This thought has been creeping around in
the back of my mind for some time now, but after the events of Thanksgiving
weekend and a sermon I heard this morning, I wanted to share a little with
you. You see this morning one of our
pastors preached a sermon about people being “stepping stones” in our lives. These are people who help us move from “wandering”
to “having a life of plenty.” These
people impact our lives and forever alter the course of our life in a more
positive direction.
This past week/weekend I had three
interactions with people who served as “stepping stones” in my life. The first was a homeless man that we
encountered at a Hardee’s on our trip to see family. We noticed that he was hungry and could only
afford a cup of coffee so we decided to purchase him a meal of his choosing
from the menu. He was so grateful and
appreciative for a simple purchase that cost us at most $8.00. He served as a “stepping stone” in my faith
journey because he reminded me of the need to be open to helping those who are
less fortunate and God’s desire for us to love everyone. The other two “stepping stone” moments were
with people who I have had an attachment to for several years. The first was a pastor/mentor/friend who
passed away a week ago. Stan served as a
mentor/friend to me and helped me discern God’s calling on my life. I can honestly say that if it were not for his
guidance/leadership/wisdom that I would not still be in ministry today. He walked with our family during a
challenging time, prayed for a healthy birth with our second daughter with us,
and helped us gain a deeper understanding of God’s love for us through his
preaching. On Wednesday, I had the
opportunity to go to his viewing to say one final goodbye to Stan and thank his
family for the impact that he had on the life of our family. I was amazed at the number of people who poured
in, the remnants of his life that were on display for everyone to view, and
more importantly with the stories that people shared about the impact that Stan
had on their lives. He was truly a
genuine pastor who cared for others with the heart of God and his legacy will
live on for many years to come. Stan was
a “stepping stone” in my faith journey.
The last person who impacted me during
this Thanksgiving weekend was our daughter Callie Grace. Callie was stillborn at thirty-three weeks
and we only had a few moments to hold her which we cherish to this day. We love our little girl that is in heaven
watching over us every day. When I went
to the viewing for Stan, I decided that I would also visit the grave of our
daughter because it was in the same town and we hadn’t been able to visit her
grave for quite a while. I found myself
weeping uncontrollably as I approached her grave because I was reminded of the
impact that this little girl had on my life.
Without ever saying a word or taking a breath outside of my wife’s womb
she forever altered our paths. She
taught me about love as I realized how much I love that little girl, which was
far beyond anything I had ever felt before.
She taught me that tears are alright and the fact that God will comfort
you in your time of need. Callie taught
her stubborn father several lessons in the few moments that we had together and
the five years that I have wondered what her life would be like today. Callie Grace, you were a “stepping stone” in
my journey of faith.
So I ask you to reflect upon who has
been a “stepping stone” for you in your faith journey. As you think about that person maybe you
could reach out to them personally or their family if they have passed away to
thank them for having such an impact on your life. As we go through this holiday season may you
thank God for the people who have been a “stepping stone” in your life and be
that “stepping stone” for someone else who may need it more than you’ll ever
know.
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