Category: Biography

Yesterday was a GREAT day. From my perspective it was great day for at least 2 reasons. Easter and The Masters. Easter because it is THE celebration for believers that marks our faith as distinct from every other faith in the world. The Masters – well, because it is The Masters.

I love Easter. I love gathering with my friends and fellow Christians and celebrating the fact that our Saviour is alive. We remind each other that He is risen. We worship and sing and read Scripture and pray and listen to preaching as we commemorate the One who died for us and then rose again to demonstrate that He had power over the enemies of both sin and death.

I love The Masters. I grew up near the Augusta National Golf Course. I have probably been to the tournament over 30 times. I probably spent 20 hours this past weekend watching the tournament and the Golf Channel talk about the tournament. I am an addict. I admit it. Rehab starts this week but I know that I will relapse about 12 months from now.

As I was reflecting this morning on yesterday there were a number of words that came to mind that, for me, succinctly define and describe why I love both of these annual celebrations. It is not every year that they share the same weekend but when they do my heart overflows. Here’s why…

Drama – Every year I am re-reminded of the powerful drama that unfolded in the days leading up to The Cross. If you have ever seen the movie Passion of the Christ then you know what I mean. It is a story about love, betrayal, greed, torture, forgiveness, friendship, sacrifice, loss, and victory. The Story of Easter is the greatest story ever told.

And every year there is a new drama that is written at The Masters. I always wonder if this year could be as good as last year – but I am never disappointed. The stories that were written yesterday are a case in point. The double eagle. The triple bogey. Bubba golf. I am riveted by every shot. Great great drama captivates me.

Emotion – During worship yesterday I was almost overcome with emotion. Now those of you who know me know that I am not an emo kind of guy. But when I remembered that it was my sin that drove Christ to the cross, that it was His love that kept Him there, that it was the power of the resurrection that enables me to be alive again… I came close to losing it. I was leading in prayer after a song early in the service and found it hard to get the words out. So much emotion.

And then watching The Masters. You would probably laugh at me if you saw me after the tournament. Having been so caught up in the drama of the round, when Bubba hit his incredible gap wedge 40 yard hook, made two putts for par, and then broke down as he hugged his mom and caddie and best friends I just lost it. Can’t explain why I get so emotionally engaged over a golf tournament – just do. It’s The Masters.

History – Fact: Jesus lived. Fact: Jesus was executed at the hands of the Roman empire on a cross. Fact: Jesus was buried in a rich man’s tomb and secured by a mega ton stone. Fact: Jesus rose from the dead and secured salvation for all who will put their faith in Him. There is overwhelming evidence that the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus is not just a good story to tell but that it is indeed history. And every Easter we are reminded of this historical event that literally changed the world. And every year I get excited all over again that I serve a risen Savior.

And every year I re-live Master’s history. And get excited all over again about Jack’s triumph in 1986. Mize’s chip in 1987.  Phil’s quasi jump on 18 when he won in 2004. Tiger’s chip-in on 16 in 2005. I get excited all over again as I remember the greats of the game that I followed around the course: Arnie, Jack, Seve, Greg, Gary, Fred, Tom, Nick, Ben, Tiger, Phil. If you are a Master’s fan, all you need is first names. It is as if they are good friends. Every year my son and I re-live history as we try to go back 50 years and see if we can name every Master’s champion since 1960. I love Master’s lore – so much history that can be enjoyed again and again.

Community – I love my church. Mostly because I love the community of believers that gather each week at my church. And Easter is always a special gathering. We gather on Friday night for The Lord’s Supper. We gather on Saturday morning for a fun Children’s Event. And we gather on Sunday morning to worship. It is the camaraderie of the community that makes church a special place to fellowship and worship.

I also have a Master’s community. As the tournament approaches each year the buzz starts and keeps on growing as the day approaches. We talk about who we think is going to win. We talk about our plans for Master’s weekend. We talk about what we love about The Masters. We re-live mutual memories together. We talk about where we were when Tiger hit his shot, or Phil got his first win, or what we thought about Rory’s collapse. Now we will talk about Bubba, and the 2 on two, and the 6 on four as we ponder this year’s event in these post Master’s days.

Hope – The last word that I will reflect on is hope. Hope is what Easter is all about. Because of the cross and because of the resurrection there is hope. Hope for the future. Hope for the present. Hope that our past can be redeemed. Hope for those who are helpless and hurting and hungry. Hope for those who are despairing and discouraged and distraught. Scripture says that we have been given “new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” (1 Peter 1:3) To live without hope is a sad way to live. Easter is all about hope.

And each year as The Master’s approaches I find myself hopeful. Hopeful that again history will be made. Hopeful that my favorite will win. Hopeful that legends will be created. Hopeful that this year’s Masters will be as fascinating as last years. And when it is over I am already hopeful for next year. I can’t wait. April 11-14, 2013. It is already on my calendar.

The one thing that I have found about both Easter and The Masters is that they never disappoint. There is the drama relived every year. The emotion. The history. The community. The hope. I love Easter. I love The Masters. Yesterday was a GREAT day. And the winner of The Master’s was a brother in the Lord who talked about how special it was to win on the day his Savior rose from the dead. Easter and The Masters. Traditions unlike any other.

I’m just sayin’!

Whew! When I actually say it out loud it sounds like a long time. 30 years. I have been married a whole lot longer than I have not been married. And the good news is that I have been married to a wonderful woman. So those 30 years have not only gone by fast but they have been fun and full of great memories. So here are a few snapshots of us through the years as well as a few comments along the way.

We began dating in 1979 in Galveston TX where we met when we were both involved in a summer beach project with Campus Crusade For Christ. We spent most of our dating time in different parts of the country. The first year I was in New Orleans finishing up my senior year at Tulane University and she was in Greensboro at UNC-G. Then the last 6 months I was in seminary in New England while she was in Raleigh at NSCU working on her Master’s in Education. I proposed on Christmas Eve 1980 at her parents home. I had Linda read a poem that I had written called This Poem Is A Prayer. (This picture was taken the day after Christmas in Charlotte at a family gathering.)

This Poem Is A Prayer

This poem is a prayer
So as you read you ought to pray.
I thought it best the Lord should hear
These words I have to say.
This poem is a love song
So as you read you ought to sing.
You can praise the Lord our God
Who’s given life to you and me.
This poem is a dream
Which I have waited to come true.
I had been asleep for many years
But awoke when I found you.
This poem is an ending
To the two of us apart
And it culminates a miracle
Which brought love to my heart.
This poem is a beginning
To a never ending life
Where two can live as one
And both can live in Christ.
This poem is an answer
To a prayer prayed long ago
As it brings us both together
To a life we soon shall know.
This poem is a question
Which I cannot let you read
But if you’ll look into my eyes
I’ll ask you…

And when she looked up I said “Will you marry me?”

It is easy to remember our anniversary – 8.1.81. We were married at the Sedge Garden United Methodist Church in Kernersville, NC – which is the town that Linda grew up in. Then we honeymooned in Bermuda for a week. Don’t you just love the big fat tie.

We lived in Raleigh for the first year that we were married while Linda finished up her graduate studies at NCSU. Then we packed up all our worldly belonging and moved to Massachusetts where we spend our first anniversary – and where we had our first “child” – Cassidy, a golden retriever from Salem, MA. We called her the witch dog the first few months of her life because she was so destructive.

After graduating from seminary we moved to Raleigh where we spend from 1983-1993. We were in ministry at Providence Baptist Church. Then we transitioned to Durham where we have been for the last 18 years at Ridgecrest Baptist Church. Here are a few more pics of us on some of our anniversaries. You can watch us as we age ever so gracefully.

Here’s a picture from last year when we were in Peru on an International World Changers Trip and then also a recent picture of our family.

So 30 years has gone by really fast. We are both 53 years old now, starting to feel like we might be approaching middle age but still very young in our hearts. We have been incredibly blessed through the years with 2 great churches to serve in, 3 awesome kids and now a wonderful son-in-law, terrific friends, and above average health. We have had the chance to travel a lot and see this beautiful world but mostly we have been able to enjoy and serve the God who created this world.We are looking forward to what lies ahead of us because we “rejoice in the hope of the glory of God”. If you are reading this, thank you for being a part of our journey. As I often sing… It’s a great day to be alive!

I mentioned in my “Memories of the Masters” post that Amen Corner is a metaphor for my life. Let me explain.

Let me start at #1. Standing on the first tee. Not knowing what to expect. I am full of hope that this could be one of the greatest rounds of my life. Such a thrill to even be able to stand there. But also very scary. Knowing that this is where the greats of golf have stood. Having seen for myself the pitfalls that lie ahead. Having seen people conquer the course and and be counted among the legends of Master’s history and having seen shipwrecks take place – also taking their place in Master’s history. What will this round hold for me?

What will this life hold for me?

So I have a choice from the get go. Do I play on knowing that it very well might not be pretty, but also knowing that there might be some great moments along the way, some memories to be made? Or do I say, “There’s no way I could ever play like those guys on TV so why even play at all.”

I choose to play! Just like I choose to live and try to conquer all the ups and downs of life. Expecting that life will at times be painful, but also enjoying the indescribable thrill of playing the game and waiting for that one shot, that one moment, that will energize me and keep me going. I endure the mundane so that I can enjoy the magnificent!

On to Amen Corner…

First, hole #11. One of the hardest holes on the course. It demands that you start well if you want to finish well. It calls for courage and finesse and creativity. This is where Larry Mize broke Greg Norman’s heart in 1987 with an improbably 140 foot chip in from off the green to win the green jacket (which incidentally, Jack Nicklaus, as the ’86 champion helped him slip on). The thrill of victory. The agony of the defeat. It is said that The Masters does not really even begin until the back nine of Sunday’s round. You have to survive 10, 11, and 12 to get to the 13, 14, and 15.

Life. Sometimes it is about surviving. And at times when we are just trying to stay alive… we thrive. I have found that it is often when I am in survival mode that God teaches me the most. He sharpens me. He shapes me. He prepares me to deal with the tough times of life and equips me to handle with humility the good times of life. But sometimes in life when things are tough… they just get tougher.

On to #12!

So here I am, standing on the tee box of one of the greatest golf holes in the world – #12 at Augusta National. It has been called the “hardest par 3 in the game of golf”. This is for several reasons…

1) The target is small and runs from east to west not north to south – which means that I must choose the right club if I have any chance of getting it on the green.

2) The swirling winds – The wind might be doing one thing on the tee box, but something completely different on the green. You just never know – and it could change between the time you hit the ball and the time that it lands back on planet earth. You just never know.

3) The crowds that are watching – everyone knows that if you are in the hunt on Sunday at the Masters that this little hole could very well define who wins and who loses. Everyone is watching. Everyone is holding their breath. Everyone is waiting to see how you will determine your destiny. You may not win the tournament on this one hole – but you could very well lose it.

4) The emotions created by the drama of the moment – I can only imagine how nervous I would be. Golf is a head game. You have to be able to control your emotions. You can’t think too much. You have to trust your swing and your game what “brung you” to this point.

A little history. In 1980 this is where Tom Weiskopf put 5 balls in the water and made a 13 in the first round. In 1992 this is where Fred Couples made a miraculous par after his ball semi-plugged into the bank above Rae’s Creek. This is where Tom Watson double bogeyed in 1991 costing him the tournament and losing to Ian Woosnam. In 1997, Tiger Woods came to the hole  with a ten-shot cushion. Despite his commanding lead, Woods couldn’t help but smile and then exhale once his tee shot found the green.

It is thrilling… yet scary! Beautiful… yet intimidating! Daunting… yet dangerous!

But this is life. It is thrilling. But it can be hard. It is scary but it can be fun. It is beautiful but it can turn ugly. But it is times like this when I feel most alive. It is times like this when memories are being made, when stories are being written. Mark Batterson said in one of his books a quote I have never forgotten, “We ought to live the kind of life that is worth telling stories about.” I like that. I like that a lot!

On to #13.

It is a hole where you can come away with eagle. but it is just as easy to come away with double bogey. It is a startlingly beautiful hole. The hundreds of azalea bushes providing a gorgeous backdrop to the perils that lurk just one shot away. Last year this is where Phil Mickelson took control of the tournament with his bold 2nd shot out of the pine straw, under the trees, over the creek, onto the green. It was a ridiculously amazing shot that captured in one moment what this hole is all about. Risk and Reward! In 1985, Curtis Strange came to #13 with a 3 stroke lead, went for the green with a 4-wood, hit into Rae’s Creek and wound up making bogey on his way to a back-nine collapse. He never won The Masters. Risk and Reward!

But isn’t that what makes life worth living. You can sit in the stands or you can play the game. If you choose to sit you can expect to experience life vicariously. But if you choose to play you can expect ups and downs, thrills and disappointments, joy and pain. But at the very least you will have some great stories to tell along the way.

I want to play!

So this is one reason why I so very much look forward to The Masters every year. For me, it is great metaphor for life. And it reminds me why the game of golf is such a great game – but even more importantly, why God created me to live a life of purposeful adventure.

I’m just sayin’!

Sitting here watching the Master’s and reliving lots of memories. I grew up in Aiken, SC – about 20 miles away from the course. I have had the rare fortune to be a patron (that’s the word they use) at the tournament more times than I can count. I started going in the early 70’s when friends from NC would come down and stay at our house – but not want to use their tickets  everyday. Then from the late 70’s to the present my cousin Alan, who lives in Columbia, will make his tickets available to me for the Friday round every few years. (Alan, if you happen to read this – mega thanks for all the memories.) Here are some of those memories from over the years:

Jack Nicklaus – I was a huge Nicklaus fan growing up. I would follow him around the course – and because I was young, fast, and knew my way around I could always finagle a good spot to watch him – even though he had the largest crowds. As a kid I was an autograph hound and managed to get his autograph 3 times.

Ben Crenshaw’s autograph – In 1972, Ben was playing in his first Masters. No one knew who this young kid was. I saw him standing by himself next to #1 – it appeared that he was almost in awe of the fact that he was there. I walked up and asked for his autograph. He would go on to win the tourney 2 times during his career and often credits me and the encouragement I gave him that day for his success.

Tiger – I’ve also been a huge fan of Tiger, the golfer. I’ve always enjoyed watching his excellence and finesse on the course. In the last 15 years I’ve  followed him a lot. I was there for the Friday round when he won for the first time in 1997.

Ham sandwiches – Never been a big ham eater but Augusta National had the BEST ham sandwiches. And you would be surprised to know that the food at The Master’s is priced very fairly – unlike other sporting events where you pay $10 for a sandwich and drink.

The pristine environment – Absolutely gorgeous! If you’ve ever watched The Master’s on TV then you know it is a pretty place. But I promise you that even HD TV cannot do justice to how spectacular it really is. And you will never see a speck of trash anywhere. And rumor has it that they even make sure the pine straw all lays in the same direction. Incredible attention to detail.

Taking my sons and friends – Because of the generosity of my cousin I have been able to take quite a few folks to see the tournament. In case you are not aware it is a very difficult ticket to get. It borders on a high and holy privilege to be able to go to The Masters. Scott has been able to go three times so far and Tucker once; and then a bunch of my buddies. I will single out one memory. A college chum of mine, Andre Hawkins, went with me when we were at Tulane. He idolized Jack Nicklaus and loved The Masters. I remember standing beside #1 with him when Jack was on the first tee and he literally broke into goose bumps because he was so excited. That’s kind of the effect this great tournament has it’s patrons.

The roars of the crowd – You really have to be there to experience the electricity of the place – especially when it goes from being soooo quiet (again, hard to explain how quiet a crowd of 10,000 can be) to so loud when the crowd reacts to a great shot. There is a buzz that reverberates around the whole course in seconds and everyone is scoreboard watching to see what just happened.

The Greatness of the Greats – I’ve been able to see all the greats of the previous generations play the game of golf – Sarazen, Sneed, Palmer, Nicklaus, Player, Floyd, Casper, Nelson, Seve, Watson, Tiger, Phil, etc. It is unbelievable how good these guys are. I remember watching on the practice range as Tiger would land 300 yard shots within a few feet of each other at will. The commercial that says, “These guys are good,” is so understated. You realize this when you play the game of golf and then watch great players play the game of golf. It is a VERY hard game to be great at.

Amen Corner – This 3 hole stretch is tucked away on the far side of the course. #11 – a very difficult par 4 fronted by a pond, #12 – one of the most famous holes in golf with a tight little postage stamp green (fronted by Rae’s Creek) where many a tournament has been lost, and #13 – one of the greatest risk/reward holes in the game of golf. This little patch of property also serves as a metaphor for my life – which I may tell you about some time.

A chance to play! – Okay, no not really, I haven’t had a chance to play Augusta National – but it is on my bucket list – so if any one reading this has a connection and wants to make one of my dreams come true then you have my blessings to try.

I’m just sayin’!

The very first album that I ever bought was Jim Croce’s Life and Times. I was 14 years old. Probably the best known song from that album was Bad, Bad, Leroy Brown. I was very sad to wake up one morning and hear on the radio that he had been killed in a plane crash at the age of 30. Other favorite songs of his that I loved included Time in a Bottle, Operator, I Got a Name, You Don’t Mess Around with Jim, and I’ll Have to Say I Love You in a Song. It was this last song that I learned on the guitar in 1979 and sang to my girlfriend Linda Tucker. It was the first time that I ever told her that I love her and began a lifelong romance that is now 32 years old and going strong.

My favorite band was The Doobie Brothers. But I was also a a big fan of The Eagles, Chicago, Elton John, Marshall Tucker Band, Linda Ronstadt, Gordon Lightfoot, Seals and Croft and Jethro Tull. I still have some of those early albums. Of course this was back in the day when an album was actually an album.

My early influences from Christian music included folks like Dogwood, Don Francisco, Amy Grant, and then my favorite Keith Green who I have blogged about before.

My son Tucker and I play this game whenever we are in the car together – usually listening to the Oldies station. Either he or I will ask “Do you know who sings this song?” I’m amazed at how many of the songs from my generation that he knows. I also amaze myself sometimes at how many songs I can still sing even if I haven’t heard them in over 20 years. I think I amazed him (and me) the other day when we were listening to G105 and a song came on that he knew and he asked the question. Without hesitating I gave him the right answer. Nickelback. Did I really know they sang the song? Absolutely not! They were just the first band that popped into my head. For just a moment there good old dad didn’t seem so old to his 20 year old son.

I guess I’m writing all this to reminisce a bit  before I get too old to remember but also to make a point that you already know. Music is powerful. It can touch the soul like almost nothing else. The music we listen to will lodge in our brains and stay there forever. That’s why it’s so important to listen to the right kind of music – or perhaps better to say don’t listen to the wrong kind of music. And let God use music to lead you to His throne where not only will your soul be touched but where you can be sanctified and drawn to worship the Lover of Our Soul.

Incarnate. Now there’s a word that you don’t hear every day. It does tend to pop up a bit more at this time of year. In case you are not familiar with the word, it means “in the flesh.” And it is used to describe what happened 2000+ years ago when God appeared in the flesh in the person of Jesus. Why did He do that you might ask. Great question. The succinct answer is this: God wanted to communicate in an unmistakable way a few things that couldn’t be done from His throne in heaven. He needed some face time with the people that He created, that He loved so much, and that had turned away from following Him. He wanted to make a loud and clear statement that would once and for all prove the depth of His love and His desire for reconciliation. He didn’t want people to spend an eternity separated from Him and unable to enjoy the magnificence of a home in heaven with Him. Thus the cross! Thus the resurrection! But it began with the birth! That pivotal moment in human history when God took on the appearance of a man. The incarnation! The virgin birth! The baby in a manger! Jesus!

How’s that for an opening to our Christmas letter this year. I am astounded at the extent to which God went to fix the mess that I (we) had made of things. Then I started thinking this week about a “what if.” What if Jesus had never been born? What if the incarnation had never taken place? How would that have changed our world? How would that have changed my world? I want to frame our Christmas this year with that question in mind.

If Jesus had never been born…

There would be no us! This year Linda and I celebrated our 29^th anniversary. Yes that means that we are old. But we met 31 years ago on a Campus Crusade for CHRIST beach project. No Jesus. No Shay and Linda.

The next few follow quite naturally. There would be no Christy. We would not have watched she and her husband Chad continue to grow in their 3^rd year of marriage. We would not have seen her excel as a 2^nd grade teacher. We would not have watched Chad graduate from seminary. We would not have found out what an incredible blogger  and photographer she is.  We would not be praying now for the place of ministry the Lord has for them – possibly overseas.

There would be no Scott. We would never have seen him graduate from UNC-Chapel Hill in May. He would never have started seminary at Southeastern in August. He would not be preparing to go overseas as a part of the seminary’s 2+2 program (2 years theological education + 2 years overseas on the mission field.) I would never have seen him make an unbelievable ace on one of the hardest holes of our favorite disc golf course. He would never be working at The Bargain Box in Raleigh to support himself.

There would be no Tucker. He would not be a sophomore at NC State this year. He would not be leading a freshman Bible Study through Campus Crusade.  He would not have gone to India for 2+ weeks last summer to serve with missionaries there. Nor would he have worked at Crossroads Camp as a counselor when he returned.  He would not be enjoying rock climbing, disc golf, Harry Potter movies, or be in 1^st place in his fantasy football league.

If Jesus had never been born…

I would not be the Executive Pastor at Ridgecrest Baptist Church – now in my 18^th year. I would not have been the Project Coordinator for the IWC trip to Peru this past summer (that Linda, Christy, and Chad were all a part of).  We were able to share the gospel message and disciple believers in 5 villages along the Amazon.

If Jesus had never been born… we would not know the One who is the Prince of Peace and we would not have known such peace in the midst of so much transition in our lives: 1) our pastor retiring, 2) our youth pastor leaving to go on the mission field, 3) my responsibilities on staff changing as a result of both of these, 4) Linda’s principal changing and new counseling colleagues to work with, 5) Christy and Chad figuring out “what next?” 6) Scott preparing to go overseas.

So perhaps you can see why we celebrate the incarnation. Why Christmas is special to us. Why we are thrilled that Jesus was indeed born! We are incredibly blessed as a family and our desire is that you would experience the blessing of God upon your life and understand in it’s most profound way the meaning of John 1:14…

“The Word (Jesus) became flesh and dwelt among us!”

(If interested in staying connected with us, both Linda and I are on Facebook. Christy’s blog is www.chadandchristy.blogspot.com and my blog is www.sreyner.wordpress.com )

Christy, Chad, Tucker, Scott

Shay and Linda

A decision on a rooftop – So in 1983 I graduated from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary up near Boston but was clueless as to what avenue of ministry to pursue. So Linda and I moved back to Raleigh and plugged into our home church, Providence Baptist, to wait on a clear sense of calling. A friend of mine gave me a job roofing houses, we were volunteering with Providence’s youth ministry, and we were trying to be patient as we waited for direction from God. It was on top of a roof one day that I sensed God calling me to student ministry. (He used my fierce dislike for being way up in the air in 90+ degree weather to make this clear to me). I approached our pastor about this. We began an internship at the church to seek confirmation. And I ended up spending 22 years as a youth pastor. I look back on that rooftop decision and realize that sometimes God will put us in places we don’t really want to be to get us ready for places that He does want us to be. I loved being a youth pastor and now I have the bonus skill of knowing how to roof a house.

March 3, 1986; October 27, 1987; August 22, 1990 – Yep, you guessed right – those are the days that my kids were born. VERY defining moments. It’s one thing to have your life changed by marriage and still another thing to have it changed by becoming a parent. Our kids are basically all grown up now. They make all their own choices and decisions now but allow us the opportunity to partially subsidize their lifestyle (not true for the married daughter). I am an incredibly blessed dad who has watched my kids grow into wonderful God-seeking young adults. Christy, Scott, Tucker – thanks for helping to define my life. You are each a treasure to me and you are very very loved.

A 10 day fast – In the Fall of 1998 I was in a spiritual stupor. I knew that I needed to do something to get back on track with God. I decided to do something I had never done before – fast for an extended period of time and use the time to seek God. I fasted from food and television for 10 days. My only nutrition was vegetable juice to keep from dehydrating. I spent 2 days at a retreat center just reading, thinking, and praying. It was during this time that I got introduced to the writing of John Piper. That week I read his book A Hunger For God: Desiring God Through Fasting and Prayer. His writing has probably influenced me more than anyone’s over the last 20 years. Especially his book Desiring God: Meditations of a Christian Hedonist. Highly recommended if you want a book that will challenge your thinking and feed your soul. My soul was fed during my time of fasting and I got back on track with God. By the way, it was only the first 3 days of the fast that were tough. The hunger went away after that but the habit of eating remained. It was the habit that I had to fight against.

June 14, 2008 – To some extent this was more of a BIG day than a defining moment but I can also make a case otherwise. This was the day that my daughter Christy got married to Chad Ferrell. This was also the day that I turned 50 years old. I joke and tell people that I threw myself a huge party for my birthday – inviting hundreds of guests to come and celebrate with me. But really the day was about Christy and Chad. And it was a great day. It was defining in the sense that the dynamics of our family changed on that day. In a good way. It was also defining in the sense that I was now eligible for AARP. This meant that I was officially classified as old. 50 was always the number that I defined as old. Not 40. Not 30. But 50. It was also the age that I had prayed that God would allow me to live to be. I started praying that prayer about 20 years ago. I called it my Hezekiah prayer. You see my dad had died when I was 13. I very much wanted to be around to influence my kids until they were grown and making their own decisions about life. 50 years old was the magic number. This was when Tucker, my youngest, turned 18, graduated high school and went off to college. My influence on their lives at this point was now going to be very diminished as they were all on their own and living away from home. So God answered my prayer and for that I am very very grateful. It doesn’t mean I don’t want more years to see my kids grow older and be around potential grandkids but it does mean that I have seen the faithfulness of God in my life and I am a extremely thankful. I am a blessed man!

I have no idea what defining moments wait for me in the future but I am excited about watching what God is up to and am thrilled to be a part of the great adventure of following Him. Whether I live to be 90 or die tomorrow I intend to live out my days serving the God who has rescued me, redeemed me, and entrusted me with a wonderful family, a great church, and a life worth living.