This is who I want to be when I grow up

Examples of living the Christian life from my late father.

My dad passed away a week ago to natural causes. Unexpectedly. At the “young” age of 63.

I know I bill this newsletter as offering a funny story with a spiritual point. But it’s my newsletter and MY dad so we are going to switch moods a bit today. I didn’t send a newsletter last week as I was just coming to terms with a new reality.

In my week of being fatherless, I’ve felt a slew of emotions, many of them paradoxical. I’ve experienced all the stages of grief in no particular order. But among all of this, one strain of thought has risen above the rest: my dad was a great man.

I want to dedicate this newsletter to the great man he was and the great man he inspires me to be. He wasn’t perfect and we had distinct personalities, but his character is one of the clearest reflections of Jesus I’ve ever seen on earth. We can all learn from him.

My dad and I…. from a long time ago. But check it out, I always did want to be like him.

My dad’s example

Selflessness

My dad was one of the most selfless people on the planet. A true servant. I always envied that. No one embodied a Christ-like servitude quite like him. Whether it was his customers or people needing moving help at church (he always volunteered his truck!) or recipients of our church’s Thanksgiving food boxes, he always went above and beyond. In fact, he constantly told us it wasn’t good enough to just meet expectations. We should strive to exceed them. Practicing what he preached, he went the extra mile for everyone around him, doing kind deeds whenever he observed a need.

“If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles.”

-Matthew 5:41

Faith

It sounds weird to say, but I watched him grow in his faith over the years and become a very godly man. My dad made plenty of mistakes in the past but he never give up on his marriage, family, or faith. One of his most remarkable careers was running a Christian bookstore. During that time, our whole family experienced spiritual growth as he learned to take our faith seriously through engaging with the books and materials he sold.

When he and my mom eventually moved to the same state as me, I proudly saw my dad stretch his theological imagination in ways I felt were even more Jesus-like than before. He was ordained an elder by his new church because they recognized the fruit of faith in his life.

“When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.”

-Acts 4:13

Friendliness

He never met a stranger. We’d joke that he could chat up a random guy at the gas station and be invited to his birthday party in 5 minutes. As far as I can tell, he liked everyone and everyone liked him. He was the most personable guy you’d ever meet.

One of his chief ways of communication was humor. His humor was legendary! Anything funny I say I probably stole from him; anything not funny I say is probably an original. Sometimes it would take you a while to figure out he was joking (the guy had an amazing poker face and surprisingly did not use it to gamble). But even when you rolled your eyes at the ridiculousness you couldn’t help thinking it was hilarious.

Yet there was also a special side of his friendliness that some people might not have seen. As kids, he always said to us “what’s mine is yours” which meant we’d sip the rest of his Dr. Pepper and eat off his plate. He was willing and able to make sacrifices. Especially for his boys and his wife, who always came first (though sometimes during college football season it didn’t seem that way).

“So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.”

-Matthew 7:12

Loyalty

My dad was always there. His dad was mostly absent throughout his life, never once attending any of his many sports games. My dad broke that generational curse. He always showed up and was my absolute biggest fan. Even though I didn’t play sports like he did, he showed up for my plays, sermons, book launch parties, and whatever else.

For almost the first ten birthday parties of my brother and I’s lives, he would attend in a themed costume. Each time, he’d jokingly make the excuse that he “had to work” so couldn’t be there. But he was always there—just dressed as a clown. Shaggy, Batman, or a Bionicle. We caught on quickly and will always cherish how he went above and beyond to make our lives special.

“Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart.”

-Proverbs 3:3

That’s just the kind of guy he was.

The kind of guy we should all be.

That’s why I want to be like him when I grow up.

Question of the Week

Leave your answer in the comment section below or reply to this email.

What lessons have you learned from your parent or a parent-like figure?

My “Goings On”

• Super Jake and the Fashion Police is out and is sold wherever you buy books: www.jakedoberenz.com/super-jake01 PLEASE REVIEW ON AMAZON AND/OR GOODREADS.

I love you dad,

Jake Doberenz

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