Growing in wisdom and stature….

My amazing nephew is 19 years old today.

As I was praying for him this morning, this verse came to mind: Luke 2:40
And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was on him.

Andrew is a quiet, thoughtful person. He was that as a young boy and he remains that as his amazing self continues to develop.

He has demonstrated his brilliance in academics and his discipline in athletics. Andrew knows what it is to commit himself fully to something and give it his all.

But it is not his strong mind or daily discipline that I admire most. What I love most about this boy is his kindness, his insight and his care for others. Andrew is growing in his faith and understanding God’s call on his life in deeper and more real ways.

On the 23rd of December we have a memory dinner remembering my oldest brother on the anniversary of the night he was killed in a car accident. Len was also an Annapolis graduate and would so love that he and Andrew shared this experience. This year Andrew brought the Naval Hymn to our gathering and shared the story of how and when it is sung. It was a sweet moment of Andrew’s tender heart, leadership and love for our Eternal Father.

Verse 1: Eternal Father, strong to save,
Whose arm hath bound the restless wave,
Who bidd’st the mighty ocean deep
Its own appointed limits keep;
Oh, hear us when we cry to Thee,
For those in peril on the sea!

And so in this year as Andrew is journeying his first year at Annapolis Naval Academy I am in awe of how has he grown from that teenage boy to a young man with purpose. He is sorting out what is next as he prepares to serve our country.  He is strong, wise, passionate, compassionate and fun. Hoping this 20th year will bring you great adventures, clarity, good friends, lots of time with your family and deep peace. I love you Andrew John. 

Author: trishborgdorff

I am on a life long journey to live with integrity, honesty, kindness and full of grace. View all posts by trishborgdorff