It’s a new year and another birthday, so I was reflecting on where life has brought me. As usual, it’s not events. It’s not milestones in career.

It’s people.

I went through some photos looking for a particular shot of me with two men from our former church so I could post it here. As I scrolled through, I realized I could post so many pictures of people who have influenced me so much through the years. I was going to use that picture because those two are a bit taller than me so I could say, “I stand in the company of giants” both figuratively and physically.

But I would then want to post so many more pictures of people who have truly made a deep impact on my life. They are all giants to me.

Family. Friends. Colleagues. Pastors. Leaders.

Those who were “like me in faith.” Those who were not. I never needed uniformity of belief to be a marker for being a deep influence in my life. One of my close friends in Minneapolis was an imam at the local mosque. I miss our conversations to this day.

I am rich … so rich… in my life because of people. They cheered me on. They challenged me. They prayed for me, with me, and over me. I cherish those memories.

And I love what I have now, in a new place, a new role, and new everything (going on 6 years, of course). People who are with me on this part of the journey. Cheering. Challenging. Listening.

I stand in the company of giants, no mature their physical stature.

Thank you to each one of you for the place you have in my life!

Happy New Year.