Father's Day Weekend

This father's day weekend is significant to me on four levels:

First - as a son.  I'm so grateful for my father, and the role he plays in my life.  He has been an empowering dad in every way.  His love was never doubted, his discipline built character, his presence confirmed my worth, and his spoken belief made me believe that I could do anything. One of the last times that I spoke to my father he said, "From the day you were born your mother and I knew you would change the world." That type of spoken belief is so rare, and such a contributor to my story.  I would not be who I am today without him, I'm proud to be his son.

Second - as a dad.  I'm so incredibly grateful for my two kids.  Kayla is beautiful, smart, and determined.  Her red hair reminds me of her unstoppable spirit...much like her "mammaw".  Ethan is kind, hilariously funny, and so comfortable being himself.  His goofy humor and wild imagination reminds me of me as a kid. I have so much confidence in what God is going to do in their lives.  These two are my greatest joy...and I'm so proud to be their father.

Third - as a spiritual father.  Over the years I have had the opportunity to minister to thousands of teens and families and to help hundreds of teens acknowledge their faith in Jesus.  Out of this large group there has emerged a handful of people over with whom God has given me a greater influence. I think of these students/former students as my "kids", and watching them grow and change the world is a constant reminder of why I do youth ministry. I'm so proud to play a small role in these young lives.

Finally - this weekend always carries a bit of pain for my family as well.  Seven years ago this weekend my mom passed away very suddenly.  My mom was the best person that I've ever known.  Her grace, strength, and love have saturated my life. There is not an important moment in my life that goes by without me wishing she was here and hoping that she's proud.  I'm so proud to have the privilege of being her son.

As another Father's day comes and goes this weekend, I really can't feel anything other than gratitude for my heritage, my children, and the lives I get to touch.