Discovering Who I Am

I was recently asked, who are the three people who have had the most influence on my life.

My father, Lonny

The most influential person overall would have to be my father, Lonny. He has impacted who I am as a person and is responsible for imparting the values that guide me through life’s most important decisions. Among the many principles and values I learned from my father is that there is a difference between authority and position. He never needed a position or title to validate the quiet, confident authority God gave him. He taught me the difference between knowledge and wisdom. Being an artist as well, my father taught me how to create as a created being made in the image of the Creator. And one of the most critical principles I learned from my father is how to operate in God’s economy of giving and receiving as compared to the worlds economy of buying and selling. He gave freely and received graciously.

Me with my wife, Jennifer

Second to my father, my wife, Jennifer has had significant influence in my life. I am privileged to have married a woman who has a special ability to see beyond the skin of the world to the deeper matters of the kingdom. Her keen gift of discernment has been a source of much needed insight and perspective in the midst of complex and often confusing seasons of life. She has consistently understood more about me than I seem to understand about myself and has encouraged and challenged me to become something greater every day. Jennifer’s willingness to embrace risk and make life work on less during the early years of establishing Harvest Media were a critical part of the success we enjoy today. I truly wouldn’t be the man I am today, nor the privilege of doing what I do, without her.

Me and my brother, Lance, when we were kids

Third on my list would have to be my brother, Lance. The love for adventure and explorer’s heart I have today came out of scrambling to keep up with an older brother as he conquered the world Huckleberry Finn-style. He scoffed at risk and wouldn’t stop until he had found the end of every trail and seen the other side of every mountain. When an unfortunate knife accident resulted in the loss of my right eye when I was nine, the doctors prophesied I would never be able to live like other boys. With an absence of depth perception, I would struggle to ride a bike, to navigate rough terrain; I should be watched and protected. My parents responded by buying me a unicycle (which I learned to ride) and Lance continued taking me on adventures– challenging me to climb, swim, jump, fish, camp, ride motorcycles, water ski– everything I shouldn’t be able to do like the next guy, my brother taught me to do better.

I owe the vision to achieve to my father, the courage to take risks to my brother, and the support to carry through to my wife.

I am indeed a blessed man.