I am so glad that I don’t own any crystal balls. I really don’t want to know what the future holds. It might be scary! When our boys were born, I did not want to know that life would hold for them at age 20, or age 17, or age 13. I have enjoyed 22 wonderful years in ministry, but I am glad that I did not have a crystal ball when I first started. I did not need to know what I would face as a minister at age 25. In another sense, the presence of a crystal ball would destroy the magnificent surprises that God has in store. Who wants a good surprise ruined?

I interviewed for my first ministry position with the Tenth and Broad Church of Christ in Wichita Falls, TX during Memorial Day weekend of 1987. The members of the campus minister search committee were so gracious. Several of them are still friends today. That Sunday morning we attended the young couples Sunday school class. Once again some of the people we met in that class on that fateful Sunday are still friends today. I remember specifically meeting Marty and Janet that morning. They were the parents of a young toddler. She was very expectant with their second child.

I ended up getting the job. We moved to Wichita Falls in July of that year. Janet had the baby sometime between the interview and the time that I assumed ministry duties that summer. We got to hold a sweet little boy not long after our arrival in Wichita Falls. Marty and Janet were great role models to us. They showed us what good parenting looks like. We were going to need such modeling in the very near future!

Randall came along almost exactly 2 years after Janet and Marty’s second son was born during that summer of 1987. Daniel followed in 1992, and Mitchell in 1996. Time has marched on. Our boys are at that critical age when they need role models other than mom and dad. All three of our boys have been blessed with exceptional youth ministers and equally dedicated youth ministry interns.

Shane has served as one of our youth ministry interns for three summers now here in Granbury. He is indeed a very dedicated young man. The kids respond well to him. Our youngest son, Mitchell has been dramatically impacted by his influence. He has been Shane’s constant shadow for two summers now. Having a shadow would drive a lot of college students crazy! Shane takes it all in stride. He has used the time in very productive ways to help shape Mitchell at a crucial time in his life. In fact, Mitchell has mentioned this summer his desire to become a youth minister himself.

We are very grateful for Shane. We are sad that this will be his last summer with us in Granbury. He is about to graduate from Oklahoma Christian University. I look forward to the day that a church calls me asking for a reference. A very fortunate church will have him soon as their fulltime youth minister.

As I observe Shane interacting with Mitchell today, I am thankful again that I don’t own a crystal ball. If I had been possession of a crystal ball in 1987, I would have known that Janet and Marty were going to name her their second son, Shane. And I would have known that he was going to play a major role in the life of my third child, who not come into this world until 1996. God was not ready for me know that fact 22 years ago. He was saving the gift for just the right time. And who wants a good surprise ruined? I am thankful today for a God of surprises.