I met this mighty man of God on a cancer floor. I had heard about his family through friends. We shared a strong faith. In fact we shared a Church the way I think God intended Church in its original “gathering” to be. I had once been to Red Rocks almost two decades ago to see if a church could grow from a visiting group of visionists. Dan and I were the Church. The defining root of “Church”. That means just that; gathering together. In real life, outside of a zip code or building.
He was so big to me. I was so weak. He was older and more mature than me. Immediately I saw a vision of him as a father I wanted to be like. A husband I wanted to be like.
So, I prayed for him. Right away. Right in the main hall. Loud and proud. Weak, but strong. He gave me courage to cry. To live.
We fell together into a peaceful friendship in our own scenarios. United by our faith.
It’s funny, when we met I wanted to eat Wheat Thins and I was so jealous that he could. I remember walking away from the original meeting and being so wanting of those crackers he loved. That changed for both of us later. I never don’t think of him when I see a box of Wheat Thins now.

I’ll miss him. But I won’t. He won’t miss me, he is so much better off with Jesus. The logic of that is enough for me to be firm and faithful the way God always has intended us to be from the beginning.

It amazes me and he encourages me even after his life here has ended, because mine has not. And if you’re reading this, your life has not ended. You have life to live. God is real and has something for you and that only comes from Him. Dan would want you to know that more than anything.