Looking Back to look Forward

This past weekend Mary and I had the opportunity to visit our High School in Raleigh, North Carolina. The reason for the visit was that the school was celebrating 50 years of existence. Wake Christian Academy (WCA), founded in 1966, has grown from one small house to a sprawling 58-acre campus today with nearly 900 students. It was an absolute joy to revisit the school and be reminded of the great impact it has had upon so many people.

As we met old friends, viewed old photos, and thought about what had been, it was encouraging to consider all that might be. I was reminded that many of the things I do today were foundationally laid in my life through the lessons and legacy of that school. I’m grateful that God allowed both Mary and I to be influenced by Wake Christian Academy. The truth is, had it not been for WCA I would never have met that little blonde girl in the sixth grade, to whom I have been married since 1978!

In addition to visiting the school we had the opportunity to stroll down memory lane by visiting many of the places we remembered since childhood. The house that Mary’s dad built where she grew up, the streets we drove while in high school were still there. Although the area has grown and changed with time and progress it still brought back memories that are precious to us.

We also had the opportunity to visit with some friends and relatives that we do not see often.

We stopped by to visit with a man and his wife, both near 90 years old now, whom I have known all my life. Time has had the expected toll on them, but it gave us the opportunity to share stories of faith and encouragement with them both. Those, who for many years taught me the things of faith, now needed to be encouraged in their faith. I was humbled and honored to share with them a few reminders from God’s Word; that while we do not fully understand all that we are going through at the moment we can rest confident that He holds all things in His hands.

As I look back on the past I am reminded that those experiences give us all we need for the future. I realized that the three G’s that I often speak about are only the beginning. Yes, we must be grateful, gracious, and generous, but we must also be glad, grounded, guided, guarded, good, and going. There seems to be another book in this!

Today, as you remember to pray for us and others, I hope you will think (if only for a moment) about your past and look boldly and brightly at the future and thank God for all that He is doing in your life.