Today our oldest son, Luke, turns 30 years old. Happy Birthday!
Dear Luke:
I remember the first time I heard you sing — of course, we had sung kids’ songs together many times, but you were really singing . . . In was the summer of 1998 on family vacation, and you were in the back seat belting out the words to Chris Rice’s “Deep Enough to Dream.” Everyone stopped singing to hear the wonderful voice God had given this adolescent, and we all marveled.
On your 30th birthday, I want to talk about the deep, unspoken dreams that I have had for you. Now having three amazing sons of your own, you are in a better position to understand the dreams I have had for my firstborn son. In and around all the laughter, teasing, and immense fun we have together, my dream for you has only been for you to worship God sincerely, love our family loyally, and stand with me personally.
I really must praise the Lord that you continue to surpass my dream for you in each of these. Your passion for worship appeared while you were in high school, first fiddling with a guitar on Monday night dinners when Andi came over. The voice and guitar were put to great use for many unseen years in children’s church and youth group, refining your heart and preparing you to stand before His church. It has been awesome to see the Lord grow you beyond worship leader, to leader of worship leaders, visionary and tireless servant for Vertical Church Band, and cheerleader for other worship leaders across our fellowship of churches and beyond. Your mother cried tears of joy as she read the book your amazing wife Kristen put together from friends, coworkers, and neighbors who have been impacted by your testimony of faith — you truly love God “with a pure heart and sincere faith” (1 Timothy 1:5).
I don’t see how you could be more loyal to our family. In the toughest of times, with cancer, crisis, or catastrophe, in every season you have been faithful to your siblings and your parents, and our extended family on both sides. Your readiness to give and spend yourself for family is mind boggling at times, your patient nurturing of both Landon and Abby, availability for a call or conference at a moment’s notice, but best of all, the way you have drawn a boundary around your own wife and sons, to firmly establish them as your pinnacle priority — all of this fills my heart with gratitude and joy.
On top of all that, and in spite of many warnings and attempted deterrents, you disregarded my exhortations to “find another line of work,” and responded with enthusiasm to God’s calling to ministry. You then rejected my many suggestions that you serve elsewhere and chose public ministry, with me, as a preacher — just WOW! Wow, your gifts, wow your passion, wow your potential impact for Christ in the years ahead, far far “above all that we ask or imagine” (Ephesians 3:20). And wow, I have a 30-year-old, happily married son who worships God sincerely, loves family loyally, and stands by my side with immense giftedness in ministry to Christ’s church.
Think of your own sons, Carter, Reid, and Graham, 24-28 years from now. Dream of them deeply enough to imagine them becoming and doing all that you have allowed the Lord to make you and do through you. Get that clearly in mindand you will just begin to grasp why my eyes are full of thankful tears for the son born 30 Thanksgivings ago, “and oh the love I feel, and oh the peace, do I ever have to wake up.” You are a dream come true, Luke. Happy Happy Birthday!
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