Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?
Matthew 7:9–11
Nothing thrilled Ray more than the opportunity to lead the world’s most elite fighting force. After 12 weeks of grueling Marine officer training, he knew he had found his life’s calling.
Living the Dream
Ray not only became a Marine officer, but he also ascended higher into leadership until he was promoted to company commander. At the end of his six-month deployment in Somalia, another promotion was within reach.
Then Ray’s son Patrick was born, and everything changed.
Two days after his birth, Patrick contracted meningitis. Impaired movement on the left side of his body suggested he also had cerebral palsy.
To further complicate matters, Ray’s wife Nancy suffered a mild stroke and had to be medically discharged from the military. She couldn’t care for Patrick on her own. Now Ray had to choose between his dream career and time with his family.
He chose his family.
Living for a Bigger Dream
Ray left the Marine Corps and accepted a second-shift job so he and Nancy could provide constant care for their son.
With intervention therapy, Patrick’s motor skills slowly returned. He learned to walk and speak. He went to school and even participated in a talent show. Dad was always at his side, taking in every moment.
Though Ray could have locked onto his military dream like a Green Beret sets his sight on a target, he was a father first. He knew his highest call of duty was not on the battlefield or in a bunker, but at home. He said of his experience, “I may not have been leading 170 men anymore . . . but I was leading the one who mattered most to me.”
This month we celebrate dads like Ray who put their families first. If a good earthly father can make big sacrifices for his son, how much more will our Father in Heaven do the same for us?
God’s perfect love, demonstrated through His Son’s sacrificial death for our sins on the cross, is reflected in a father’s selfless love for his family. Mad dad skills aren’t developed in the Marines. They are gifts from the Father above. And He is delighted to share them with you — if you’ll just ask. It’s His call of duty.
Article by Cam Edwards
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