While there is much more to share about our ministry in Uganda and the
details of day to day life in this country, I would first like to use this time
to attempt to tell you of a wonderful story. This is the story about a true man in world full of mere males. This is the story of my father.
It’s hard
to define exactly what transformation takes place during the eleven months of
this great adventure we call The World Race. Even our coaches and staff of the organization readily admit that they
don’t know exactly what process takes place, but that they are nonetheless certain
some process does in fact take place. If
I really sat down and thought about it, I could probably produce a month full
of Sundays worth of sermons on all the lessons God is teaching all of us and
all the ways He is helping us grow. But
today, the one recurring theme that I would like to share with you is that of
the need for true men and fathers in this world.
If you have
followed my World Race blog from the beginning, you know that I knew full well
before this trip started that I have been absolutely blessed with my
family. But the first four months
outside America
has only served to drive that knowledge deeper and deeper into my heart and
soul. Now as I dive into how God has
blessed me with family and my great love for my father, I want to be very clear
that there is no pride – merely pure gratitude to God.
I have
heard many of my teammates give their testimonies – stories of how their fathers
mistreated or abused them; stories of how their fathers were never around or
left; and stories about males in general who have hurt them time after time,
leaving them with so much pain inside. Furthermore,
as we travel the nations, I see that males not living up to the role of men or
fathers is the root of a vast multitude of the problems in this world. When I hear and see these stories, I am moved
to tears out of compassion for them and frustration at the nature of our fallen
world. What’s more, I then feel silenced
and believe I don’t have much of a testimony to share at all. But the truth is that the story of God’s
blessings in my life IS my greatest testimony – and that all starts and
ends with my father.
Let me fly
through a few quick examples:
- First I have always believed that
my father is the smartest man I know. I
believe he could have been president if he had truly pursued it, but selflessly
put aside his desires to instead focus on raising a family – the calling which
I am realizing more and more is actually the greatest of this life.
- My father has provided me with
every chance and opportunity that he possibly could have. I also believe he could have easily been a
multi-millionaire. Instead, he always
made sure we had everything we ever needed/wanted and worked to fill our
family’s life with blessings and opportunities.
- Out of
the true love of a father described biblically, my father never hesitated
to discipline me. One time I didn’t
finish my chore of raking the endless sea of leaves that pile up in our
yard in late Fall. He made it clear
to me and the coach that I would not be at basketball practice until I had
finished what I had been told to do. - I
signed numerous contracts about things growing up, ensuring that there was
little room for ambiguity as to what was expected beforehand. And I knew full well that consequences
would follow disobedience.
- He is
a man of unwavering hope and optimism, which has rubbed completely off on
me. Let me use a sports
example. (My teammates know this is
only fitting). Last spring, my alma
mater, UNC, played Kansas
in the Final Four. We came out
completely flat and were getting pummeled. The score reached 40-12 and everyone in the world thought the game
was over. As a testament to my
father, I never once believed we were going to lose and wasn’t the least
bit surprised when we cut it all the way back to a 3 point deficit. We did go on to lose the game, and as a
further testament to him, I fully realized Robert Frost’s truth about life
that, “It goes on.” Even in our
shared diehard passion for the game and the school, he has instilled in every
fabric of my being that it’s just a game and God is bigger.
- He has
always encouraged me in everything that I do. I think I grew up truly believing the
cliché, “You can do anything you put your mind to.” Actually, I still believe that to this
day.
- As far
back as I can remember, he was present at every game I ever played. Not only was he present, but he was
always my cheerleader in the stands and the first to offer positive feedback
after.
- When I
came home discouraged and disillusioned with college, he never ignored my
complaints or piled on pressure. Instead, he would simply ask if I want to go back making it completely
clear that it was my choice. I
understood his love and my identity weren’t conditional on what I did.
- My
father is a man of his word. When he says, “Be home by 11, it means you’re
late at 11:00:01.”
- I can still
see – and feel – his patience while I timidly jerk through the parking lot
behind the mall where I first learned to drive.
- Taking
time, energy, and money to help me fulfill a dream and quest to visit
every major league baseball stadium.
To this
day, I remember his card to me when I graduated from high school perhaps more
than any card or letter of my life. He
concluded the gracious praises of a proud father with the simple verse, “You
are my son whom I love; with you I am well pleased.” Words have the power of life and death and
these great words of life have been imprinted on my heart and mind ever since. I know who I am because my Father and my
father have always given me my identity through unfailing love.
So this is
a huge part of my testimony. At the same
time, this is but a tiny list of everything that I am grateful for about my
father. No short list could capture the
thousands of times spent together just watching TV, laughing, learning, driving
across country, playing games, or discussing the deepest issues of life. Dad, I am on the other side of the world and
have only words to give to you. I wish
it could be more, but today my gift to you is simply to tell you – and the
world – of my great appreciation. All
this to say…
And thank you – my father; my best man. I love you and owe you everything.
