16 4JSUS  

 

“Deep Impact”

 

A 7 mile wide comet is headed toward earth.  If it hits earth it is large enough to destroy all mankind.  You only have a few months to live unless you are one of 800,000 people randomly chosen by the government to continue civilization.  Thankfully, this isn’t true (I hope).  In 1998, “Deep Impact” was a major motion picture that left many leaving the movie theaters wondering, “what if”.  

 If you are like me, your life has been marked by people who have left an impact on your life.  Whether it was a grandmother who taught you to love with your whole heart or a neighbor who showed you that friendship was more valuable than gold, people have impacted our lives.  Although, I will admit that there have been people who have impacted me in negative ways, those who have touched my life for the good, far outweighs those who meant to harm me.  

 I titled this insight “Deep Impact” because I was deeply impacted by a high school football coach who shared with me a tremendous story.  Most people who highly impact others are usually the product of someone who impacted them.  This story is about an ordinary man who lived out an ordinary life, yet literally changed the lives of many who came in contact with him.  This “Goliath” figure stood tall and large, not by strength or statue but by love, character, genuineness and sincerity.  The following story is from a short but powerful conversation I had with a high school football coach named Paul Sutherland.  Paul’s life was altered by a man who shared a life of “lessons” that would impact him the rest of his life.  

 Coach David Farnham was Paul’s high school football coach and more importantly his friend.  Coach Farnham never missed an opportunity to teach football or more importantly life “lessons”.  Coach Farnham taught that you could push kids to the limits without using profanity.  He taught that a persons worth was based on who they were and not on what they could achieve on the field.  Paul got the opportunity to play for coach Farnham, coach for him and coach against him.  Along each road coach Farnham never missed the opportunity to pour into Paul, whether in good times or bad.  In fact, Paul says that it was in the bad times that coach Farnham did his best teaching.  You know our life is a story told to all we come in contact with.  I wonder what story my life is telling?

It was during one of the toughest times of coach Farnham’s life that Paul learned the most.  While Paul was a senior on coach Farnham's football team he learned that his favorite coach had been unexpectedly fired.  Frustrated, bitter and confused, Paul went to Coach Farnham to receive fuel for his anger yet what he received was solace and peace.  Somewhat confused, coach Farnham simply stated to Paul, “In the life of eternity, what does it really matter”?  Coach Farnham spoke and lived these words no matter the challenges he would face in life.  

 In 2007, coach Farnham would face his toughest challenge yet.  Coach Farnham was told he had a fatal illness and at only 57 years old with a lot of life yet to live, he continued to impact those who encountered him.  Lying on his death bed, just a few months later, he simply told Paul, “God has all the answers”.  

 After 23 years of coaching football Paul has and never will forget the life lessons instilled into him from Coach Farnham.  The impact of Coach Farnham’s life on Paul and many others will be felt until the end of time.  We never know the impact our lives may have on others.  May we go and impact our world, because in the life of eternity it really does matter!      

 

….And yes Coach Farnham, as you have already found out, God does have all the answers!

 

 

In loving memory of Coach David Farnham

October 24, 1950-November 28, 2007

 

Brian Hoover