Over the last six weeks or so since Ryan’s departure, we have received thousands of emails and messages. Mostly, people want to express their condolences and let us to know that they are praying for us, which has been a tremendous encouragement.
But we have also been amazed by how many people have reached out to us looking for answers, intrigued by the story of Ryan’s faith. This short email is just one example:
I just heard your story on TV and was very moved. What do you mean by ‘he had faith’? Explain more please.
What a great question. I’ll do my best to give my perspective.
“Faith” can mean different things to different people. The most important thing to understand about Ryan is that his faith was more than just a set of beliefs or religious tradition. The difference in Ryan’s life was that he actually knew God. Our family is blessed—each generation has made it a priority to introduce the next generation to Jesus Christ.
Most people believe in God, but many don’t really know Him. And that changes everything.
When you know God, you begin to get a glimpse of both His greatness (He is the Creator of everything and holds the universe in His hand) and His goodness (He is full of love and mercy and He showers us with blessings). And if you really get that, like Ryan did, life takes on new meaning. The only acceptable response is to love Him completely.
When you boil it all down, Ryan lived for one purpose: to please God and bring glory to Him.
Ryan wanted to please God in everything he did: how he adored his Shannon, how he fathered his boys, how he loved his friends and how he cared for people. And ultimately, he wanted to please God by helping his brother, who only had a few months to live.
This same simple faith is how we are finding peace through this entire ordeal. We miss Ryan beyond words. But we are so proud of him and inspired by him—how he lived his life for an audience of One. His life is an example to many, including those of us who knew him best.
Through the lens of eternity, we only have a short time on this earth. Thank you, Ryan, for helping us focus on the one thing that really matters.