Filling Those Shoes

My father was one of the most brilliant people I have ever known. He inspired me as a child to lead from integrity and responsibility. I have attempted to follow in Dad’s footsteps; yet, I never quite lived up to what I sensed he envisioned for my life.

John Fibelkorn was a man who dedicated himself to Christianity and the mission of saving souls. His feats took great courage and tenacity – like taking a first-of-its-kind missionary job on the other side of the Earth in Sri Lanka when I was 12 years old. Dad put God first before all, and yet he and my Mom managed to positively raise me and my four siblings to be solid citizens.

Dad passed away this month, and many memories have been flooding through my heart and mind since. One of them was the time we were speaking by phone and he said, “I believe you are not yet living your best life, and I know there is so much more you can be and do.” Instead of taking that as me disappointing him, I decided to listen with curiosity (after my admitted initial shock). He went on to share in greater detail what a positive impact in the world I have created since my childhood, and how he believed I could generate more of that in my adult life.

This phone call was pivotal for me. Realizing I could not fill his shoes, I embarked on an intentional journey to fill my own shoes. I knew I had a lot of room for growth, and it was time…to stop living to please, to start living my purpose.

I am grateful for father’s boldness in that phone call, for helping activate a greater vision for my life.

This Week: Think about what vision you have for your life. Are you attempting to live that fully? If not, what might be getting in the way? For those things that get in the way, examine what is important about them. Use this as a chance to recommit to more intentional living as the person you want to be.