A Few Words From Dale McGavran

I was ready to hit send on my latest blog for the 50 Mile March, when something told me
to wait. Conscience…conviction…I’m not sure. I just knew it had to be rewritten. I know
each of you have experienced things like that as well. You are about to make a specific
decision and then something tells you to go a different direction. That is what happened
here. Scrap what once was, create something new.

Now, before we go any further, I want you to know that I understand not everyone who
will read this blog will agree with my personal beliefs. That is okay. You need to be
faithful to your convictions. My convictions lead me to believe in living a life committed
to relationships both vertically and horizontally. Vertically to my God…horizontally to
others walking through this life, especially those who are walking through the difficult
challenges of the valley.

I believe we are called to accomplish a whole lot of “one anothers”. Care for one
another. Serve one another. Honor one another. Build up one another. Be kind to one
another. Love one another. Bear one another’s burdens. Comfort one another.
Encourage one another. Be patient with one another. And a lot more. The list would fill
up the page.

So why this different direction? Well, assuming you are still here, you have passed the
qualifier or are volunteering in some capacity. And if you want to be a great battle buddy,
wingman, fellow marcher, or whatever you want to call it, it is quite necessary that you
live these principles out in your daily interactions with others, and, let me say it
again…especially to those who are walking through the difficult challenges of the valley.

This tribe is really special. The knowledge base is like no other. You need something
done but don’t know how or where to start? Someone in this tribe can help. Need a
recommendation for someone who can fix whatever it is you need fixed? Someone in
this tribe knows the right person or is the right person. I’ve seen it countless times, and
I’ve utilized the web of knowledge myself. Now, while all of that is great, this is the
reason why this group is amazingly special. When someone is down, when someone is
at the bottom, when someone is walking through the difficult challenges of the valley, a
member of the tribe is right there, lifting them up, encouraging them to, in the words of
Kris Kringle to the Winter Warlock, put one foot in front of the other. (How’s that for
reaching into my vault of useless knowledge? If you don’t know the story and song, you
might need to google it.) Seriously though, it is a helping hand, a shoulder to cry on, an
“I’ve got your back” and “we’ll figure this out together” action plan all rolled up into one.
If you have been a part of the workings of this group, I am willing to bet if I asked you to
think of a moment when someone in the tribe encouraged you, your memory would
flash back to the exact moment, and you would feel instant gratitude.

But here is the deal – no one is psychic (except for Miss Cleo, and I’m pretty sure she
isn’t taking phone calls anymore). So, when you are not in your usual place, you might need to pick up the phone and call the tribe. No one (and by no one, I mean men) is big
on calling themselves them out and admitting they need help. I get it. We’re supposed
to be like Grizzly Adams, Superman, and MacGyver all rolled into one. An award-
winning beard wearing, indestructible, able to de-arm nuclear bombs with a paperclip,
kind of guy. However, one of the most freeing things I have ever done, is admit I needed
help. It took a lot of time for me to get there, but I got there. Eventually. If I wasn’t busy
trying to grow thick facial hair and using office supplies to save the world, I might have
gotten there earlier. But on that journey…and here is where I am going to bring it full
circle…there were many who met me where I was with those “one anothers”. Someone
encouraged me. Someone else was patient. Yet another carried a concern that was
weighing me down. I wouldn’t be here without them. All of them. For that, I am grateful.

You have stories as well. Those stories are critical. Those stories are going to help
someone in the perfectly, appointed time. So today, take a “one another” action and lift a
brother or sister up. It is life changing.

“Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others.”

Trust, Respect, Integrity through a community of Belonging and Empowerment.

Fabula est Vestri
Dale