Treasured memories should never hold us captive in the past; they should compel us to be grateful and to keep moving forward. My father taught me that truth through words similar to these and through actions that displayed them.

In the Bible, Paul used his memories this way. He said, in my own retelling of the historical truths found in the book of Acts, “Sure, I once had the admiration of others (for the wrong reasons); I was important; I had a well-known reputation; I used to hang out with the really big-name people who were proud of the fact that they got to hang out with me. Now I’m hated, talked about with disdain, and not someone the important people want to associate with. But here’s the thing: ‘none of these things move me.’ In fact, ‘my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace’ [Acts 20:24, NIV]. That, my friends, is what matters.”

Treasure your memories; learn from your memories. But keep moving forward. Paul (and my precious father) knew that you don’t “finish the race” by standing still.

_____________________

Photo story: One of my favorite photos now is from a day when I sat and held my father’s hand
while he talked to me about waiting on God, waiting patiently for those I love and care about,
and moving forward with my dreams and desires—because life is short.