15 Apr A Better Perspective by Andrea Graff
I was 3 years old. Daddy said we were going to build a new house in the country, so I begged him to take me to see where it was going to go. As he drove me out to the land, I could see the large oak trees and colorful wildflowers waving in the south Texas wind.
“Come on, Andrea. Let me show you where your room will be,” he said.
He took my little hand and led me through the tall grass. I tried my hardest to keep up, but finally, I couldn’t take it anymore. I stopped, put on my famous pout, lifted my chubby little hands and said, “Shoulduhs, daddy. Shoulduhs.”
Did couldn’t resist, so he propped me up on his shoulders, and we… or he… continued our trek into the woods.
That day, I saw the plans for our new house from a perspective I couldn’t have seen without him. I could see my bedroom all the way from the kitchen! From then on, at every soccer game, church event, or family game of kick the can (until we fell and I ate grass), Dad would hear a little voice yell, “shoulduhs, daddy!” And up I would go. (In fact, we still joke that he’ll walk me down the aisle on his shoulders!)
Looking back, I know that there was something special that caused me to love riding on my dad’s shoulders. Not only did it prove to me that he loved me and would respond to me whenever I needed him, but it also allowed me to see life from his perspective—a higher perspective.
As, I got older I started to realize something. I wasn’t the only one riding on my dad’s shoulders. Maybe in the literal sense, yes, but there were a lot of people Dad loved enough to lift up—to help them see from a different, greater perspective. In fact, that was his job, though he never would call it that. So, since I’m sure he’s reading this, let me fix it before I get a phone call. That was his calling. His purpose.
Dad’s goal has always been to help people live better. So naturally, he wanted to build a church whose goal was the same. From the time I’ve been little I’ve heard him utter the words, “Faith Family Church is a church with a heart for all people.”
Faith Family was built on the same idea that our family was—the same truth was so beautifully portrayed by my dad carrying me around on his shoulders. There, you’ll always be loved enough to be picked up, no matter where you’re at, but you’ll also be loved too much to be left that way. You’ll be lifted up to a higher perspective, so that you can see your life the way it’s meant to be.
Though I’m not a staff member at the church, I am a member, and serving there is one of my greatest joys. I’ve served in just about every area you can imagine throughout the years. There, friends have truly become family.
See, when I left for college, I wasn’t necessarily homesick for my home or for Victoria, but I was homesick for my church family. They’re the ones who encouraged me with letters and care packages, who rejoiced with me over opportunities, and who continue to support every career goal I have. And they don’t just do it for me, but for my friends too. That’s a family I’m proud to be a part of.
Sunday mornings at Faith are fun. Walking through the halls, you’re greeted by people, as if they know you, even if they don’t. You grab your cup of coffee from the lobby, and you’re on your way through the circular hallway. You hear the band sound checking in the sanctuary, and you see teams gathering together for prayer before their ministry time begins.
You say hello to several people, and before you know it, fifteen minutes have flown by and the countdown on the screen is ending. So you sneak into the sanctuary, grab your seat and enjoy the 90-minute service packed full of life-giving worship, creativity and wisdom.
After service, you might head back to the cafe to grab lunch with some friends, or you might pile in a car to your favorite local spot. Whatever you do, there’s no denying the warm feeling you have when you leave. It’s the same one I got so many times as I was put up on my Dad’s shoulders. You feel loved and lifted. You know you’re on the path to something greater.
As wonderful as Sundays are at Faith, I love that FFC is not just about lifting people up on Sunday mornings, but every day of the week as well. Each night, you can drive by to see cars in the parking lot. Whether it’s people in class learning how to get free of an addiction, serving on a ministry team, hanging out, eating and laughing together at a team party or prepping for a community-wide outreach, there’s always something going on.
It often amazes me to see how well my Dad’s heart has been reproduced not just in his staff but also in our entire church family. Just ask the 7,200 plus kids who received 17,232 toys this year as a part of the annual Toys for Tots event. Or the 700 homeless kids who received a coat this winter. Or even the incredible people in our community without food or shelter who have received assistance through our Faith Family Dream Center.
I don’t believe that any of this would have happened without the compassion and love—the shoulders — of our FFC family. Those are just some of the many projects we focus on, and internationally, our goal is the same. Through each project, people are being loved, and they’re being lifted.
Even now, as I’m sitting in a local coffee shop typing these words, I overhear the man sitting at the table to my left talking about how his daughter was loved and accepted so well by my church family. I can’t help but allow a proud smile to spread across my face as I thank God that He carries my Dad… Because, I’m not the only one riding on Dad’s shoulders.
This article was featured in All Things Crossroads, a magazine serving Victoria and surrounding counties.