Gifts
“I will never live life alone another day as a man the rest of my life!”
- A declaration I made at 9,000 feet in Colorado in Oct ’02
It is hard to describe how much my life has changed in the almost twenty years since I made that declaration. From feeling like I was doing life completely on my own to being flanked on every side by dozens of like-hearted kings and queens living in the same direction. It has never been more obvious than during a recent hospital visit.
My stomach, gall bladder, and pancreas all shutting down resulted in some pumping, scraping, and the removal of an organ. I have never been in so much pain. The morphine I was taking left me pretty catatonic during the week I was in the hospital. I couldn’t do anything. I couldn’t even think very coherently (some of my friends are still laughing at the drunk-dialed texts I sent them). I sort of stared at the clock, waited for the next hit of pain medicine, and hoped the time would pass faster.
But the gifts of this season came immediately and are still coming.
A dear friend from Johannesburg sent me an audio prayer that spoke encouragement, the Father’s heart, and broke lies/agreements I didn’t even know I was carrying.
My eldest son and I had maybe the most meaningful conversation of my life where he had envisioned my funeral, the men that would gather, and what they might say.
The rest of our coaching team immediately took over every responsibility and even removed some I would have in the future so that I wouldn’t come back to an overwhelming slate of work.
My beautiful bride of 31 years stepped up in more ways than I can count.
I got invited to be on a launch team for “Becoming a King” in South Africa.
I had a week of recovery, a birthday, and then a week of snow and ice that allowed another week of rest.
I had so many thoughtful sentiments and even some gifts.
Finally, one of my deepest and most significant friends (and client) shared emotionally how glad he was to see me and how he thought he might not get to do that again.
I was humbled and overwhelmed. Rescued from whatever fear or pity I might have had about my condition. It truly was a reset in every category of my life, as my friend in Joberg had prayed. I asked God for further interpretation and was surprised by what I heard.
This isn’t a picture of the extraordinary life, but a glimpse into God’s Kingdom here on earth as it is intended. It is a picture of what living in the same direction with other like-hearted kings and queens looks like. We were not intended to do life on our own. We were fought for and have been granted a life of healing and freedom.
And that life is available for all of us.
Consider
Who is in your tribe?
Do you feel like you living and leading on your own?
What is it costing you to not have like-hearted kings and queens living in the same direction around you?