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From the Pig’s Perspective
Consider this. The chicken is involved and the pig committed.
Did you hear about the farmer that has a 3 legged pig. A passerby asked him, “why does your pig have 3 legs?” The farmer responds, “that pig saved us from a house fire by squealing and making noise, waking us up, allowing us to escape.” The passerby asks, did he lose the leg saving you? The old farmer says, “Buddy, when you have a pig that smart, you don’t it it all at once!”
Here I sit, a pig. Smarter than a toddler. Able of learning more than a dog. Responding to my name in a few days. If possible, eating where I do not potty. Covering myself in mud to protect myself from heat, cold and disease. A better indoor companion than a dog or cat ever can be. Capable of so much if you move beyond the smell and the dirt.
“Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God!” 1 John 3:1
As I sit in church with my family, I am so grateful that my wife and kids are here. Sitting in front of me and behind me are amazing men on a journey of rebirth. These guys only a few months and years ago were written off. Dirty. Smelly. Desperate. Deeply addicted to drugs with an outer crust that hid the beauty that their lives contribute. Their worth was hidden much like that mud-covered pig. Their P.I.G. title, like each of his children: Perfected In God.
“But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7 NIV
There is truly nothing more beautiful than when we discover the value that God places on our lives. Nothing more valuable than when we believe what God endorsed as truth about us before time began. Then, when the pig becomes recognized for their real value. Their real purpose. Their contribution. A beauty emerges that is so marvelous, the hope of life that shines through their eyes, slightly shadowed by the fear and doubt of stumbling.
“Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.” James 4:8 ESV
A domesticated pig will become wild again in as little as 30 days if released. John Eldridge says in his great book, ‘Wild at Heart’ that “God designed men to be dangerous. Simply look at the dreams and desires written in the heart of every boy: To be a hero, to be a warrior, to live a life of adventure and risk. Sadly, most men abandon those dreams and desires-aided by a Christianity that feels like nothing more than pressure to be a “nice guy.” It is no wonder that many men avoid church, and those who go are often passive and bored to death.” Jesus desires to free us from an entrapping World and into the wild freedom that is a relationship with him. Like the pig, we are seconds, moments, days away from that freedom if only we ask him into our hearts.
“Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. Keep your mouth free of perversity; keep corrupt talk far from your lips. Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you. Give careful thought to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in all your ways. Do not turn to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil.” Proverbs 4:23-27 NIV
So my encouragement to you today is to see the beauty, the capability, the purpose, the contribution of the pig. Don’t redefine the pig. Encourage and love the pig. Have a grateful heart for the pig and all that it offers. Provide the water, the soap, the love, the resources that allows the pig to fulfill the purposes of their life. They are worthy and the payback that they return are so marvelous. Our Perfection In God makes the pig look marvelous.
You’ve got this.
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White or Green Grandma?
“Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—“ John 1:12 NIV
“Are we going to green grandma’s or white grandma’s house first?”
My wife, Megan and I were married in Jamaica in June 2006, only to find out that the U.S. had stopped recognizing foreign marriage licenses issued after January 1, 2006 because of 9/11. So, when Megan went to have her driver’s license updated she was informed be were not recognized as being married by the U.S. and by extension, the great State of Tennessee.
No problem! We’ll get married at the courthouse. So we dutifully filled out our application for our marriage license, listing all required information including our mother’s maiden names. In which space I wrote the last name ‘Mullins.’ As the County Clerk’s office representative reviewed my application she saw that I had written my mother’s maiden name as Mullins. She then patiently, condescendingly and helpfully said, “no baby, what was your momma’s last name before she got married?” (Now to my Southern friends, please insert a strong southern drawl here with the terseness of a Southern lady correcting her kids.). I replied; “My mother’s last name was Mullins. That explains a lot doesn’t it?” Without missing a beat that sweet southern lady said, “baby, this is East TN! That ain’t no big deal.” Yikes!
“Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.” Romans 15:7 ESV
So there you have it. My family identity of ‘Mullins’ involves a wide swath. Mother and father’s sides of the family. I often jokingly would ask my parents things like: “Did you happen to grow up in the same house?” To which my mother would quickly snap back, “Myron! Stop that. You know better.” The joys of being a boy-mom. Turns out my parents were something like 6th cousins, which I have yet to understand how they figured that out. Well, here we are with the occasional unwanted extra appendage. Was our family reunions the predecessor to the modern-day dating sites? Kidding!!!
So, we had two sets of grandparents with the same last name. Thus we could not identify who house we would go to by this identifier. As every parent can attest, kids are creative and will find work arounds. For us, our grandparents became identified by the color of their houses. My dad’s parent’s house was white and my mother’s, green. Thus emerged the identities ‘White Grandma’ and ‘Green Grandma.’
“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.” Jeremiah 1:5 ESV
My mother told the story of being in a store in the mid-60’s with my sisters and me and one of my sisters asking rather loudly “are we going to white grandma’s first?” To which, many people quickly turned around and gave my mother a questioning and disapproving look. Sadly funny. Funny.
So, our family’s identity has always been rooted in humor. We were mistakenly identified as a ‘mixed’ family in a time when mixture was ignorantly frowned upon. The truth was our identity was in that little Appalachian Holler called Crooked Creek and Mullins Station. Forever joined by a wandering creek that brought joy, life, water and connection. Our identity emerged from two Appalachian Kentucky kids with the same last name, separated by 10 miles that might as well have been 1000 miles due to lack of transportation, communication and life-epicenters controlled by time and financial ability. Thankfully for me, my sisters, our spouses, our kids, our grandkids, God had a plan formed before time began.
“But I lavish unfailing love for a thousand generations on those who love me and obey my commands.” Deuteronomy 5:10
My prayer for you today is that you are secure in your identity. Secure in who and whose you are. God blessed me with a family of humor, brokenness, forgiveness, hope, encouragement, tenacity, commonality, deep roots and love. My prayer for you is that whatever your background, however you started, that you finish this race called ‘life’ with an identity that is in Christ Jesus that lasts for 1000 generations.
You’ve got this.
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A Valentines Life
“What did the one watermelon say to the other on Valentine’s Day? You’re one in a melon.”
“So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.” John 13:34-35 NLT
Ah Valentines Day. That great Hallmark holiday that either encourages or guilts us into affirming our love to someone through commerce. The greater the spending, the finer the dining, the more grotesque the splay of flowers, all possibly measured to determine one’s love for another. Sound cynical? Of course this statement is. Love does not require anything beyond our heart, mind, effort, commitment and presence. Love simply is love. Nothing else compares.
“Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” 1 Corinthians 13:7 ESV
Happy Valentines Life. If you have joined me as a daughter or son of God by surrendering your life to him by acknowledging that Jesus came to earth, died for our sins and rose from the dead, allowing us to spend eternity in Heaven with him, please consider this. We are gifted with a Valentines Life. Love invades us from the Creator of love. Love envelopes us by the very definition of love. We are loved in a way that is too marvelous to measure. We are not constrained by any contingency in the love showered over, in and through us. We are loved by a love too deep, wide and lasting to comprehend. We are loved by a love that we can only freely accept. A love that delivers a lifetime of assurance for an eternity of love. Agape love.
“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.” 1 Corinthians 13:4-6 NIV
So the question becomes, how do we love? Does our love differentiate itself from what the World markets as ‘love?’ As Believers, endorsed, encouraged and empowered by the very foundation of love, we should reflect love perpetually. We should extend love continuously. We should embody love, true love, agape love that is beyond condition or situation.
“Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” John 15:13 KJV
There is a beautiful hymn, “They’ll Know We are Christians by Our Love” whose message resonates loudly above the noise of the desperate. Have you ever heard something similar in thought like “if that’s what being a Christian is like/about, count me out!” No, if you have experienced hate, anger, judgement, or anything besides hope, joy, kindness, encouragement, help…love, then that is NOT what being a Christian is about. Being a Christian is about spreading the good news of Jesus Christ. It is about living a life of fullness too marvelous to explain and more wonderful to experience. It is about introducing fellow, broken and seeking humans to the Father and Creator of love. Being a Christian is love embodied because of the agape love given to us through Jesus.
“We are one in the Spirit, we are one in the Lord
We are one in the Spirit, we are one in the Lord
And we pray that our unity will one day be restored
And they’ll know we are Christians by our love, by our love
Yeah they’ll know we are Christians by our love
We will work with each other, we will work side by side
We will work with each other, we will work side by side
And we’ll guard each man’s dignity and save each man’s pride
And they’ll know we are Christians by our love, by our love
Yeah, they’ll know we are Christians by our love.”Will they? Do they? They will and they can when they see and experience the love of Christ exemplified through His sons and daughters.
So, Happy Valentines Life to you, my brothers and sisters. God is so good. Life is so beautiful because our purpose is clear and what we have to offer is so pure. So much love to give, so little time to give it. Make a Valentines Life your intentional living.
You’ve got this.
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Who Am I?
“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” Matthew 25:40 NIV
I found myself yesterday in a situation that I never thought I would be in during this short life. I was at a Chik-fil-a sitting across from a man accused of a sexual predatory act, whose guilt or innocence only he, God and the possible victim know for sure.
Transparently, I did not know how to prepare, what to say, how to encourage. So I prayed as I drove. I prayed as I met him. I prayed internally while we spoke. I prayed as we left. Prayer. The Father heard my prayers and carried me.
“For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’” Matthew 25:42-43
As I met this man, the sinful illusion of a monster gave way to a man, broken by the allegations against him. A man sharing with me his current existence of isolation from fellow humans, spending as much as 16 hours a day in prayer and Bible study. A man who is God’s son. A man that the Creator planned before time began. A brother in Christ. Accused. Isolated. Lonely. Broken. Finding hope and promise from his Father in Heaven as he is treated like a leper that we read about in the Old Testament. An outcast with genuine hope in a World full of outcasts…if not for those crazy, too good to comprehend, too valuable to be able to buy, too Holy to be able to recreate; those two precious promises from Jesus called Grace and Mercy.
“They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’ “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’” Matthew 25:44-45
So as we talked and as his heart emerged, I mourned for and loved my brother in Christ. I encouraged him that whether guilty or innocent (I do not know), his identity is in Christ Jesus. I encouraged him that this time of isolation was not a waste based upon his testimony of growth, surrender and dependence on the Father. I encouraged him that his hearing the Holy Spirit for the first time was an amazing gift that he should cherish. I encouraged him that as God’s man, there is purpose and honor in doing what is right in the face of evil and brokenness. I encouraged him that he is loved by the Creator, and that is more than sufficient. I encouraged him that in the face of rejection, the Father would not reject his son who had surrendered his life to Jesus. I encouraged.
As we spoke, Matthew 25 raged in my mind. I was convicted beyond explanation as to who am I, a broken man, forgiven and empowered by the Son of God, appointed by the Almighty God, emboldened by the presence of the Holy Spirit to judge this man? I was and remain convicted that “knowing” the truth was not my place. That being “judicious” was not my role. That “healing” this man was not mine to do. My job was to represent the hope that is Jesus by loving this man as Christ’s loves the Church. So I chose faith, hope and love.
“And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” 1 Corinthians 13:13 NIV
Thank you, Father, that I can simply love without the burden of judge, jury and executioner. Thank you for Grace and Mercy. Develop in me a heart that reflects the grace and mercy of your love that exceeds all understanding.
To my brother in Christ. I love you. I am praying for you. Be bold. Do what is right. Stand firm.
“My dear friends, stand firm and don’t be shaken. Always keep busy working for the Lord. You know that everything you do for him is worthwhile.” 1 Corinthians 15:58 CEV
You’ve got this.
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The Gift of Gratitude
“I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart; I will recount all of your wonderful deeds.” Psalm 9:1
I wake this morning to a need for gratitude. There are things pressing in and pressing down on me this morning. Things that if I let them, will remove the lens of gratitude that I need to approach life as God’s son, Megan’s husband, Benton, Malia & Kensley’s dad and to many, your brother and friend.
Gratitude is not my problem, it is my reward. It changes the trajectory of my thinking from victim or tired man, to victor and man committed to leading through example and love. Gratitude causes me to see through eyes of joy, to speak with a tongue of encouragement and to live genuinely and lovingly to those in my path.
“You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God.” 2 Corinthians 9:7
So this morning I am grateful for the sleep that I was blessed with, in a comfort-providing new mattress that Megan and I purchased after fifteen years with our former sleep companion. You served us well.
I am grateful for the promise of a new day. Grateful for the life renewal I am living and witnessing in many others. I am grateful for refrigerators (plural) full of food. For a pantry filled with yet more food. I am grateful for water that turns on with the simple lift of a knob. I am grateful for the heat filling our house from the new HVAC system as our old passed away. I am so, so grateful for our back-up Keurig that is dispensing black gold.
“giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Ephesians 5:20
I am grateful for sleepy eyes and drooped shoulders of our kids as they get ready for school. I am grateful to be able to hold them, kiss them, tell them that ‘I love them’ as they recoil from unwanted touches and hugs this early in the morning. Oh, I am so grateful that God saw in me a dad, a father and a man who might shepherd his children. Time will tell how I am doing.
“Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from him. Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are children born in one’s youth. Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them. They will not be put to shame when they contend with their opponents in court.” Psalm 127:3-5
I am grateful for the privilege of sitting in our living room with Megan each morning as we individually have our quiet time with the Father. I am grateful that just being near here causes my heart to flutter and my body to feel warm, secure, loved and complete because she is near. I am grateful that nearly 18 years ago she chose me forever and 20 years ago saw what that broken and desperate man could not see.
“He who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favor from the Lord.” Proverbs 18:22
I am grateful for the opportunity of this day. The opportunity to love someone in need of love. To share encouragement. To be productive. To listen. To give. To receive. To choose joy over frustration. To see beauty where someone else may see ashes. I am grateful that Jesus came and died for my sins and rose from the dead. I am grateful that I chose to surrender my life to him and live this life filled with purpose in preparation for an eternity filled with worship, joy and eternal gratitude.
I am grateful for you. I am grateful that you allow me to be a part of your life. I am grateful for your contribution to my life.
“For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for a lifetime; Weeping may last for the night, But a shout of joy comes in the morning” Psalm 30:5
I am grateful.
You’ve got this
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Reflection Matters
“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.” Colossians 3:23-24
This poem is so good and on point. Choosing good habits is a process that requires systematic effort. Replacing one habit with another is not only possible but practical and life enhancing.
There is an old measurement that asks people if a glass of water is half empty or half full? The proven theory behind this is that those who see a half empty glass of water are inclined to approach life with a more cynical or negative viewpoint, versus those seeing a half full glass approach things with expectation and optimism.
The truth is this, how you approach life and situations is up to you. Is 100% in your control. If you see things from a more negative perspective, commit to developing new habits that create in you a more optimistic viewpoint. Start by affirming yourself in the mirror. Thanking God for the new day. Commit to working the hardest; being there first and being the last to leave. Become a source of encouragement for people around you and watch how they flock to you and seek you out. Commit to seeing life through the lens of the Savior.
Good habits create joy and expectation. Success creating habits involve discipline. They include going to bed at the same time and getting up at the same time. Good habits include daily routines that start with giving thanks at the start of the day and giving thanks at the end of the day. Good habits involve what you eat, how you care for your body, placing others above yourself, trusting God in all things, being dependable and trustworthy, having character that completes what you say you will do. Good habits drive old habits and old self away. Good habits are a commitment to revealing God in us and through us.
I often talk about looking in the mirror. Mirrors don’t lie and are a reflection of who we are. Thankfully our Father in Heaven sees the heart that exists inside the reflection. He longs to walk with you as you become the person that he created you to be. He waits for you to say, “I am who you say I am and my life and habits will reflect that in all that I do.”
Your commitment to continued growth in good and effective habits reflect unto the Lord. Choose today to begin a life committed to honoring your Father in Heaven by taking steps every day that edge you closer Him. Good, life-altering habits are the catalyst for leaving the life-limiting attitudes and actions that have held all of us down during seasons of our life.
Commit today to taking a step into new habits, new expectations, new growth, new life that comes from the Father. Today put a stake in the ground that says, “I am a new creation, the old has passed away. I choose to pursue and choose good habits so my life is a reflection of my Father in Heaven. I choose today to walk into the person that God created me to be.”
You’ve got this.
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Ready?
There was a song written in 1969 whose words and message resonate with me more and more the older I get. The song was titled “I Wish We’d All Been Ready” and the message was about the rapture, when those of us who have surrendered our lives to Jesus will be removed from earth in an instant.
“Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”— yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.” James 4:13-15 ESV
I am reminded this morning of the fragile truth of life. A young friend of ours father was living, leading and loving his family yesterday and then taken in an instant. The family is left without a husband and father with numerous other titles. Was he ready to meet his eternity? Had he prepared his family for what is now their new normal? Was the foundation of truth that will be the legacy of a 1000 generations put in place? I don’t know.
What I do know is that we are here in this moment. The verse in James tells us directly how fragile life is. “But you do not know what will happen tomorrow! Your life is like a mist. You can see it for a short time, but then it goes away.” James 4:14 NCV
So this morning I find myself again reviewing in my mind all those that I love and care about. I am so thankful for them and so in love with them, that I desire to spend eternity with them. The final choice is theirs and my job is to make an introduction. My influence is made easier by how I choose to live my life. How I choose to value and love every person placed in my path. How I choose to prioritize what is important. How I choose to show others Jesus living in me.
I believe the risk is worth the reward. The momentary rejection of someone that I try to introduce to Jesus and eternal life is worth the risk. Risk of rejection by someone that I love is worth it for the opportunity to introduce them to the eternal life and love that is Jesus Christ. How we live and love speaks so much louder than what we say. I choose today to tell every person in my life that “I love you and desperately want to introduce to you the only truth that exists and the only love that lasts an eternity, Jesus. He died for you and invites you to spend eternity with him (and me) if you will acknowledge that he died for you; rose again; and lives for eternity in Heaven.”
“Life was filled with guns and war
And all of us got trampled on the floor
I wish wed all been ready
The children died, the days grew cold
A piece of bread could buy a bag of gold
I wish wed all been ready
There’s no time to change your mind
The son has come and you’ve been left behind
A man and wife asleep in bed
She hears a noise and turns her head he’s gone
I wish wed all been ready
Two men walking up a hill
One disappears and ones left standing still
I wish wed all been ready
The father spoke, the demons dined
How could you have been so blind?
There’s no time to change your mind
The son has come and you’ve been left behind
There’s no time to change your mind
The son has come and you’ve been left behind
I hope well all be ready
You’ve been left behind “Life is fragile. You are loved. You matter to me and most importantly, to the Creator and King of all things. He desires that you spend eternity with him in Heaven. I love you and I am so grateful for the gift that you are, have been, will be in my short life on this earth.
You’ve got this.
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Assume Your Royal Role
“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” John 1:14 ESV
I was reading about Princeton William taking care of his children while his wife Kate recovered from surgery. In the article Prince William was recorded as “next in line” to the throne of England and he and his wife’s son, Prince George is second in line to the throne, their daughter Princess Charlotte third, etc.
It occurred to me that while the children of royalty are born with titles, they are not born equipped to lead and reign as the sovereign that their title indicate. They are trained over the course of a lifetime. They literally have handlers who train them in all things that their position will require when they are called to assume the role that they were born into.
What must it be like to be training, preparing, watched, expected to walk into a role of royalty? Imagine that you assume the role at the death of your parent or when they abdicate the throne to you. As the crown is placed upon their head, the doubts must flood their minds. Yet, they walk into the role they were born to assume.
Can I tell you that our King had to die for us to assume the role of royalty that as a Believer we are gifted? But, the beautiful truth is that our King lives and reigns forever. The beautiful assurance is that our role of royalty is an ever-evolving, ever growing, ever expanding gift from our Father.
You are God’s beloved daughter or son. There are no victims in royalty, only victors. By this I mean that your past experiences are the training ground that allows you to assume your unique role in the Kingdom while here on earth. As the daughter or son of the King, as royalty assigned by Jesus blood, the role is assigned. How do you choose to assume your role? Head held high. Knees bent low in prayer. Hands held out in need and to provide. A heart committed to encouraging and sharing the royalty that comes from our Father in Heaven. A life surrendered.
“But the anointing that you received from him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie—just as it has taught you, abide in him.” 1 John 2:27 ESV
Today accept the title that as a child of God you are assigned. Today approach all that you do with an heir of one forgiven and gifted eternity. You are God’s son or daughter. You are part of a royal priesthood. Your actions provide hope. You attitude in all things reflects the joy and assurance that all Believers are given when they surrender to the King of Kings and rise as his beloved child. Your role is vital to someone’s eternity. Your growing and learning is critical to fulfilling the purpose that you are created to provide and share.
So my brother or sister, consider today rejecting the lies that Satan wants to marginalize you with. Consider focusing solely on the only sight that has meaning and value. The light of the Savior. Start your journey of growing into the royal role that you accepted when you gave all to Jesus. The choice is yours. Walk in truth or wallow in lies of doubt. You are a victor through Christ Jesus. Reflect this truth.
“But you are the ones chosen by God, chosen for the high calling of priestly work, chosen to be a holy people, God’s instruments to do his work and speak out for him, to tell others of the night-and-day difference he made for you—from nothing to something, from rejected to accepted. Friends, this world is not your home, so don’t make yourselves cozy in it. Don’t indulge your ego at the expense of your soul. Live an exemplary life in your neighborhood so that your actions will refute their prejudices. Then they’ll be won over to God’s side and be there to join in the celebration when he arrives.” 1 Peter 2:9-13 MSG
You’ve more than got this. You have a royal inheritance.
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Six Months
“My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline or be weary of his reproof, for the Lord reproves him whom he loves, as a father the son in whom he delights.” Proverbs 3:11-12 ESV
You’ve been gone from this World six months, today. I had you 59 years and the past 6 months seem the longest. It’s amazing how physical absence robs our heart while spiritual absence confirms hope. Despite how much you loved your family, I know without a doubt that you would never leave Heaven to return to your earthly family. Hallelujah! That awareness makes your physical death a celebration because of the renewal and unrelenting joy that you walk in today.
Today I am compelled to share things that I believe you would affirm in me again if we spoke. Truths you spoke over me and into me during the short 59 years that I had with you.
Pray. Then pray some more. You earnestly prayed for me for decades as I pursued all the rewards of the World. You simply prayed. You would want to share the value and power of prayer. Your prayers quite literally changed the trajectory of my and so many others lives. Then when I was done praying, you would say “pray more.”
Trust. I always marveled at your willingness to trust. During times of financial difficulty, family brokenness, strained father/son relationship, times of plenty, times of joy, times of laughter, times of good (and there were more times of good), I would watch you retreat into the truths of God’s Word. Today you would say, trust our good God more and more.
Accept where you’re at. You walked through seasons of identity theft, not in today’s definition but in the definition of what matters. You endured seasons of identity doubt as you pursued a career as a Pastor, when God had other, more marvelous plans. I witnessed your frustration morph into an identity of God’s son, chosen to love and lead others in ways not defined by man but ordained by the only One who matters. You taught me the value of accepting God’s calling on our lives.
Be content. What a gift you were to me in this area in the latter years when I chose to recognize and believe the wisdom of my very smart earthly father. I don’t ever remember hearing you say “I want.” I vividly remember you praying “thank you, Father for what you have provided.” You taught me lies of want and the enduring joy of contentment. You lived a simple life by the World’s definition but oh what a life of contentment you exhibited. Thank you for freeing me from this prison of want and discontent.
Pursue. You loved learning and taught us to be curious and to pursue knowledge in all forms. You would drag out the dreaded dictionary or encyclopedia as we discussed topics of ‘what is’ or ‘what if’s’ or ‘how to.’ Through decades of a body limited by numerous strokes, your mind remainder sharp and your desire to learn and grow perpetual. You empowered me by teaching me to believe in and pursue the God-assigned gifts within me.
Love. You loved better than you had been loved. You fought through the demons of a difficult adolescence to love your family, your friends and the Church with tenacious love. I believe your hardest area of love was loving yourself. I want you to know that your loving worked and works. Your children love well. Your family loves well. Those blessed to have known you intimately learned the power of genuine love that you lived and gave.
There is so much truth in the acknowledgement of a father’s influence. You went from my everything as a child, to my guardian as a teen (with resentment on my part), to an encourager, to an accepting and loving dad, to the smartest man that I ever knew. These six months have been so quick. So slow. So high. So low. Most importantly, these six months have been a continuation of the legacy you left.
“Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.” Proverbs 22:6 ESV
Thank you, dad. I love you.
I’ve got this.
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Make Today Count
“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7
What if someone you love was taken away tomorrow? How would you approach this day with them? Would you have a greater sense of urgency to talk with them? Spend time with them? Tell them about Jesus Christ and eternity? Thank them for their contribution to and in your life.
On Thursday, July 20, 2023, I called my 90 year old father before I left on a plane for Alaska with my son. My dad’s health had been declining and he was pondering having major heart surgery. Before I left on that trip, God compelled me to call my father and to just let him talk. As he was finishing talking with me, he said as he often did, “Myron, pray for me.”
What a gift his request was to me. The last month of his life, I would pray with my dad every time as we finished our phone calls. This day, God compelled me to pray affirming words over my father. Over the man and father that he was to me, especially in his latter years. What a presence of faith that he was to his family. What an example of steadfastness, of sacrifice, of encouragement, of correction, of love to me and to my family. He was a kind and loving example to my family. He loved Megan, Benton, Malia and Kensley so well. He always kissed me in front of my kids, teaching them the value of tactile affirmation. My prayer of thanks for him would be my last with him as God called him to Heaven five days later. What a gift that goodbye conversation and prayer was for me…and I pray it was for him.
As I have written before, I love the African proverb that says “when an old man dies, a library burns down.” My library burned down 7-25-23, but so many beautiful books and lessons live on because of the value we placed on the time we had.
So my question for you today is who do you need to run to? Who do you need to affirm their value and contribution of their life in yours? Who do you need to set aside petty or massive disagreements and establish the value of eternity? The value of the individual versus the hurt of fleeting moments that are this temporary life.
Can I encourage you to take a bold step today of humbling yourself in front of those who might not be here tomorrow. Our family has a policy of not leaving the house without kissing one another and affirming our love for one another. We do this because we recognize how fragile and temporary this life is. We leave one another with ‘I love you.’ Don’t allow someone to leave this life without their knowing that you love them beyond all disagreements.
If a car comes left of center today, our World can change in a split second. If plaque lets loose in our loved one’s arteries, the next moments might be planning their memorial service. Life is fragile. Eternity is eternal. Seventy, eighty, 100 years cannot be measured in comparison to eternity. Love those in your life well, today! Love them enough to affirm them and to introduce them to Jesus. Nothing is more important than relationship with Jesus Christ. Show them that their relationship with him matters to you.
“But the exact day and hour? No one knows that, not even heaven’s angels, not even the Son. Only the Father. So keep a sharp lookout, for you don’t know the timetable. It’s like a man who takes a trip, leaving home and putting his servants in charge, each assigned a task, and commanding the gatekeeper to stand watch. So, stay at your post, watching. You have no idea when the homeowner is returning, whether evening, midnight, cockcrow, or morning. You don’t want him showing up unannounced, with you asleep on the job. I say it to you, and I’m saying it to all: Stay at your post. Keep watch.” Matthew 13:32-37 MSG
I know where my father is. Reunited with my mother and so many saints that I was privileged to know and learn from in this life. What a gift that last conversation and prayer was with my dad. There are simply no regrets. Sadness at his absence but joy in the way we parted.
Make today the day that the value of the individuals in your life become your life’s priority. The person matters most.
“Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations,baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:19-20 NLT
You’ve got this.
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Myron Speaks 