NOTE: I wrote this four months after finding my 19 year old son after he'd taken his own life... There have been moments these past months that I've wanted to give up on God. I'm simply being honest. As one who grew up in a violent, alcoholic home, I witnessed more violence as a child … Continue reading The Old Rugged Cross
Jordan
The God Who Hurts Us
“Yet is was the Lord’s will to crush [his Son] and cause him to suffer...” (Isaiah 53:10) I’ve studied the book of Job (the “o” in “Job” is long as in “stove”) numerous times. But, until recently, I haven’t had the courage to read it devotionally (daily readings) since 2013 when my 19 year old … Continue reading The God Who Hurts Us
To Those Who’ve Lost a Loved One to Suicide
May 13th is the day I dread. But May 12th is the day that haunts me. It’s the last day I saw my son alive. The last day I talked to him, and he to me. When I speak in schools on suicide awareness & intervention I close my talk with the following question because, … Continue reading To Those Who’ve Lost a Loved One to Suicide
A Psalm of Nick Watts
Reading through the Psalms you commonly see the following subheadings: a psalm of David, or a psalm of Asaph,... I’ll never forget what I once heard one of my professors say: “A psalm is simply a person’s response to God’s activity in their life.” That’s why, in the Psalms, we see the full gamut of … Continue reading A Psalm of Nick Watts
When Jesus Worked at McDonald’s
This past week, on a Tuesday morning, I swung through the drive-though at a local McDonald's for a warm, robust beverage on my way to work. After placing my order I promptly pulled up to the first window to pay for said beverage where I was warmly greeted by a woman at the window who … Continue reading When Jesus Worked at McDonald’s
After Suicide: What We Needed; What They Need
My name is Nick Watts. On May 13, 2013, my son, Jordan, took his own life. He was 19. NOTE: Should you be unfamiliar with my family's history with suicide you can click here. My public school presentation on Suicide Intervention lasts approximately 45 minutes and includes, among other points, everything from "becoming aware of … Continue reading After Suicide: What We Needed; What They Need
Grief is a Part of Life – for Now
"Weeping may last for the night, but Joy comes in the morning." (Ps 30:5) In Sep., 2015, shortly after completing nine days in the Psychiatric Ward of our local hospital (I ended up there due to a cluster of triggers associated with my 19 year old son's suicide), I sat in my counselor's office and … Continue reading Grief is a Part of Life – for Now
Suicide and the Bible – Part 2 of 2
After recently reading my original blog, Suicide and the Bible, a reader kindly asked a common question: I was reading your "Suicide and the Bible"..and I just have a question. I'm genuinely curious to know what you think about this. So you're saying nowhere in the Bible does it say suicide will send you to … Continue reading Suicide and the Bible – Part 2 of 2
The Frightening Thought of Being Used by God
Have you ever believed in something so strongly, so passionately, you wanted the entire world to know about it? I told my wife, Michelle, "You know - when you have a cause you strongly believe in, you want to get the word out to the masses. But, when it does begin to get out to … Continue reading The Frightening Thought of Being Used by God
When a Loved One Goes Home to Jesus
I've read Jesus' prayer recorded in John 17 many times but I never noticed the insight brought out by Mark Jones in his blog, "When a Loved One Goes Home to Jesus." (You can read the blog here.) Having lost my own 19 year old son in 2013, I know what it feels like to … Continue reading When a Loved One Goes Home to Jesus