Some of you may know that my Dad and I haven't had the best relationship.
I blamed him for everything.
And to be real honest, I hated him for a very long time. 15 years to be exact.
But God did something amazing.
When I signed up for the World Race I got a phone call from AIM asking me to get some counseling before I could actually come on the race.
So I got a counselor and the process began. I didn't want to go because I thought that it meant that I was some kind of crazy.
During the counseling sessions, my counselor was talking to me about my Dad and I was telling her about the decision he made that changed everything, and how terrible of a person I thought he was.
She stopped me and asked me if I had forgiven him…….
I said yes…..
Then she asked me if I had been trying to punish him for the decision he had made.
I said no….
I felt my stomach drop as she spoke the words that opened my eyes. She asked me if I had been intentionally rude, gave him the silent treatment, or did things out of spite.
In that moment I realized I was wrong, and that I really had never forgiven him.
She challenged me to go home and have talk with my Dad and ask him for forgiveness.
Matthew 6:14 For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
She gave me this verse and asked 'Your Dad sinned against you, but how many times have you sinned against God?'
So, I went home and I had the hard conversation and my Dad forgave me and also asked me to forgive him.
Within a week God restored my family.
Now it's eight months into the race and my Mom and Dad came to visit.
There was a point when I almost thought that they weren't going to show up.
Then it happened….. I saw them and my heart pretty much jump out of my chest.
I ran to them and the only thing I could think about was that my Daddy was here to see me.
See, I never knew, but the eight months I was gone, God was transforming all the hate that I had in my heart for my Dad into nothing but pure love.
I had never been so excited to see my Dad ever in my life.
As the week went on, I got to work side by side with both my Mom and Dad.
One day I sat my Dad down and told him everything that God has done in my heart, and how if he wants the same thing, I really wanted to work on our relationship and be close with him like I am with my Momma.
His response was 'I would love that.' Then, he asked me if I would like to go fishing with him.
I have to laugh because it's not the fishing part I don't like. It's the whole skin frying in the sun thing I'm not a big fan of.
But we will definitely work on that.
It's like the story of the prodigal son. No matter how much we run from God and how many sins we commit, God will always be there. And when you ask, 'Can we work on our relationship?' God's response will always be, 'I would love that.'
Prayer Request
1. Unity with our Squad
2. Changes, Challenges, just plain bad attitudes
3. That all of us finish out race in full force.
