I have a dear friend, my best friend who I have adopted as my brother. My biological brother died twelve years ago. I miss him a lot, he was a great brother and a good Marine. My new brother is an interesting duck and he would say he resembles that remark. I have known him for over ten years and over those years we have shared the greatest joys and pains in our lives.
My brother, when we first met, was a devoted Buddhist with no real use for the Church, religion or God as most describe God. He earned that right and lived into that place after a childhood as a budding Episcopalian and once hopeful priest to be. Then life betrayed him a bit, the direction changed and he learned to live into being a police officer, which he did well, until his heart could not stand to see the suffering and pain. He became a bank president and lived into the role of being in charge and successful, until the wrong person decided he had to go.
Why am I telling my brother’s story? Because it still unfolding, now in glorious ways. Fast forward now to the past 6 years and my brother learning to love this crazy old contemplative. Slowly, the Eternal began to creep back into my brother’s life and conversation. I introduced him to Brennan Manning and the new directions started to show more often. In the past year, my brother started attending a church and has now discovered his faith again, for the very first time. And now, several at his church see the heart I have always known wanted to surface….a heart that is gigantic in it’s ability to accept others as is. A heart that is backed by an intellect I will never approach.
What life should you be living into? Does it satisfy your needs? Does it bring peace to your heart? My brother is drawing a bead on peace of that nature and the very capable marksman does not miss often. He won’t this time either. It will be his greatest bulls eye. Live into your life. And bro………live into that life you see coming toward you. Be bold, be alive.
TMM