This is my father...Rev. Ray Hylton.
He is...
My pops
My mentor
My council
My spiritual father
My pastor
My friend
My listener
My voice of reason
My example
My corrector
My encourager
My prayer partner
My confidant
I want to thank him for teaching me about the power of SACRIFICE. He taught me about the power of a strong work ethic, spiritual disciplines, devotion unto The Lord & family life.
My father worked 30 years in a factory and pastored a church at the same time (for many of those years & he still does). Before that, he served in a local church & held up the arms of our pastors. He was FAITHFUL & FRUITFUL and I rarely recall a time that we didn't attend service. I watched my parents clean the church, pick up people for church, drive the bus, teach classes, serve in the altar, cook meals, shovel snow, mop floors, raise other people's children, and the list goes on.
My parents raised us (my sister Venita & I) to run after God with our whole heart. They never acted "bothered" when they were asked to DO more or GIVE more. They just DID what they did out of DEVOTION unto The Lord.
You see, they knew that SACRIFICE has the ability to get God's attention. Anytime you read in Scripture of someone making a SACRIFICE unto The Lord, it always moved the hand of God to manifest a miracle!
Sometimes God is looking to see how FAR we'll go and how MUCH we'll give. When we live "OUT OF OUR DEVOTION" unto The Lord...we are willing to make any sacrifice and it's not even a sacrifice!
Parents who make God & Church optional shouldn't be surprised when their kids will not make Him a priority either.
I'm definitely not perfect. I strive to be half the man my father is.
One thing I desire to do before I leave this planet is leave a LEGACY for my kids...AND GRANDKIDS :)...that I loved JESUS so much that I was willing to DO WHATEVER He asked me to do...and not COMPLAIN about HOW MUCH I DO as if HE is a BURDEN or a TIME CONSTRAINT.
You can never do enough for Him...so we musn't kid ourselves to think that we already do enough for Jesus. Friend, when we're standing at the crossroads between LIFE & DEATH...we won't be saying, "I did too much for The Lord", we'll be saying, "I wish I would have done more."
Give your all...because He gave His.
