Dear Pastor Doug,
I remember the first time we talked. It was during Super Bowl XLI game halftime in 2007. While everyone was watching the halftime show you and I had one of the most profound conversations of my life. Sitting on your dining room table you saw a broken child, with a desperate cry for help, a boy who had been taken advantage of, abused, and manipulated, but deep in my eyes you saw Hope, Dreams, Aspirations, and a Need for a loving father in my life. At that moment I myself didn’t even know who I was. I was struggling with identity and much pride that allow rebelliousness to enter my heart. But you saw pass all of that. You didn’t reject me, you didn’t push me away, but you affirmed the man I was going to become.
A year later I was asked what I wanted for Christmas, ALL I wanted was to have lunch with you. Even then I was seeking for your attention, for your love and a piece of your awesomeness because in you I found something that my father never gave me; Time.
I remember the first time we talked. It was during Super Bowl XLI game halftime in 2007. While everyone was watching the halftime show you and I had one of the most profound conversations of my life. Sitting on your dining room table you saw a broken child, with a desperate cry for help, a boy who had been taken advantage of, abused, and manipulated, but deep in my eyes you saw Hope, Dreams, Aspirations, and a Need for a loving father in my life. At that moment I myself didn’t even know who I was. I was struggling with identity and much pride that allow rebelliousness to enter my heart. But you saw pass all of that. You didn’t reject me, you didn’t push me away, but you affirmed the man I was going to become.
A year later I was asked what I wanted for Christmas, ALL I wanted was to have lunch with you. Even then I was seeking for your attention, for your love and a piece of your awesomeness because in you I found something that my father never gave me; Time.
Dad, all of this to say the following, today is Monday, April 15, 2013 I am now 24 years old and I am seeing how you have impacted my life in many ways. Many of the things you said at that table that night is slowly but surely coming to past and it’s all because of the work that I have allow God to do in me. But you had much to do with it. In the past year I have seen how your son Kaden has accepted me as his brother in his life, Jackson respects me as a brother and a friend and from time to time he has sought for my council, and Kenny, well Kenny is just awesome. And you and Mom have opened your house to me in many ways. PS: I’m thinking dinner soon.
Thank you for the way you have taken me in as your son, for the relationship you and I both have. I can come and seat on your sofa on any given day and you would be ready with a hug and attentive to listen to what has me troubled. The way you have spoken into my life, the affirmation, the jokes, the laughter’s, and even the cries have helped me become a man after Gods own heart. Not finding my happiness in man, but on the Cross, the place where Jesus Christ died for me, the place where Jesus said that He loved so much that He died for me just so I can find my identity in Him alone.
Dear Dad, this is an open letter to tell you “Happy Birthday,” to tell you “Thank You,” to tell you that “I love you so much,” to tell you that through you the Holy Spirit has allowed me to see the value and the worth that I have in me.” One day the things you have taught me, the things you have shown me, and the live examples you have done I pray that I too will do the same for my children.”
“So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise.” -John 5:19
I Love you Dad, from:
“A simple guy living a BOLD life for Christ –Francisco Nelson
Thank you for the way you have taken me in as your son, for the relationship you and I both have. I can come and seat on your sofa on any given day and you would be ready with a hug and attentive to listen to what has me troubled. The way you have spoken into my life, the affirmation, the jokes, the laughter’s, and even the cries have helped me become a man after Gods own heart. Not finding my happiness in man, but on the Cross, the place where Jesus Christ died for me, the place where Jesus said that He loved so much that He died for me just so I can find my identity in Him alone.
Dear Dad, this is an open letter to tell you “Happy Birthday,” to tell you “Thank You,” to tell you that “I love you so much,” to tell you that through you the Holy Spirit has allowed me to see the value and the worth that I have in me.” One day the things you have taught me, the things you have shown me, and the live examples you have done I pray that I too will do the same for my children.”
“So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise.” -John 5:19
I Love you Dad, from:
“A simple guy living a BOLD life for Christ –Francisco Nelson