Friday, April 14, 2006

Über Christ Followers – Part 17 – Aaron Mondok


No one has taught me more about my relationship with my Heavenly Father than my own son. Holding him and praying over him as a baby taught me about a father’s love for a son. I never knew I had the capacity for such love, or a desire to protect, provide for and nourish. I am conscious of the transition I made from being just a man to being a father. I’m grateful for that awareness. It helps me begin to understand God’s passionate love for me.

Being a dad means I have to live differently. I learned that I was responsible before God for the man that my son would become. Now, the years that I have him to pour into are almost gone. Very soon he will be standing on his own, responsible not to me, but to his Heavenly Father.

Aaron is the most outstanding and godly young man I know. This boy has only expressed a desire to serve God where ever on this planet God desires.

I took this boy to Africa with me – to South Sudan – and he established a ministry to children that is still up and running. I took this kid to Mexico where he served kids in English speaking clinics, painted the dormitories of orphans, and taught his peers the Bible.

Here at home, he serves in outreaches on high school campuses, leads a small group in middle school ministry, serves as a sound tech in youth group, and teaches his peers the Bible. This kid is so far ahead of where I was at seventeen. I marvel at the power of God’s Word and the grace of His Spirit to cause a young boy to grow into a godly man.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hey thanks for lunch. This post is giving me great hope for my boy!

Chris Goeppner said...

all you say is true! special man is aaron.

Bryonm said...

Rod:

Hanging out with you over lunch was my privilege.

Your boy has nothing but hope. I see the way you and Dawn strategically parent this boy. Fruit will abound.

Bryonm said...

Gep:

Aaron would not be who he is without the influence and time you've poured into him. Thanks for your part.

Anonymous said...

I see a lot of your time invested in Aaron...I think it's a sign of God's work in your life and Him exposing to you the importance of investing in our children.

Anonymous said...

Aaron is very cool!