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Live your inspiring identity in Christ I felt like I could never “fit into his fourBy Dan Woodworth Why am I alive? Why are you alive? Have foot shoes.” He appeared “55-feet tall” to you ever thought about the “Why?” I have me until I was 47 years old. many times. I know you have because we My Most Beautiful Bride and I were are all searching for authentic identity and planting a new church in 1997. One day I security. went to visit my father and he said: “I’ll bet When I was a child I always thought you didn’t use any notes in your preachabout who I was, where I came from and ing Sunday, and you’re the National Sales where I was going. Because Christ was not Leader in the BBB. … I could never do living in me, I always felt like I was rejected. that.” I always felt like I was a failure. I was conI was so amazed that he could not “do sumed with the fear of rejection and the that.” I thought he could do anything and fear of failure. everything. There is a big difference beHave you ever felt that way? tween “being” and “doing.” My earthly father was a loving and kind For the first time in my life, I felt equal in man. He deeply cared about people, espestature to him. I finally felt like a whole, comcially those who needed a break. plete man in Christ. Our Astonishing Abba did He went to heaven on July 12, 2001 — 14 a miracle healing in my heart and mind. Dan Woodworth days before his 79th birthday. It was a perWho we are is not dependent on what we fect homecoming for him. He took a hike up do! Our Savior’s Formula is Acceptance = Acceptance. He is a mountain behind his house with my sister. She made him a “I Am!” He is not “I Do!” sandwich, and as he was eating, he collapsed — with no pain Our society’s formula is Acceptance = Performance. Have — and went to heaven. you ever noticed when you meet a new person the question He had no regrets or remorse before he went to heaven. He always comes up, “What do you do?” Wouldn’t it be nice to told us for several years that all of his dreams had come true. hear, “Who are you?” or “How do you feel?” His father (my grandfather) was an alcoholic; he worked as Our Living Loving Lord loves you and me the same all the a dentist. One day he was driving drunk and hit a telephone time. He does not love us more when we “perform” well. He pole and spent 20 years in a hospital before he died. I was 7 years old. I always remembered the image of him in his hospi- does not love us less when we “perform” woefully. We are Lavishly Loved, Absolutely Accepted and Victotal gown. riously Valued by Him! No ifs, ands or buts. No conforming Because my grandfather was an alcoholic, my father made up his mind that he would not be like him. He did not become conditions. No Santa Claus watching to see who is naughty or nice. an alcoholic. He did not “do” things that his father did. How do you feel about yourself ? Do you feel inadequate? Do He was determined to “succeed.” So he was a track star in high school in Portland, Ore. He received his degree in wildlife you feel like you can never measure up? Our Gracious God created us in His image. He has deep management from Oregon State University. He was then feelings. He created us to be feeling beings who think, not thinking offered a scholarship to the University of Hawaii, where he earned a master’s degree studying the ring-necked pheasant on beings who feel. the Hawaiian Islands. He speaks: Trust me from the bottom of your heart He basically started the Department of Fish and Game in (your whole heart). Don’t try to figure out everything on Hawaii in the late 1940s. He introduced birds and animals your own (Proverbs 3:5). Our hearts are where our feelings from Africa and India to Hawaii and developed public hunting reside. grounds that became well known all over the world. I have Good News for you! Our Living Loving Lord deeply deAfter serving as the Chief of Game, the opportunity came to sires to make you feel complete in Christ! You will be healed of all apply for the position of Director of the Department. He reof the pressure to perform as you call upon Him to heal your image fused the offer to become director because the legislature told of who He created you to be. him they would not pass any legislation he requested. It will not happen exactly like my healing happened, but He He applied for the Director of Fish and Game for the State will heal you in His Way and in His Time. of Idaho and was hired out of 500 applicants from around the He is our identity! He is our security! world. He became the youngest director at the time — he was You and I are complete in Christ (Colossians 2:10)! in his 30s. Government leaders from all over the world were Don’t Measure Up! Treasure Up! n consistently in our home when I was growing up. My father took me hunting and fishing all over our state. I Dr. Dan Woodworth earned his Doctor of Ministry (DMin) degree from was his favorite partner. the King’s University in Los Angeles in 2009. His passion is to encourage I was always known in junior high, high school and college as and empower people with the transforming power of hope and healing to “Dick Woodworth’s kid,” rather than Dan. Even in college, I become all they are created to be. He and his beautiful bride, Irene, have felt like, “I have a name!” Whatever my father did was blessed. He loved people and he planted three churches. They are in the process of creating a cross/cultural, cross/generational healing community solving pressing problems in helped young people with scholarships and opportunities for Boise and beyond. He may be reached at dan@danwoodworth.org. advancement in life.
26 November / December 2015 | Christian Living
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