My Dad and Me in Thailand Together…

My Dad and Me in Thailand Together…

Growing up as a teenager my Dad was not around a lot because of his job. Since the time I was in sixth grade he has lived in a different state than me because of various promotional opportunities that he has received within his career.  My Dad was really young when I was born and he and my Mom were put in a rough situation from the beginning. My Dad and I struggled in our relationship when I was younger with different struggles and obstacles that we each went through. Even though it always hasn’t been the easiest for either of us, through the pain, the sorrow, and the hard times, we never stopped loving each other and we never gave up on one another….most of all, my Dad didn’t stop loving me and never gave up on me…
As I have got older my Dad and I have grown closer and closer. My Dad has helped me get through many struggles and has really invested in my life being there for me as my Dad, my older brother, and as my friend. My Dad still lives out of state with his job so I only get to see him and the rest of the family about two times a year. So when my Dad decided to travel half way around the world to come spend a week with me on the race, I can’t honestly explain the depth of meaning that it truly meant to me…

The race did something that they have never done before, they invited parents to come live a week with their kids on the race. They set it up as a parent’s vision trip where parents would live life on the race experiencing a variety of things that we racers go through throughout the year. Seth, the director of the world race also had the vision of really connecting the parents with their racers. The trip gave the parents the opportunity to grow in their relationship with their kids, grow in relationship with their heavenly Father, work side by side with other racers, and a opportunity to see how the Lord has changed us racers throughout this year. It was an intense, but great week together with my Dad growing in our relationship and experiencing new things together in Christ. We were really busy, but got to grow in many great ways that I am so deeply thankful for.

The week consisted of going to the red light district to pray and talk to girls who are being sex trafficked as modern day slaves who are forced to have sex with buying customers. This was really intense for me and my Dad himself could feel the thickness of the evil and darkness in that place. We also got to hang out with kids who live in the slums in Thailand, visit a children’s home that rescues kids who are in danger of being sold into slavery, went around the city praying for people and being lead by the Spirit in talking to people, and spent a lot of time growing in our relationship together while also growing closer to our Father in heaven.

* It brought so much life to me getting to see my Dad love on so many people and especially the kids with the love and hope of Jesus Christ! I really saw my Dad come alive when we are at the slums and the children’s home for the kids. He played with so many kids, hugged so many kids, let so many kids hang on him and wrestle with him! The best was when he would go to hug them goodbye and then tell them that Jesus loved them, it was truly so inspiring for me to see!

This blog is hard for me to right because there was so much that happened with my Dad, but I think the biggest impact that God did in my heart with my Dad coming to see me was a reminder of the true love that my Father in heaven has for me!

 I got to see this in a reality through my Dad.

* From the beginning when my Dad got there on the first day I was really blown away that my Dad would give up a week of his life, spend a lot of money, and come across the world to see me. My Dad is a very good man, and a very good Father. He has always fought for me and will always continue to fight for me showing me that he believes in me and loves me. I guess this is what God truly used my Dad to show me…

It was a reminder and a new realization of just as my Dad traveled around the world to come see me, God continually searches for us and fights for us wherever we are and whatever we are going through…

He searches through out all of earth to show his love to all of his children…His light shines through all darkness to find us, fights for us, and save us….

God continually spoke through my Dad being there that God searches for me and fights to find me wherever I go and wherever I am…

I can’t really explain the impact that this had on me…

I always remind myself and others that God is always there with us, that God promises us that He will never leave us nor forsake us. But frankly, a lot of times I feel very lonely and forget the advice that I so often give to others. My Dad coming to be with me for a week, was the reminder that my Father in heaven loves me and will never give up on me, that my Father will seek me out wherever I am and wherever I go. It was a reminder that my Father in heaven loves me more than I love him. Just as a Father should always protect their child and be their for their children, God is here for me and this was a representation of the sacrifice that my Dad made to come and endure a week with me on the race….

* I was and am really proud of my Dad, he went through a lot with me. He lived in a hotel that was way outside of his comfort zone, endured long days in the hot sun walking and interacting with many people through Thailand heat, and willingly stepped out his comfort zone many of times to pray out loud in front of other people. He gave up his life for a week, to live life with me for a week, which quite frankly is very different from what is normal for him. My Dad was stretched, but amazed me at how he responded. He never gave up and woke up each day ready to endure what ever the day would bring him. I was amazed at the friendship my Dad and the two leaders on the trip formed and the willingness my Dad showed to truly show that he supports me, loves me, and believes in me…

Throughout the whole week I kept thinking of the verse from the book of John that talks about God’s light shining in the midst of the darkness and that the darkness could not overtake it. Even though I’m a Christian who loves the Lord, sometimes I run from him. Sometimes I get scared and feel abandoned….

My Dad coming to be with me was not only a chance for the Lord to do amazing things through our relationship together, and through our personal relationships with the Lord, but it was a way to remind me that I’m not only my Dad’s son, but I’m God’s Son! It was a tangible and real example of God showing me through my Dad that He loves me more than I love him, and he seeks me more than I seek him.

“Even If I run away, nothing can separate” – Your Love Never fails by Jesus Culture
__________________________________________________________________________

This is a message from my Dad to me explaining a summary of what the trip meant to him:

“It was just an amazing experience, to just be able to spend time with you Ryan and to see how much you have grown in your faith. It was great to see the great friends that you have met, the love that you all have for each other, and how God is working with all of you guys. I would also say that this trip was very humbling to see how you have lived and the things that you and the racers are doing to make a difference. Even though you don’t have great living accommodations or a lot or the best of food to eat, no air conditioning, and when having wifi that it is a very rare and special treat, you all persevere and make the best out of every moment.

. I love you, Dad”
__________________________________________________________________________

Thanks for reading and praying for my Dad and I. My Dad is a great man, a great Father, and a great person who I truly look up to and love. We had a rough start in life; my parents were young and had to overcome a lot of struggles with each other, with life, and with me. But each of them never gave up and even though my Dad has mostly always lived geographically away, he has shown me in many ways that he is always and constantly by my side with me and for me when I need him.

Again, my Dad being there for me was a reminder that our Father in heaven reaches for us and constantly pursues us with his love wherever we are. We don’t have to have it all together and pretend that we don’t have struggles. God is in the struggles and He constantly pursues us never ever giving up on us or letting us go. He does this because He’s our Father and that’s what a true Father does…

There is a song at the end of this blog called Reach For Me by Will Reagan. Please listen to it and be reminded how your Father in heaven reaches for you and searches for you with his never ending love. I guess this would be a theme song in how I felt God spoke to me in bringing my Dad to Thailand with me…
 
“God, I just want to say thank you so much for having my Dad come to Thailand to visit me. Lord I know it wasn’t easy at times for the both of us, but just like you have got us both through hard times in our lives, you got us both through the week which I am so thankful for. Father thanks for choosing my Dad to be my Dad. Thanks for the older brother that he is to me, the friend that he is to me, and most of all the Dad that He is to me. Thanks for what you’re doing Father in our relationship together and in both of our hearts and lives. Thanks for giving my Dad the love that He has for me and thanks for my Dad always being there for me when I truly have needed it. Father in heaven I love you and I thank you for everything that you did in and through my Dad and I. Thanks for never giving up on us Father and loving us the way that you do. I love you “Abba” and I thank you for being both my Dad and I’s true Heavenly Father, in Jesus’ name I pray, Amen”

 
*Dad I just want to thank you for being the Dad that you are. Thanks for fighting for me when I was younger and for fighting for me as I’ve became older. I love you Dad and I thank you for always being by my side supporting me, loving me, and believing in me. Thanks for the reminder that it’s not how one starts the race, but how one finishes the race that truly matters. You constantly remind me of this by how you have never gave up and how you are living your life as my Dad! I love you Dad and thank you for always reminding me of the one who loves me the most – Jesus! You have inspired me more than you know with my relationship with God!

As you always say to me and the kids – “I love you and so does….Jesus”

This is something that my Dad always says that to me and to my brothers and sisters when saying good night or bye to us. He says “I love you and so does”….and then he waits for us to say, “Jesus.” It’s a little saying, yet very powerful reminder of the one who searches for us, fights for us, and loves us whoever we have become wherever we have gone…

Thanks for reading everyone, wherever you are, whatever you are going through, and whoever you are…remember that God truly loves you as you are His child…Jesus will find you wherever you are….just open your heart to him and receive His true, perfect, and unfailing Love!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

e