Here we go.  Part three of my “Inspire” series.  This one is an honor for me to write.  I’ve talked about my community in part one…how amazing it is to have a group of people around me to share life with, and how they all, in their own unique way, encourage me day after day.  I’ve talked about a father who has run marathons and triathlons pushing and pulling his quadriplegic son.  Seeing a boy who could never swim or bike or run on his own relying on his father to help him along encourages me.  And, seeing a man who selflessly devotes himself to help his son through race after race makes me want to be selfless in my approach to others.

And then my mind is turned to my own father, who has inspired me in more ways than one.  So, this week, I want to tell you a bit about my dad.  The first thing you need to know is that in October he finished his first marathon…Chicago.  At the age of 55, he rocked out 26.2 miles.  I was so proud of him, and I count it an honor to have run our first marathon on the same day.  He crossed the finish line about an hour after I did, and I think I’ll always remember giving him a big hug at the meet-up area.  Seriously, there aren’t many 55 year old dads out there who would train and finish a marathon.  He just registered for the 35^th Annual Fifth Third River Bank Run as well, and you can bet I’ll be at the finish line waiting for him again!  Even though we live a few hours away from each other, we were able to do some of our training runs together in getting ready for our marathon.  During one of these runs, he told me that when I was only two years old, he had started training for the Detroit Marathon.  Then my mom got pregnant with my little sister, and between work, school, and a new baby on the way, he didn’t have time to train.  So now, some 30 years later, he finally completed his first marathon and now plans to go back to Detroit to run the race he originally wanted to complete when I was still in diapers.

Aside from my dad running races, some of my earliest memories of him are watching the back of his head as I rode in the child seat on the back of his Takara 10-speed street bike (which now hangs in my own garage need of some fixing up before it’s ready for the street again).  When I was old enough to ride my own bike, I remember evening rides next to him while he jogged.  He’s always been athletic.  He’s coached baseball, softball, wrestling, and soccer.  He’s played church softball for as long as I can remember.  Whatever sport I played…from t-ball in kindergarten, to baseball in middle school, to soccer in high school…he was at as many games as he could be at.  When friends of mine and I started a band, he came to the shows.  When I was in plays in high school, he was there.  He has always been a dad that I’m so proud to call mine.  He’s taught me about grace, forgiveness, and commitment.  He’s taught me about integrity and honesty, and much of how I parent my own children today is a direct result of how he poured his life into me as a child.

Professionally, my dad has been a teacher for 26 years.  He teaches Special Education in a small rural district in the Thumb of Michigan that needs three towns to put together a graduating class size of around 100 students.  He started out at the high school level, and recently transitioned to elementary.  What is so impressive about his tenure at his school, is that since it is a small district, he deals with every student who needs extra help in order to graduate.  This could range from a simple learning disability to autism to down syndrome.  To see my dad interact and teach these students is truly amazing. I grew up getting to know his students, and as a result, I have a heart for those who might not have it as easy as you and I.  I’m so thankful for people like my dad who work in our education system to ensure that those who aren’t blessed with the natural ability to read and write, are taken care of.  I’m encouraged that there are those out there to face disabilities head-on and actually believe that those kids have a shot at thriving.  All of these things put together cause me to want to, in many ways, be just like my dad.  I want to pour into my children the way he poured into me.  I want to love my wife the way he loves my mother.  I want to be 55 and still running marathons.  And, I want to help those around me who might need some added supports in life to be able to thrive. I want to have the same heart as my father.

Which brings me to my charity, Hope Network.  I’m excited to be running for someone other than myself.  Hope Network provides”a continuum of specialized care for those with brain and spinal cord injuries, mental illness, developmental disabilities, and other disadvantages.  Our support services include transportation, subsidized housing, and workforce development that utilizes our own manufacturing facilities for on-the-job training.”  I’ll be honest, when I first listed Hope Network as the charity I wanted to run for, I didn’t know a whole lot about them.  I knew of the subsidized housing aspect due to the nature of my own work with the Grand Rapids Housing Commission, but I had no idea of the wide range of supportive services they offered to our community.  When I met with our representative from Hope Network, I shared briefly about the line of work my dad is in.  She explained that there are a lot of services in place for children and students in need of assistance with education and job training.  And, the system is filled with people like my dad who do everything they can to get students ready for the real world.  However, once students leave our public school system, the amount of services in place dwindles.  This is where Hope Network comes in.

I’m a firm believer that there are a lot of people out there…some on our own street corner…that need someone to come alongside them to help.  It could be a physical disability.  It could be a mental illness, or substance abuse, or a learning disability…the list goes on.  I believe that it is our individual duty to care for those who our society might often look down on.  And, a great way to do that is to partner with an organization like Hope Network.  In the coming months, I’ll talk more about specific ways you can give.  But, today, I want you to know that I’m running for something greater than myself…even something greater than Hope Network.  See, the values that my father has passed down to me aren’t simply his own.  He learned them from another Father.  He learned them from years of struggle and discipline and seeking.  He learned them from reading Scripture and praying.  The hope that my father has…and has passed down to me…comes from a gracious and loving God.  A God who commands us to care for those who would be considered the “least.”  A God who implores us to “act justly” and to “love mercy.”  A God who commands us to consider others better than ourselves.  So, whether you believe in this God or not, I think we can all agree that these principles of selflessness and grace and taking care of others are principles that will help to make this world a better place.  In closing, I want to challenge you to ask these two simple questions: “Who can I help?” and “How can I help them?”

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