Happy Birthday to our dad and Poppy! We planned to spend one week celebrating with him, but our plans have changed!
So many people know our dad as a pastor who leads the church. We have watched him serve in every capacity possible–Bus Visitation, Children’s Church, Sunday school teacher, Discipleship training teacher, Youth Pastor, College Minister, Mission Trip Leader, Basketball Coordinator, Preacher, etc. In our minds it is normal for a pastor to clean the church, set up for an event, stand and preach, and then make sure everything is closed.
However, I always believe true character is displayed when no one is looking. Living a life of humility, giving, and serving happens in the privacy of the home. We’ve had the privilege of not listening to the sermons preached by our dad but watching him live out the sermons. We have watched him celebrate with families and grieve with families. We have watched him drop everything at a moment’s notice because someone needed him. We have watched my parents give with open hands. We have watched them pay power bills, buy groceries, buy gas, give away their personal belongings, buy clothes, pay for mission trips, etc.–Not only a few times–Countless times. We have watched them give their time listening to people, driving hundreds of miles to be with someone in a time of need, spend countless hours sitting by families who are walking through a difficult time. They do it all without expecting anything in return. They do it without anyone knowing. They do it for people attending the church and for people who have never stepped foot inside of the church. They Give! They Serve! They Love!
We have also watched the fruit of his ministry. We have seen people lives changed for eternity because of his faithfulness in sharing the love of Christ. We have watched children grow up riding the church bus who are now taking their own families to church. We have seen people serving in churches and the mission field as a result of his investment in their lives. We have seen God change the lives of men, women, youth, and children because of my dad’s obedience to his calling.
We have watched him live Jesus!
Happy 60th Birthday!
We Love You!
Shining Light Abroad Ministries 