The great tug of war

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Publish Post

Last Saturday my son, Jack, and all his buddies from church participated in the AWANA Olympics. AWANA is a church program that incorporates games and Scripture memory. Jack loves the games! Jack is a big bruising kid so he doesn't get the speed events, but he does get the strength events. He slapped his gloves on and off he went. The goal is to pull the rope and get hold of a bean bag laying on the ground. Its called the 4 way tug, but in this case it was the 3 way tug. They didn't win, but that didn't matter!

I love yelling for him when he is competing. Being a father is a great job. Even when he doesn't win I'm proud, proud that he competes and that he is great little guy. I was praying for my children this morning and facing a year away from them, it got very emotional. God spoke very clearly to me though. As the pain of missing events like this swept over me, the missed time, the instruction in life that I'll miss with Jack and Tori, God spoke. "Do you love your children Brad?"

I answered, "Yes, Lord...more than my own life"

Then it came, "I love them more than you do!"

That realization eased my spirit, that even though I leave to proclaim the Gospel, the God of the Gospel will not leave my kids. He is their heavenly Father and always has been and always will be.

That was my tug of war this morning, I greatfully lose that one in total dependance on God.

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