Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king. (1 Peter 2:17)

What people in your life have left the greatest impression?

Yesterday, Julia (my wife), Cathy Lee, and Jane Dodson represented Culpeper in the 6th annual Angel’s Race Triathlon in Lynchburg, Virginia. This has become my favorite triathlon of all-time because of its history, the warm spiritual climate, and the family friendly atmosphere. Let me explain.

For 10 years I worked with Dr. George E. Broman, Jr. in the operating room at Culpeper Hospital before he retired in 1997. George worked as an a general surgeon and I served him as an anesthesiologist. He was my favorite surgeon of all-time for numerous reasons including his integrity. George was a quiet, humble, service-oriented leader. He served as President of the Medical Society of Virginia for 2 years and as a state delegate in the Virginia General Assembly for 2 years. Our community named the new high school football stadium after George to honor him for his years of dedication as the team physician.

I had the privilege of honoring George at his retirement by sharing a custom PowerPoint summarizing his life. While preparing that over weeks with Nancy, his wife, I got to learn a lot about George and his family. It was at his retirement celebration that I first met George’s 4 grown children and their spouses. Within 2-3 years of retiring, George and Nancy moved from Culpeper to Lynchburg to be near to their children and 11 grandchildren.

Then tragedy struck. In November 2002, Brittany Groover, George’s oldest grandchild, died in an automobile accident at the age of 15. How did the Broman family respond? Rather than having a pity party, they united to form the Angel’s Foundation [http://angelsrace.com] and launched the first Angel’s Race Triathlon in April 2003.

The race in 2003 began with 100 participants. A majority of participants had “Brittany” written on their arm as they raced in honor of her. Now in its 6th year, this race has become an early season favorite for triathletes from across the state of Virginia and beyond. The event is both highly competitive and enjoyable for novice and first time athletes. It has filled to its capacity of 410 the past 3 years.

My scheduled didn’t permit me to participate in the 2003 triathlon, but I made sure to do it in April 2004 to say thank you to the Broman family. That was my favorite triathlon of all-time. In 2005 my wife did the Angel’s Race Triathlon. In 2006, Cathy Lee did it.

What’s the special spiritual touch? Each year, on the Saturday evening before the race, athletes, volunteers, and spectators are invited to participate in a beautiful worship service at St. Andrew Presbyterian Church. Then on Sunday morning shortly before official race start, Tim Groover, Brittany’s father, says a wonderful prayer thanking God, giving glory to Him, and blessing the athletes. Then Stephanie Broman, George’s grandaughter, sings the Star Spangled banner.

What’s the special family touch? George and Nancy Broman and all 4 of their children and families either volunteer in the triathlon or participate in it.

For me, it’s a tremendous privilege to know and honor the Broman family. They represent what is good and great about America. They represent uncommon loving service to the community. As a family, they embody the Greatest Commandment, namely to love God and love people. And the athletes know and experience that. To see photos from yesterday’s triathlon, visit today’s Link of the Day.

Prayer Power
Heavenly Father, thank You for the special people You bring into our lives to encourage and inspire us. Thank You for George and Nancy Broman and the tremendous family and community legacy they are leaving. Thank You for the Angel’s Foundation and the Angel’s Race Triathlon. Inspire each of us to strive to make daily choices to leave our own godly legacies. Thank You Jesus. Amen.

Link of the Day
Photos from 2008 Angel’s Race Triathlon

Blessings to strive to make daily choices to leave a godly legacy!

By humility and the fear of the LORD Are riches and honor and life. (Proverbs 22:4)

In what areas of your life, do you need to die to yourself?

Yesterday evening, rather than hosting the weekly marriage LIFE group at our home, I attended the Tenebrae Service at New Salem Baptist Church. Before Pastor Chad Whaley and his wife Briana invited me a week ago, I had never heard of Tenebrae. The Tenebrae service has already had a huge impact me, not just last night, but this morning.

During this entire Passion Week, God has spoken the word “humility” to me over and over. So yesterday morning, the first prayer I wrote in my journal was one asking God to bless me with UNCOMMON humility. At the Tenebrae service, I wrote 4 different words on my black card and nailed that to the cross. One of those was “pride.” That’s not a fun thing to look at in yourself. It’s not an easy thing to share about. It’s interesting that the topic this week in my Implementation coaching course just happened to be “Dying to Yourself.”

Here is what Ken Collins says on his web page titled “What is a Tenebrae Service?”

The word ‘tenebrae’ is Latin for shadows. The purpose of the Tenebrae service is to recreate the emotional aspects of the passion story, so this is not supposed to be a happy service, because the occasion is not happy. If your expectation of Christian worship is that it should always be happy and exhilarating, you won’t appreciate this service until the second time you attend it.

The service was originally designed for Good Friday, but it can be used for Maundy Thursday as well. Both services have long scripture narratives, which for this service are divided into seven, eight, or nine parts, each one assigned to a different reader.

The service may include other parts, such as solemn hymns, a sermon, and Communion, but the core of the Tenebrae service works like this: It starts out with the church in candlelight. There are as many candles as there are readings, plus a white Christ candle. The readers go up one at a time, read their assigned selections, and extinguish one of the candles, until only the Christ candle remains. Then someone reads the first part of Psalm 22, which Jesus quoted on the cross. Then the Christ candle is put out, leaving the congregation in near total darkness—and near total devastation. At this point, the service ends. There is no benediction and the people leave in silence.

The purpose of the service is to recreate the betrayal, abandonment, and agony of the events, and it is left unfinished, because the story isn’t over until Easter Day.

The first time I went to a Tenebrae service, I thought it was awful, because I didn’t understand it. But I went a second time and now it is my favorite service in the year! After I became a pastor, I had one at my church. It was the first time they experienced a Tenebrae service, so I prepared them for it. Everyone who attended said it was the most moving service they had ever been to.

If you see only the happy ending of a movie, everyone who saw it from the start is elated, but you go away saying, “So they were all hugging each other? So what?” But if you see the beginning and the middle part, with all the suspense and grief, you understand what the characters overcame, and the happy ending is all the happier. So to me, attending the Easter service without attending the Holy Week services is like watching the happy ending of the movie without seeing the middle—you only rob yourself of joy.

Prayer Power
Heavenly Father, thank You for going to work on me in the past week to expose pride in my heart. Forgive me for the ways I have made things about me instead of about You. Bless me with UNCOMMON humility that I may truly serve the Body of Christ. Teach me and those reading this message to die to ourselves daily to rise to new life in You. Thank You Jesus. Amen.

Link of the Day
High impact YouTube video on the power of humility in 6 year old child

Blessings for UNCOMMON humility!