To say that I have a lot of catching up after this weekend would be an understatement. The good news is that I just got back from one of my closest friend’s wedding as Warren Cheely married Jessica Cheely just yesterday. I had the honor and privilege to stand beside my good friend and celebrate this day that I’m sure he will never forget. But, before I tell you any about the wedding, I have a few days to catch up on first.
Friday night was our bachelor party and it was fun to see all of Warren’s friends from different times of his life. It was nice to catch a glimpse of who was around this guy when he grew up, and is still around now. However, with all the new people around, there was one guy that I was pretty excited to catch up with. The month before I left for the World Race last year, Taylor and I drove from Georgia to San Diego. It was a crazy journey, especially since we had just met, but as the miles ticked by, I got closer with a guy I knew would be around for a while. Unfortunately, even though I was getting pretty close with him, after just three months on the Race, he had to go home.
I wanted to keep up with Taylor daily after he left, but communications aren’t always ideal while traveling, so we would go long times without catching up. I knew he wanted to be out there with us, but he couldn’t. Days turned into months, and it wasn’t long before my good friend was barely recognizable to me. I knew I wanted him around and wanted to keep him close, but a lot happened over those next few months that never should have. When I finally saw him again in May, I couldn’t have been more excited. But, a lot had changed.
A few more months have passed and it was finally time again to pour into him and vice versa. Since we were the only non-poker players, we spent the majority of the bachelor party catching up and sharing what was on our hearts, and I felt like my old friend was back. The next day, we practiced with a couple of friends in order to prepare to lead worship at the wedding, and it was great. It’s tough sometimes when people live so far apart. The hours just don’t seem like enough when we get together.
One thing I learned when I was catching up with Taylor is that wounds can run pretty deep. We try so hard to make things look pretty, and they can be at times, but we’re afraid to be real. Taylor has been burned by being real, and it’s hard to come back. However, this guy is a man and he’s been a true testimony of living in the light and fighting darkness. It may sting to reveal who you truly are, but it’s excruciating to try and hide it. I’m proud of who he is becoming. He has been a fun character to get to know. But I guess a lot can come out in a coast to coast road trip…
