Grayson, climbing "Everest" won't be easy but it is so worth it...

Grayson — right now you are asleep in your room. You started your day with a trip to the store with Mommy and came home excited about playing with Saban, your new toys and having lunch. Your worries are minimal and your joy is abundant. Know that I pray it stays this way forever. I want to remind you though that all this was planned out for you. You see this all started long before you were an idea in your mom and dads mind. The routine of life was planned out before even your mom and I met. Have I told you that story; the story of how your mom and I met? Boy, was is that a story for you. A story of your father going through the darkest time in his life and climbing his Mt. Everest and a story of your mother being ever faithful to believing God had a plan to capture her heart and answer her prayer.

You see your dad was finally at a place in his life that he was ready; ready for his world to be turned upside down and to be rocked; ready to climb any mountain that he faced. I remember after the first time meeting your mom I drove home (home was 20hrs from where dad was currently living) and I stopped in a familiar town to visit with a friend. I think back to that conversation every now and again because I remember so clearly something he said; “this isn’t God, this is Joe…this is something Joe would do, not God.” In that moment I thought, “wow, maybe he is right.” That thought was fleeting and by the time I made it back to my car to finish my journey home I felt a clear peace knowing that he was wrong. You see, God made me who I am. He had brought me through a season of life that called me to hear His voice to clearly and to discern what is Him and what was me. God instilled me the sense of adventure and passion that I have. The adventure and passion that was needed to meet your mom. Know that that same adventure and passion lives in you. A day will come when you will know that God has called you to something bigger, something harder than you have ever embarked on. You’ll have people that you trust, love and respect tell you that this isn’t from God. My encouragement and my charge to you is to do what I did; be prayerful in that journey that God is calling you on. I firmly believe that He does not call you to climb your “Everest” without preparing you first for the obstacles that it has waiting. John Eldridge has book that I hope you have read; Wild at Heart. In it, John shares his “Everest” story. His journey of God taking him into the unknown. Each person has their own “Everest” they have to climb; mine was going through all I did to finally meet your mom. The journey was hard but oh how worth it it was. My Everest led me to your mom and ultimately, you.

So my reminder to you my son, ….climbing your Everest won’t be easy but it is so worth it! I love you. - Dad