A message from Dad

We went to Benjamin and Wyatt's first soccer practice yesterday. (Read the soccer camp story for important context!) I snapped a picture of Benjamin, frozen with fear, and sent it to Chris at work. I asked Chris to pray for Benjamin because he was completely overwhelmed at the sight of other kids on the field. I knew Benjamin was in a hard spot because his whole heart wants to be a soccer player, and he's been counting down the days to come to soccer practice. His body and mind simply said no. They could not integrate.

Chris responded with a video for me to show Benjamin. I teared up while Benjamin grinned. He listened to his dad while watching the soccer practice around him. In this video, you hear Chris talking to his son and see what unfolded for the entire hour of practice. The scene wasn't glamorous. We were far away from the handful of soccer players in Benjamin's age group. We played in puddles and mud without a moment of interaction with the coach or players. But we showed up, and we stayed.

I hope you'll let this soundtrack play over you as a message from your Heavenly Father to you. You see, dearly loved child, you don't have the best one on the team. You don't even have be on a team to belong to Him. You might still be afraid. You might be alone in a muddy puddle. You might not be able to integrate your body, mind and heart. But your Father sees you. He is SO PROUD of you because He made you with His best love. You are woven with His delight and goodness right there on the sidelines.

After practice, we did a full wardrobe change in the back of the van. The boys were muddy, wet and shuddering with delight. THEY DID SOCCER. THEY WENT TO PRACTICE, AND IT WAS SO FUN. Everything was right, no matter what the video looks like, because their daddy was cheering for them.

He's cheering for you too.