Teaching Tuesday / The Wonder of Will: Following Jesus

2013 - Will Hardy, with his 4 treasures: Lakin,

Asher,

William,

& Rees

On this Father's Day week, I want to share about the powerful impact that Dads have on their children, while doing that I'll introduce you to my spiritual son, Will Hardy. In my opinion and in my sphere of connections, Will epitomizes what Jesus in the earth as a DAD would look like.

(I've got some sons and son-in-loves that run him a very close 2nd, but I couldn't single out one of you or I'd be in hot water! LOL! So, to the dads in my immediate family - I see you, and you are amazing dads, also.)

I met Will around 2013. We had met via phone, and he and his precious wife, Alicia, (aka my spiritual daughter) invited me to come speak at their church. The first time that I stayed at Will's home with his family, they temporarily converted his basement office into a bedroom for me allowing me to use the sofa-sleeper there. My first impression was the entire room had been saturated with intercessory tears. The next morning at breakfast I commented to Will that he cried a lot in his office. Looking at me questioningly and somewhat embarrassed, he informed me that his office was where he spent his time alone with God. I could tell! Holy Spirit was used to hanging out there for sure! So, as a Dad, one of the attributes that a godly dad should have is that they hang out in God's Presence. Like Will, you should be in intercessory prayer for your family, your marriage, your kids even if it's with many tears and groaning. Paul tells us in Romans 8:26b (TPT),

". . . For example, at times we don't even know how to pray, or know the best things to ask for. But the Holy Spirit rises up within us to super-intercede on our behalf, pleading to God with emotional sighs [groanings] too deep for words."

Sometimes, we truly don't even know what to pray, but all we have to do is turn our hearts to Daddy God and let His Spirit intercede through us. Will was puzzled as to how on earth I knew that he cried in his basement office. My DADDY's heavenly perfume still lingered in the room where He had come to be with HIs son who sought Him and His will with many tears!

Intercessory prayer for his dear family is one of the Wonders of Will!

Another way that Will is a DAD like Jesus would be is that he serves his family and others as well. Over and over again, I have watched, or either listened to Alicia share, about Will serving in this or that manner. No housework is too low for this humble man. I remember on one of our visits Will was helping tidy up by getting out the vacuum cleaner and proceeded to vacuum the floor. My teenage Noah just stood there with his mouth open in utter amazement. He came to me later and whispered, "Mama, Mr. Will even straightened the pillars on the couch." As far as Noah was concerned Mr. Will was about 10 feet tall after that. But the thing that most impressed me was when they took us out to eat, Will would not sit down until everyone -myself, my children, Alicia, and their children - and I do mean everyone had their food, drinks, napkins, ketchup, or anything else that was needed to enjoy the meal. Y'all I gotta be honest, I was raised in the south and had never even seen that before. The most unbelievable thing to me was on another trip, while again eating at a restaurant, I was holding Olivia in my lap, and couldn't get to my plate. Will reached over with his fork and knife and offered to cut up my meat. Somewhat taken aback by the offer to be so pampered, I replied, "No, I'll get it." He was like, "Are you sure?" To which Alicia piped up with, "You might as well let him. He always cuts mine and the kids meat up." What?!?! What planet did this man come from with such a servant's heart that he saw to the needs of his wife and children before he would even eat? Somehow, I think he sat at Jesus' feet and read His Word enough to know that Jesus would do those things. Serving instead of being served. Matthew tells us in chapter 20 verse 28 (TPT),

"For even the Son of Man did not come expecting to be served by everyone, but to serve everyone, and to give His life . . ."

Serving others, like Jesus did, is just another of the Wonders of Will.

Here's a recent picture of Will and his children taken this year. The kids have certainly grown, but their daddy's still right in the middle of their lives, very much involved , PRESENT, and accounted for! So, many times we can be there, but not really there - preoccupied with work, our phones, etc. I'm not saying Will Hardy never does that. I truly believe we all have as parents. But he is EXTREMELY INTENTIONAL about being there for his children. Alicia told me just last week that even with all the tough conversations with their teenage daughter he man-ups and refuses to take a leave of absence. Will's children won't ever have to wonder whether their Heavenly Father will leave them or cast them aside, because their earthly Daddy never does, loving them unconditionally through thick and thin. Will is also very Present and Intentional about loving his wife, Alicia. Ephesians 5:28,

"Husbands have the obligation of loving and caring for their wives the same way they love and care for their own bodies . . ." (TPT)

Will takes this obligation very seriously. He makes sure that Alicia has time to unwind with her friends, while he holds down the fort with all the children. He sees to it that she gets some much needed rest and relaxation. I know the kiddos are teens now, and it's a little simpler. But Will has done this as long as I've known them even when the kids were much younger. Guys, let me give you a little tidbit of wisdom. One of the best things you can do for your children is LOVE THIER MAMA well. Will gets an A+ in that department, and I do believe Alicia would agree.

Being Present and Loving Well is just another Wonder of Will.

I think by now you will agree that Will is a Wonder, but I want to point out what to me, and I believe to Father God, is one of his most compelling Jesus attributes. Will Hardy is transparent! He makes himself vulnerable by being transparent. If he sins against his child, none of this tough stuff, macho man ego. With tears in his eyes, he goes to the child and asked for that child's forgiveness. I've seen him stand in front of an entire congregation of people so choked up he could hardly speak, while he bared is soul about sins he had committed. Transparency is just another word for HUMBLE. Father God has exalted Will Hardy, because His Word tells us with Psalms 147:6a,

"The Lord lifts up the humble;"

Transparency and Humility are definitely more of the Wonder of Will!

I've not painted you this picture of this godly DADDY to make you feel inadequate or less than. I don't want you feeling like there's no way that you can ever measure up. Will is not perfect. Only Jesus gets that CROWN. I know Will Hardy's heart, and believe me when I say that he absolutely doesn't see himself the way I do, or even the way Daddy God sees him. I can assure you that he's crying as he reads this! But God teaches us to give honor where honor is due, so here's to you Will Hardy!

Your intercessory praying, serving of others, being present and intentionally loving your family well, along with your transparency and humility are just a few of the many Wonders of Will! I bless you, my spiritual son, in Jesus' name!

Will, like Paul, can say, "Dads, come on, and follow me as I follow Jesus!" (I Cor. 11:1)

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