Celebrating My Champions by Julianne Pearson

A few days before Father’s Day 2010, my husband and I were having a heart to heart talk with our children.  Because of our commitment to healing the repetitive dysfunctional behaviors of our ancestors, my husband and I are quite naked and unashamed with them at times – to their chagrin.  However, like any natural hurt or wound, in order for it to heal properly eventually the Band-Aid has to be removed so that air can get to it.  Likewise, the spiritual hurts and wounds of our past must be aired constructively so that the proper healing can take place.

Therefore on this particular Father’s Day, it was Al’s opportunity to receive another level of healing through the power of confession.  As he poured out his heart, my heart actually began to ache in compassion for him like never before.  However, the interesting thing is, Al being naked and unashamed actually gave me a greater appreciation for all the challenges my own father had encountered, survived, and transitioned from this life in the process of conquering.

According to most relationship specialists, it is said that the fellowship (quality of a relationship) a daughter has with her father will be indicative to the fellowship she will have with her husband.  In essence, the qualities and characteristics of her father are an indication of the qualities and characteristics of the individual she chooses to date and eventually marry.  Although there are always exceptions to the rule, this is a prevailing premise.  Naturally, I followed the rule and married someone similar to my dad.

Yes, like any other human being, my father had some frailties and deficiencies; and so does my husband.  However on this particular day, God gave me an opportunity to gain a greater appreciation for one profound quality both of them share – Champion!

I define a champion as one who is a visionary and missionary who is accustomed to rising to the top – eventually!  Let me explain.  A visionary is an individual that has the ability to envision beyond their past disappointments and their present view.  However, a missionary is an individual that possesses the capacity to put into action or make a life-mission of what they envision.  Although many people visualize experiencing more, fewer people possess the missionary spirit to do something about what they envision.  In my opinion, those that forcefully advance with steps of faith to experience what they envision regardless of their past experiences and present circumstances are true Champions!

Similar to my dad, Al has been training to be someone neither one of them had the pleasure of experiencing as a child – an interactive father.  I say training because failure – in Al’s mind just like my dad – is not even an option.  Al is determined to be more, and therefore he continually strives to do more.   Subsequently, Al’s decision (mind-determination) and choices (faith in action) to persevere has broken a destructive family pattern, doing what was initially difficult until it became easy. 

Therefore, today I honor the Champions in my life – my dad and my husband.  Why don’t you join me?  If you have a true Champion in your life – a visionary and missionary – celebrate their efforts to be more which has empowered them to do more than what was done for them.  It is no easy feat!  And yet they have persevered, making their ceiling their children’s floor!  I promise you…because of this Championing spirit, Heaven rejoices!

© 2011 Julianne Pearson

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