I was born and raised in Maryland, though life has carried me through many places and seasons. I’ve walked through storms of broken romance, when I moved a thousand miles for a girl who later turned me away. I’ve faced the humiliation of being destitute, living with my parents as I worked on becoming the man God was calling me to be. I’ve wrestled with infertility, sitting in my car in tears when I learned I couldn’t have children of my own. And I’ve made mistakes in marriage—moments where emotions drove decisions instead of wisdom.

Through it all, one truth has anchored me: God is faithful. Hebrews 10:23 says, “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.” God has never abandoned me. His plans don’t always look like mine, but He has never let me go.

I can see His fingerprints even in the hardest moments. The day I cried over infertility, God reminded me: “You asked for a wife and children. You have Bethany. You have Ella. You have Elijah. They may not be biologically yours, but they are everything you prayed for.” Gratitude replaced grief in that moment, and I saw what I had been blind to—God had already answered my prayer in His way.

My faith has always been personal. As a teenager in West Baltimore, I chose it for myself. No one pushed me into church; I rode the intercity bus alone to Catonsville, Maryland, to sit under the teaching of Grace Bible Baptist. I spent Sundays playing with the associate pastor’s sons between morning and evening services, then rode the bus back home. I wanted God for myself—and I held fast even then.

And I’ve learned the value of brotherhood. Not the shallow kind built on hijinks or bravado, but the kind of brotherhood where men sharpen one another, lean on one another, and speak truth when life is heavy. Real brotherhood is a place where a man doesn’t fear abandonment but knows he’s not walking through struggles alone.

That’s why I relaunched Just Hold Fast. Today, I live in North Carolina with my beautiful wife, Bethany, and our two children, Ella and Elijah. Like any family, we face our share of storms—my mother’s eviction, my wife’s battle with Borderline Personality Disorder, the challenges of raising teenagers. I know I’m not the only man carrying burdens that sometimes feel too heavy to shoulder. This space is for men who need to be reminded that God is faithful—that no matter how fierce the storm, you can hold fast and not be swept away.

And if you’re reading this right now—hurting, tired, doubting God—I want you to hear this: look back at the blessings He has already given you. Another day of breath. The chance to choose how you’ll live it. The chance to love and be loved. The world will beat you down—it beat Jesus down. But He did not waver. He held fast. He shouldered the burden of death so that you could know life, forgiveness, and the hope of eternity with God.

That’s what this blog is about. Not polished perfection, but the gritty, everyday fight to cling to Christ when the storms rage.

So wherever you are, brother—welcome. You’re not alone. Let’s hold fast together.