A true son

One of my Spiritual sons flew out to Africa to spend the New Year with us; Lisa and I were both very excited and ready to dig in, once again… not because of us, but because of him.

Our six kids are work; I have adopted my two beautiful daughters, my four boys look just like me, and we are unusually close as a “Blended” family, but you still have to make a choice every day for the energy and commitment to love them unconditionally. not always easy. As the waiting Father in Luke 15, have your arms wide open as they return… but spiritual kids are different – no matter how you look at it and know matter how hard you try, they just aren’t your birth kids, right? You really can’t love them as “Real” sons and daughters? Justin has proved me wrong, time and time again that you can love “Spiritual Kids” as your own. Here is an email he wrote me the other day…

Gary,
I am in the process of reading this book called “Desire” by John Eldridge.  The whole premise of the book is about living out the desires that God has placed in our hearts and truly living as who we were made to be.  As American’s, I know that this is something that we all think and dream about every day.  For me, it is something that haunts my dreams weekly.

As I survey my friends and compare myself to what this book says, I have concluded that there is only one person I know that is living their life to the fullest…..that person is you!

I know that you and your family still have wants, but, as far as going to bed filling unfulfilled and empty, I ask, do you desire more or are you living your dream?  I know that there is always more money to be made or more people to impact…..but my question is, do you go to bed feeling empty or full?

Over the past ten years that I’ve been with you your message has evolved.  Since you’ve moved to Africa, you are all about living out the mystery God has given us and to the fullest!  Please tell me Gary…..are you doing it?  I would rather feel complete at night with the ones I love rather than having slaved all day and go to bed feeling empty.

This book has captured a portion of my heart and pulls at bringing alive the true desires I have in life.  I know that it kills you to be away from your extended family and the comforts of America.  I know that you want the best for your kids and all that life has for them as well, but here’s my point……is it worth it?  Do you lack in your desire or are you living it?  Seeing your life, my heart is pulled at and intrigued as well.

After all that we’ve been through, I will be so bold to say that you are!  I can’t imaging you doing anything else and encourage you to be your dreams.  Be your desires!  You have truly challenged me to find my dreams and live my desires.

Thank you for all you’ve done and the family you have been to me.  You and your family have encouraged me to be my desires and I hope some day, I will find them just as you have.

Love your son,
Justin

You can’t become a father until you learn how to be a son first. By God’s grace, I had a great dad; one that taught me to believe in myself, stand up straight, look people in the eye, give a firm hand-shake, but mostly to love my Lord, with all my mind, with all my soul and with all my heart. I learned what it meant to be a son; to honor my mother and father, no matter what, and to be a man after God’s own heart – now my responsibility is to teach my sons and daughters to do the same.

Through the years Justin and I have been through many ups and downs… amazing ministry together all over the world, watching thousands find God, miracles. We have also seen the end of marriages, our hero’s of the faith fall time after time, his friends not like me, my friends not like him: it has been wonderful and very hard.

Through it all, Justin was here to spend New Years, and I was waiting with open arms – at the end of the day, spiritual son or natural, this is what life is all about…