I told people that if they could not just call me Matt, I preferred to be called Pastor Matt. It reminds me of my calling to shepherd people. 

I love being an author. It is pure joy to write these posts when the inspiration flows. Writing to me is as second nature as breathing almost. I cannot recall a time in my childhood that I did not want to write after I wrote my first creative writing project. I was hooked. That was nearly 50 years ago. Whether writing a book, poem, or a post for this site, I enjoy communicating through the written word. I am much more effective as a writer than a preacher. People from all over the world read these posts. At last count over 1,400 read on this site yesterday alone. I did not even preach to 100 people in person yesterday. People from countries like Singapore, South Korea, Switzerland, USA, and Spain have visited to read these posts in recent days. 

Some call me preacher. I love proclaiming God's word. It is a delight to expound Bible truths with God's help so that people can understand. Whether preaching on a normal Sunday morning to the flock, or fulfilling a preaching assignment for a meeting or a camp is joyous. I take my role as a preacher seriously. 

I carry the title of President for No Compromise Ministries. A 501 C3 non profit ministry Brenda and I started in 1998. This is the umbrella ministry for all my books, outside preaching ministry, and mission work. it is not nearly as active as it was when we first started. 

I have been Coach Edwards all the way back to my boys playing pee wee sports. In recent years that role expanded to coaching work at two different private schools. Whether coaching football, basketball, P.E. classes weightlifting classes, or summer workouts I enjoy loving students as a coach. Investing in them spiritually has been more important to me than coaching them physically. That is the very reason I coach in the first place. To invest in students To point them toward Jesus. It is an honor to be called Coach Edwards. 

I cherish each of those titles in my life. They are not the ones I cherish the most. Two titles mean more to me than all of those others combined. What are they? Husband and Dad. 

Brenda and I have been married for 33 years. We dated another three years. She has been a part of over half of my life. She is my best friend. We have adjusted to the empty nest. We love to spend our Saturdays together. Some days we just sit at home and watch movies on the television. We have been known to stroll through the Farmer's Market or Gipson's Department Store, a store that reminds both of us of our childhoods. We are more in love today than when we married. We have endured trials and enjoyed triumphs. She completes me. She encourages me. She listens to my dreams and works feverishly to nail down the details to make it happen. She is a tremendous follower of Jesus. I seek her counsel on decisions. We do not always see eye to eye, but through consistent communication we come to compromise and work things out. I enjoy growing older with her. I enjoy the simple things like working out together or making dinner. We also enjoy date nights and the big celebrations like birthdays and anniversaries. 

The fact that I grew up without a father, or even knowing my father, makes the title of Dad all the more special to me. I learned to be a dad with Jennifer first. She is Brenda's youngest sister who came to live with us as a teenager. She was troubled and needed love and discipline. She found both in our home. God instructed me to be a dad to her and I tried. Shortly thereafter, Brenda got pregnant with Taylor. We never dreamed of having a large family. We did not plan for any of our children, but God planned each of them. Not long after Taylor we had Tanner and Tucker in rapid fire succession. Then we bookended the last with Turner. 

I take my role as Dad to heart. I wanted to give my sons what I never had. I supported their activities whether it was a ball team or a field trip. I enjoyed the hours in the yard playing with them. Teaching them to throw and catch a ball. Most importantly to instruct them about Jesus. I was at ball games most of the time. I made special time for each son. Something I still enjoy doing today. I often take one of them out to eat alone to talk when they are home. It is special time we started doing when they were youngsters. Now that they are men the conversations are different but the enjoyment on my part is just the same. I listen to their dreams, offer counsel when they ask, and encourage them. They are all grown and out of the house. Taylor is married and has his own family. Tanner and Tucker are finishing up post graduate studies in their chosen fields. Turner is a senior in college and will graduate in May. We very seldom are all together as a family under one roof anymore these days. It is pure joy when we are. 

Husband and Dad mean more to me than pastor, author, preacher, president or coach. I am thankful to God for those relationships. Just having Brenda and my children make me a wealthy man beyond measure.