About the Author, Chris Chavez
For me everything changed the summer before I entered 2nd grade when my father was killed in an auto accident. In so many ways, the direction of my life was forever altered but a tremendous blessing did come from that summer. My mom decided to raise the 4 of us near her family in East Texas where I was blessed to hear the goodness of Jesus often. Although I was saved at an early age, my mom wanted to ensure that I understood things so I wasn’t baptized until age 12. But looking back, what I didn’t understand was sanctification and what it meant to advance The Kingdom of God. That void of direction led me to me wandering from the Lord to pursue my own way of achieving ‘success’.
After high school I graduated from The University of North Texas and completed my MBA at Tarleton State University while I served in the U.S. Army. As I began a career as a financial planner the Lord graciously intervened, changed my career desires and lovingly chastened me for trying to do things my own way. God taught me how His ways are better than my ways and what dependence upon truly looks like. Soon after, I was pulled into vocational ministry. After 4.5 years on staff at a large church in the Dallas area, I moved my family to Houston to help plant a new church as one of the pastors/elders.
It was during my time on staff in Dallas that I met my wonderful wife Heather. Three times we have adopted a sets of siblings, now ages 11, 10, 8, 5 and 1. In the future we hope to add biological and more adoptive children. I did publish a Christian book back in 2006 but it was actually raising children that brought about the Family Discipleship Bible. After reading through the wonderfully written Jesus Storybook Bible, I couldn't find what I was looking for when it came to comprehensive discipleship resources. My kids were getting older and my understanding of what I wanted them to learn began to take shape.
Thus, I began writing my own stories and putting together things I wanted my children to know. I looked back at my own life and thought about what I wished someone had taught me and what I wished I would have had with a father leading me every step of the way. Over the course of about six years, I put together what I wanted my kids to learn mentally, knowing full well that most of what they would learn would be how Heather and I lived it out in front of them. No matter our where we felt short as parents, we wanted to their minds packed with lessons that revealed who God really is in hopes that when God saved them, they would have a well of Scripture to draw from as they followed Him.
Currently Heather and I are faithfully running Traditions Window Decor knowing that one day vocational ministry will come again. But this time away from vocational ministry was a catalyst for The Family Discipleship Bible and for helping me realize how God blessed me with the perfect woman. My wife is tangible evidence of God’s sovereign grace towards me and I am forever grateful for her. My kids are treasures but tucked in the corner of my heart is sadness that there are biological parents out there whom the State of Texas decided should not raise these children. All of this brings me to the simple truth that, Jesus is the only hope and only in Him can I have rest for my soul.
After high school I graduated from The University of North Texas and completed my MBA at Tarleton State University while I served in the U.S. Army. As I began a career as a financial planner the Lord graciously intervened, changed my career desires and lovingly chastened me for trying to do things my own way. God taught me how His ways are better than my ways and what dependence upon truly looks like. Soon after, I was pulled into vocational ministry. After 4.5 years on staff at a large church in the Dallas area, I moved my family to Houston to help plant a new church as one of the pastors/elders.
It was during my time on staff in Dallas that I met my wonderful wife Heather. Three times we have adopted a sets of siblings, now ages 11, 10, 8, 5 and 1. In the future we hope to add biological and more adoptive children. I did publish a Christian book back in 2006 but it was actually raising children that brought about the Family Discipleship Bible. After reading through the wonderfully written Jesus Storybook Bible, I couldn't find what I was looking for when it came to comprehensive discipleship resources. My kids were getting older and my understanding of what I wanted them to learn began to take shape.
Thus, I began writing my own stories and putting together things I wanted my children to know. I looked back at my own life and thought about what I wished someone had taught me and what I wished I would have had with a father leading me every step of the way. Over the course of about six years, I put together what I wanted my kids to learn mentally, knowing full well that most of what they would learn would be how Heather and I lived it out in front of them. No matter our where we felt short as parents, we wanted to their minds packed with lessons that revealed who God really is in hopes that when God saved them, they would have a well of Scripture to draw from as they followed Him.
Currently Heather and I are faithfully running Traditions Window Decor knowing that one day vocational ministry will come again. But this time away from vocational ministry was a catalyst for The Family Discipleship Bible and for helping me realize how God blessed me with the perfect woman. My wife is tangible evidence of God’s sovereign grace towards me and I am forever grateful for her. My kids are treasures but tucked in the corner of my heart is sadness that there are biological parents out there whom the State of Texas decided should not raise these children. All of this brings me to the simple truth that, Jesus is the only hope and only in Him can I have rest for my soul.
