HOF Lessons

Happy Friday Friends!

I hope & trust this post finds you all having a great day on this glorious Friday!

So, do you remember that last week I encouraged you to watch the NFL Hall of Fame Induction Ceremonies on Saturday? Do you remember I told you that there are a lot of great messages that come from the messes that others have lived as they walked their perfectly beautiful paths? Do you remember I told you that I would laugh and cry as I watched them? You remember all that? Well, I hate to tell ya BUT, I told ya so! :)

Today I briefly want to share a few words that Brian Dawkins spoke. They struck me as incredibly powerful when I heard them last Saturday night and they are even more profound to me in my life today. You can watch his entire speech - it is a little more than 22 minutes long - by googling "Brian Dawkins Hall of Fame Speech." I really like, and am sharing what I am sharing below with you, from the recording that is at MSN.com.

Before I dive into what I really want to get to I want to share a few nuggets that Brian shared.
1. The first thing he did is explain that he didn't get there alone. He talked about, and thanked, the many people who God had placed in his path to help him along on his life journey. The same is true for you & I.

2. He talked about football being what he did, not who he is. Funny, a couple of the Hall of Famers mentioned the exact same thing. Your job, your professional vocation, does not define the person you are...it is simply one of many platforms God has given you to make a difference in this world. I pray you, and I, never forget that!

3. And here is what I want to share with you. Direct quotes from Brian:

"The majority of success that I have had have come on the back end of pain. Pain has pushed me to levels unknown for me at the  time. All that I know is that is pain at the time. But on the other side of it, all of the sudden, I became better in an area. So when we go through those situations in our lives, pain helps you develop those things that is going to take you to the next level of whatever it is that the Lord has for you. Believe that. I am a living testimony of that."

"What that pain did for me, it increased my faith exponentially. I have grown leaps and bounds because of the things I have gone through. And that is one of those things I went through. And when I say I went through, that means I came out on the other side of it. So for those who are going through right now there is hope. You do have hope! There is something on the other side of this! Don't get caught up where you are! Don't stay where you are! Keep movin! Keep pushing through!"

I apologize if that is not all 100% accurate...I have replayed and replayed and replayed his speech trying to get it right. Regardless, there is no doubt I have captured Brian's heart.

So, Sweet Friends, what pain are you dealing with? Brian was talking about a season of his life where he was dealing with deep depression, to the point where he was contemplating how he would actually kill himself. Maybe for you it is depression, or loss, or addiction, or fear, or discouragement, or... Let Brian's powerful testimony speak to your heart. Whatever the pain, please fight through, keep the hope and believe that this pain is taking you to the next level of whatever the Lord has for you.

And one more thing I just have to share, quickly. Does it ever irritate you that those who say things like "keep the faith", "God is in control", "everything will be fine', etc. always seem to be preaching this from the mountain top? Yeah, me too. Well Brian has walked through the storm and he is yelling back to us through the wind and rain..."You do have hope! There is something on the other side of this! Don't get caught up where you are! Don't stay where you are! Keep movin! Keep pushing through!" Me? I am in the throws of a storm. I don't feel or hear God but I know He is there. I have yelled at Him and cried out to Him. I am not telling to you push through standing off on some mountain top somewhere...I am standing beside you as a broken man who believes in God, that His word is true and I am placing all of my hope in Him. I know that feelings are not facts and I refuse to pay attention to them. I will continue to seek the Lord, I will continue to persevere, I will fight for my faith until the day I stand before God. The storm will pass and I am grateful that my faith and strength will be greater because of it.

Please don't hesitate to contact me if there is ever anything I can do for you or your family. I will always help you any way I can.

Have a great day, a wonderful weekend and please cherish your precious families.

Kev