Nobody's Irreplaceable

The tumultuous downpour of changes continues in my life. I found out that this week two of my friends and colleagues are moving on to coach for a team besides the purple and white wildcats I have come to know and love best. I have a deep admiration, love and respect for both of these men and am eternally grateful for the lessons they have taught me about life, coaching, and being a real man of impact. I want to thank them both for that.

Coach Thomsen taught me that my dad and most of the men in my life were men of that rare quality and that I was uniquely blessed to have the foundation of manhood that I had. He also taught me how to dig deeper into manhood and find out what it really means to be a true man of impact. I'm grateful for the chance to begin my coaching journey and living out my childhood dream that he gave me. 

Coach Farrell was the big brother I always needed. Since I was born, I have always struggled with being the oldest of the family and leading the way for my younger brothers and cousins, but he gave me someone to look up to and hang out with like the big brother I never had. He taught me that everyone's job is crucial to the success of a team, and that nobody is irreplaceable. I would not be near as valuable around the football office had I not followed him around like a kid brother, and I will miss him around the office like I am sure we all will. 

The winds of change are also blowing two of my best friends, Chance McCoy and Tyler Shepherd to greener pastures. They graduated tonight, and it sucked that I couldn't be there to watch and take pictures with them afterwards. But I am sure they took plenty without me. Never met two friendlier and more welcoming guys in my life. And I have definitely not met many that know more pretty girls than they do. I'd do anything for either of them and wouldn't change the great and awful times we've had together for the world. Stay classy.

I say all that to say this: Nobody is irreplaceable. And I don't mean that in a negative watch your back way. It's got a happy tone to me now. It is very similar to when I used to think that "God is watching you!" was the most frightening thing in the universe. Nobody is irreplaceable means that change is good. People will come and go and the goners are a blessing for the relationships you've had and the comers are a chance for a fresh start on a new relationship. 

I am excited to see these 4 leave my life and see what they accomplish for themselves and for God. And I have absolutely no idea whether or not I will even be able to come back to ACU next semester and be a GA or what I am going to do. But I know God is in control of it, and He's gonna make it just as awesome as he always has. 

Nobody is irreplaceable. And God is watching. But that is a good thing.

Goodbye to all my friends who are leaving, especially one that isn't leaving because of graduation. You will be sorely missed.

Out of the Ashes

Last couple weeks have been painful, humbling, eye-opening, stressful, powerful, and hard. I've majorly screwed somethings up and will suffer the consequences for those, but I have learned from my mistakes. Sometimes God changes his recipe for humble pie, to humble death hammer. And I really appreciate when he does that. I am drowning in grace and mercy and don't want to be saved.

Lessons learned:

• Don't be stupid. Knowing the difference between right and wrong is not hard. Do what is right. Micah 6:8
• Speak the truth. Always. No matter how embarrassing or disappointing it may be. John 8:32
• Accept responsibility and the consequences. Always. Good and bad. Luke 6:43-45
• There is nothing Satan can do to separate me from my Father in Heaven. And there is nothing I can do to make him stop loving me, even if it is tough love sometimes. Romans 8:37-39

No man becomes a great warrior without being tested in battle. And there is no greater battle experience than really getting your ass kicked because you haven't been preparing for battle like you should. A phoenix always comes back from the ashes. Here goes nothing.