The Texan Connection

02/11/2024

I need your help, friends…

If you got a copy of my book from Amazon would you please take a moment to write a review? (A good one…if you hate it, please ignore 😂)

It’s still #1 New Release in the Education Administration category after two weeks out and my ego would love it to stay there a bit longer 😎

Also, if you haven’t purchased yet…here’s the link!

https://a.co/d/8iQPtl7

23/10/2024

Are you among the dozens of smart people that have already purchased this book? If not, why not? 😊

I have three favors to ask of you, my friends…

*1. Order a copy of the book if you love me, like me, or tolerate me. 🧡. Links to order below…

*2. If you already have a copy, please leave (positive) feedback in a review on Amazon 🙏🗣️

*3. When you get the book, share a selfie with it! 📷

https://a.co/d/esrQYA8

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sustaining-excellence-martin-silverman/1146439736?ean=9798990530577

20/10/2024

My book arrived today! It’s like holding my child (in a weird, literary way). So glad to have this in print.

Send me a selfie when yours arrives too!

05/07/2024

Early morning zoom with Ugandan Champions! Men and fathers who have traveled great distances to learn more about being the DAD God calls us to be!!
www.suitupministries.org

19/06/2024

It has been a while since I’ve had an article to publish, but I’m excited for this one to be included in the summer edition of the TEPSA Leader! . Texas Elementary Principals & Supervisors Association

15/06/2024

Fathers…it’s always good to be prepared to be the best DAD we can be!! Order today!!

Happy DAD Day my brothers!!

Equipping Dads to become the men God intended them to be. It's time for Dads to get off the bench and get in the game Come on men, Suit Up

10/06/2024

Raising DADs worldwide!! Will you join our vision?
www.suitupministries.org
Chad Hedrick Doug Dawson Kevin Laird

You can make this vision into reality - Visit suitupministries.org/give

02/06/2024

www.suitupministries.org

Join the movement at suitupministries.org

28/05/2024

Look forward to seeing lots of you at the Texas Elementary Principals & Supervisors Association Summer Conference. Just a couple of weeks away ☀️😎

Would love to have you join in on my sessions Thursday and Friday. Come say hey!

27/05/2024

On this Memorial Day, let us also remember all of those who have gone before us, those that have given their lives, who were also fathers, who chose to be the daily, active and devoted DADs! Their legacies live forever!
www.suitupministries.org

21/05/2024

Who will help us raise up the next generations of DADs?
www.suitupministries.org

28/04/2024

https://mailchi.mp/b067539c0ec5/sunday-send-off-first-edition-17969606?e=188227658b

28/04/2024

Suit Up Ministries

27/04/2024

I am blessed and humbled that our two National DADU Directors from Uganda and Kenya were together Friday leading a group of DAD Champions! The DAD Movement in Eastern Africa is in great hands!! To God be the glory!

19/04/2024

Help us raise the next generation of DADs!! We need players and sponsors!!

Join us at SuitUp Ministries Golf Spectacular

06/01/2024

Spent a great day in Taylor working with PK-1 teachers on effective writing instruction. What a great group…looking forward to working with them this semester! Thankful for the opportunity to serve teachers and the schools to improve outcomes for students! At The Heart of Teaching, Learning, & Leadership

13/12/2023

I’m grateful to be writing to you as we prepare to begin our fifteenth year of ministry! What a blessing to see God continue to use our efforts exceedingly and abundantly. Thank you for being a part of our community and partnering with us in ministry as we work to raise up DADs around the world!

01/06/2022

“Letters”
“The Legacy of Letters"
www.suitupministries.org

Hebrews 13:22 -"But I urge you, brethren, bear with this word of exhortation, for I have written to you briefly."

Proverbs 18:4 - “A person's words can be life-giving water; words of true wisdom are as refreshing as a bubbling brook.”

Romans 15:15 -"But I have written very boldly to you on some points so as to remind you again, because of the grace that was given me from God,”

What in your life do you need to acknowledge?

I have his framed degree on the wall next to mine. I display his watch and college ring on my desk. I often wear the Cincinnati University Bearcat t-shirt I once gave him for Father’s Day. But the most prized possessions I have left from my dad, is the stack of handwritten letters he sent to me that I have kept, (I have them all) going all the way back to my college years; and even before.

Oh (self included) how the art of handwritten notes have been lost to emails, a quick text, tweets, Facebook posts or direct messages.

Often forgotten are the artifacts of ink to paper, cards, envelopes, and stamps!

Although most of us have fallen victim to our instant paths of connecting through various social media, and technology platforms, there is still nothing like holding a tangible piece of paper in your hands, with a hand written message by a very intentional sender.

So what hinders our letter writing to others even when, as a recipient, most know the joy it brings to us finding a letter in the mailbox with our name on it!

Can we not find the time to reciprocate the sender’s thoughtfulness? To acknowledge their intentional action. To convey our gratitude, love, encouragement or even sorrow depending on their current circumstances?

When was the last time you sat down to prepare to share your thoughts on paper and make someone’s day?

King Solomon the author of Proverbs 18:4 shared “A person's words can be life-giving water; words of true wisdom are as refreshing as a bubbling brook.”

In this world and in times like these I gain strength from the old letters my dad wrote me over the years. He may be gone but his words of encouragement and exhortation lives on.

DADs, not only speak the words (which are so valuable), but let us also regularly write down the words that are the life-giving water, full of wisdom and refreshing as a bubbling brook,” today. Words that outlive us leaving our legacy behind for the next generation to pass along.

To God be the glory!

DADs “get in the game”…Today is game day…and so is every day…God gives you! So…C’mon Men Suit Up!

18/05/2022

“Yearn"
Are You Yearning on Empty?
www.suitupministries.org

Romans 1:11 For I long to see you so that I may share with you some spiritual gift, to strengthen and establish you;
1 Thessalonians 2:8 Thus, yearning over you, we had found our delight in having imparted to you not only the glad tidings of God, but our own lives also, because ye had become beloved of us.
James 4:5 Or do you think the scripture means nothing when it says, "The spirit that God caused to live within us has an envious yearning?”
One definition of yearn is “to long persistently.”

What do you yearn for? What are those things if absent from your life, even for a short period of time you miss?

Do you yearn to make a difference? Yearn to share life with others? Or maybe to create something never imagined before?

What is it that gets you out of bed in the morning when the “opportunity” clock goes off and your feet hit the ground?

Is there a persistent longing in your life "powering your purpose" and “launching" you into your mission?

Wow. I know. Many Questions. Probably too many!

DADs, the yearning in your life is the spark moving you towards action. But to fuel this yearning, you will need to prepare because like Jackson Browne’s 1977 tune, you don’t want to find yourself “Running on Empty.”

"Gotta do what you can just to keep your love alive. Trying not to confuse it, with what you do to survive '69, I was 21 and I called the road my own I don't know when that road turned into the road I'm on"

"Running on empty Running blind Running into the sun But I'm running behind"

Ever feel that way? Wondering how you got down this road you are on and running behind? Your yearning must be fueled and it must also have direction.

In Romans 1:11, Paul had a yearning to be in person with the Christians in Rome. He wrote: "For I long to see you so that I may share with you some spiritual gift, to strengthen and establish you.”

Paul knew he had the ability to build up the Christians in Rome and he longed to fuel their spirit and to strengthen them. Like many of the gifts God instills within us, Paul’s yearning was a gift to be shared with others.

DADs it is essential to have passion and yearning in our lives. It’s what gives us each purpose, fueling our direction. But our yearning must be grounded in truth and Kingdom like.

Where we turn to and whom we place our trust in will determine the road we find ourselves on.

The yearning that truly makes us smile and most importantly makes God smile, is the yearning we have prepared for, never running blind or finding ourselves running on empty!

To God be the glory!

DADs“get in the game”…Today is game day…and so is every day…God gives you! So…C’mon Men Suit Up!

11/05/2022

“Love"
"Outdoing One Another In Love"
www.suitupministries.org

Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. (Romans 12:10)

Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart... (1 Peter 1:22)

Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind. (1 Peter 3:8)

One of my favorite football coaches, Lou Holtz, has been quoted before saying,“I follow three rules: Do the right thing, do the best you can, and always show people you care.”

Oh, how we all need to put these three simple rules into practice with our daily life, and infuse them into our world today!

This week of preparation we focus on love.

How do you show people you care?

Who are the people you love, and who are the people that love you?

Based on our definition of “prepare" what do you need to apply, fix, or establish with your others in regards to love?

I believe the key to prepare for love, lies in one word -intentional.

Whether we speak the words of love directly or we demonstrate through our patience, presence and promotion, we must be intentional in sharing our love for others.

Yes, there are some crossing our paths more difficult to love than others, but in our intentionality we have the opportunity to practice our humility, allowing us to see the best in those otherwise deemed unlovable.

As a human race, we have got to find the way leading to the journey, emulating what Paul exhorted in 1 Peter 1:22: “Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart.”

As we mentioned in week one, we must prepare intentionally our “hearts" to become the vessel for loving others.

So where do we start? Wherever you are!

You may currently need reconciliation. Maybe some renewal. Or still yet, choosing to simply start with respect. None will happen without intentionality.

In Romans 12:10 we are reminded to “Love one another with brotherly affection. Out do one another in showing honor.”

Can you imagine if we turned our competitive spirits towards intentionally “showing” how much we care and love others? By outdoing one another in showing honor to all those God places in our lives?

In our preparation for love we must not withhold the love God has for each of us.

Like our heavenly DAD, we must share love, show love, be love.

In 1 Peter 3:8, we read these instructions "Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind."

DADs, let us out do each other in our preparation today, to intentionally show people we care, with brotherly affection, a humble heart and giving honor!

To God be the glory!

DADs, “get in the game”…Today is game day…and so is every day…God gives you! So…C’mon Men Suit Up!

06/04/2022

- “Listen”
www.suitupministries.org

Are You Really Listening?

James 19 - "Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger"

Proverbs 18:13 - "If one gives an answer before he hears, it is his folly and shame."

Wouldn’t you think since God gave us one mouth and two ears that we would listen twice as much as we spoke?

I’m sure that was probably God’s intention, for us to listen more, and speak less, but as history shows throughout the Bible we often fall short of God’s instructions.

Through the years I have realized the urgency in developing my listening skills but I have not made it important.

Like the topic of prayer that we discussed last week, listening for me does not come easy. We must all become better listeners!

In the book of James, verse 19, - we are given these specific instructions...

"Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger.”

Do you know one thing that comes out of thoughtful and intentional listening?

Legitimacy!

Yes, legitimacy.

Legitimacy in the eyes of those we give the gift of active and focused listening.

So why then do we withhold this precious gift?

Maybe because we think we have so much to share? Or because we are just modeling what the world embraces to be heard. To voice our opinion while possessing a disregard for others ideas. To essentially be the loudest in the room.

You may be asking “How do we stop this train?”

We start with us.

You and me.

First, with impressive empathy, we begin inside our own homes with our wives and children. We do this by acknowledging the need “to establish, fix, or apply,” ways to prepare intentionally, to practice our listening with those we love the most.

Otherwise, if we do not, we will only reap what it says in

Proverbs 18:13, “If one gives an answer before he hears, it is his folly and shame.”

When I look in the mirror I want to see a man that has committed to becoming a better listener. I am wanting to avoid folly and shame.

I have much work to do. It’s time to prepare with both urgency and importance to better listen Today.

DADs...will you join me?

To God be the glory!

DADs - “get in the game”… Today is game day…and so is every day…God gives you! So…C’mon Men Suit Up!

03/04/2022

‎Show Leaning into Leadership, Ep Episode 12: Contagious Leadership with Jeff Springer - Apr 3, 2022

28/03/2022

Men, if you experienced exhaustion, anxiety, or fear hours leading up to your child being born, you are not alone. With these feelings come renewed love, joy, and affection for a life you helped create. However, night feedings and diaper changes are only the beginning of interrupted sleep once you a...

17/03/2022

https://suitupministries.org/madness

Equipping Dads to become the men God intended them to be. It's time for Dads to get off the bench and get in the game Come on men, Suit Up

01/03/2022

Calling ALL DADs on this page!!

Suit Up Ministries NEEDS YOU! www.suitupministries.org

TODAY we launch our 60 DAY Challenge! 200@25!

All we NEED is 25.00 per month!

Suit Up Ministries is in the business of changing and shaping lives. The work we do at our Non-Profit is aimed at providing men the tools needed to become the D.A.D. (Daily Active Devoted) that we are called to be by God.

We make sure that our partners are empowered by creating opportunities for individuals and communities. Being a sustaining donor to Suit Up Ministries helps provide the following items throughout the year:

• Scholarships for students impacted by an absentee father
• A/V equipment for our ministry partners in Africa
• Curriculum Development

Suit Up Ministries is a dynamic organization and needs the support and generosity of DADs like you. Our goal is to reach $60,000 annually in sustaining donations by partnering with 200 individuals/families to donate at a minimum level of $25 per month. Please consider giving at any of the following levels.

$25
$50
$100
Other

To Donate, please visit https://suitupministries.org/give_to_suitup
DAD will you be ONE of our 200 DADs?