Featured Father Friday: Collin

Each week we feature a new dad from our community, in a segment called #FeaturedFatherFriday.

Tell us about yourself

My name is Collin Jarrell and I’m married to my amazing wife Lyndsay and we have one boy (Decker) who is about to be 10 months old. We live in a suburb north of Dallas and for work I help run a small outdoor remodeling/construction company.

What is your most memorable #DadTired Moment

My most memorable #DadTired moment has actually been a repeating occurrence. I’m typically on baby duty in the morning so Lyndsay can get ready for work, so in order to get my 1-1 time in with The Lord, I have to get up pretty dang early (normally before 5). Of course, that means I need coffee. I would say once about every two or three weeks, I will prep the pot of coffee and then I may get distracted because Decker has woken up and I need to go tend to him. Oh yeah, I forgot to put the pot under the coffee maker after I pressed brew. Coffee doesn’t stop brewing. Coffee everywhere. #DadTired. ​

Best parenting advice you've ever received?

I think the best parenting advice I have ever been given is that the worst advice to give my child is to say “do as I say not as I do” and that what I do is much more important than what I say. The best way I can love Decker is by following Jesus in action, not only in word (1 John 3:18).

What area of your life do you want to be more like Jesus? How do you plan on getting there?

Man, where do I not want to be like Jesus in the next 3 months? I think if I were to narrow this down, it would be to take off the pride that I wear and change that to wear humility. Lyndsay and I struggle mostly with the way that we conflict, and I can take most of the blame with that because of the pride I tend to wear (1 peter 5: 5-11). When I wear this pride I normally become defensive, accusatory, easily angered, and on and on. What a bad example to Decker. The best way to show Decker God’s love is for me to love my wife like Christ loves the church, haven’t been doing a good job with that at all. My plan on becoming that man cloaked in humility within the next three months? Well, Lyndsay and I are going to see a counselor to help us get to the route cause of where these issues come up. It’s important that I figure out what’s going on inside my heart and this will help that. Being entrenched, vulnerable, and authentic with a small group of other married couples who run after Jesus will also be something that I think will help with that. Most importantly, I believe my personal walk with God is the most important. I can tell that it’s easier to dress myself with pride if I haven’t been steadfast in prayer that day. I need to continue to think of Him and others more, and myself less.

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