Today we’d like to introduce you to Matthew Daniels
Hi Matthew, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
My wife and I met at SAGU (now Nelson University) where we were both college athletes. After graduating college, we were married while she was in her senior year of college, and I started my first year as a high-school history teacher and basketball coach at SAGU. My wife after graduating college, began a career in teaching math (1 year), but then got pregnant with our first child. She transitioned into stay-at-home motherhood, and eventually into homeschooling. Almost sixteen years of marriage later, we have four children who are still homeschooling and thriving. I am now the Lead Chaplain at Newman International Academy, and I teach a mentorship class with future world leaders in both middle and high-school. My wife, aside from homeschooling and running our home, works as a freelance copy editor. We have a passion for the church, families and marriages, and we travel equipping, and empowering through speaking and teaching in churches, conferences, schools, and other various group settings.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Kelani: Not at all! We’ve been through seasons where we had only a few dollars to our name, and marital strain, even though we might have looked like we had it all together. I’ve personally struggled with the stress of being at home and raising kids with limited resources and a seemingly neverending slew of emotional deficiencies. In 2018, I wrestled with anxiety disorder. My mind was wrapped up in a circle of revolving issues that I couldn’t seem to break free from, which started to take a toll on my physical health. Matt struggled with the very real challenge of providing for a young, growing family on one income and being there for me during times where I thought I would not make it mentally. But I thank God for his grace-he not only saw me through, but completely set me free from every mental and emotional issue I faced.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
(Matt) I am the Lead Chaplain and High School Mentor at Newman International Academy. Everyday, I get to help guide, counsel, and build relationships with students. I help them find purpose, know their identity, and build a vision for their life. I love to be a safe place for the students, and it’s one of my greatest joys to see them turn a corner after we’ve had a conversation. I also travel and minister through worship and preaching, sometimes alongside my wife or my oldest kids. I love seeing people’s lives transform as they come “out of the darkness and into the light” of God’s love and truth.
What’s next?
We are continuing to build content for marriages and families to help them thrive in God’s design. Our vision is to have a family center that focuses on building marriages and families.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @mdaniels3184, @kelaniallison
Image Credits
Photography by Hadassah (only for 3 of them)
