Hope loves to sing. Our daughter loves to sing challenging music with directors she respects. On Sonday, she was challenged in singing music for a director she respected.

Bob Ham’s memorial service was yesterday at Bethel College, a place where he worked for twenty-five years as a faculty member and choir director. Hope was part of his choir for three years.

Bob used the opportunity of music to make a difference in the lives of the people who were led by him. He smiled. He talked. He led. When I introduced myself to him, he knew who Hope was. When we had the choir sing at our church, he was gracious and encouraging. But for all I can say about him, this is the most to me: my daughter loved and respected him as a musician and a director and a follower of Jesus who lived and died through breast cancer.

And so Hope sang, through tears, in honor of a man who accepted the opportunities that God gave him to make a difference in the lives of the people who were led by him.

I’m aware of a question. What about us? What about the opportunities we have today to connect with the people we lead, or the people we follow? What about the opportunities to build relationship? What about the opportunities we have to take whatever we have in our hands and hearts and offer them as gifts to God and others?

Everyone that talks about Bob mentions his love for God and others.

God, may that be so for us.

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Bob’s obituary.

All that hath life and breath