Personal Post: Family Friday, An Evening for Robby Ott

So, technically there will be no photos of my family in this Family Friday post. Although Robby and April are every bit my brother and sister in Christ, so I guess in that way these are photos of my family. =) I really don’t have a lot of words for last night. It was an AMAZING, INCREDIBLE night of worship, and one that will be fresh in my heart for a long time, I hope. I wish I could relive it all over again and take everyone I know with me. Even though that performing arts center was filled with rows upon rows of people…it was so intimate. It was beautiful.

Many many things stand out to me from last night. The sheer amount of people who were there who have been touched by this family. The smiles on the faces of Robby and April as they greeted friends who drove hours just to spend the evening worshiping with them. The kids’ reactions to riding in a limo for the first time (Jordan’s going to live in one when he grows up, by the way). Tears covering the faces of SO MANY people who love this family. Robby standing alone in that crowded room and praising his Savior for his LIFE. I could go on and on.

But I want to make mention of two specific things from last night. The first came from Shane & Shane, one of the two extremely talented groups that performed last night (Seriously!! INCREDIBLE musical talent from both Shane & Shane and Three Days Redemption!!). He recited from Psalm 63, and these words stood out “Because YOUR LOVE is better than LIFE”. YES. Amen and Amen!!!! Our Lord’s love IS better. So much better and so much more. In fact, when it comes down to it, His love is all that matters. Period. Why do I forget that so fast? So many times every single day??? Verses 3 and 4 in their entirety say “Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you. I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands.” Yep, that one’s going up on our schoolroom chalkboard pronto.

The second is something that Robby said. He expressed that one of his biggest struggles has always been worry. Right there with ya, Buddy. In fact, three weeks ago I sat across the table from Robby and April at Shane’s Rib Shack and we talked about just that. Y’all, I will worry about any and everything. In fact, it’s laughable some of the things that I worry about. It’s wrong. Robby has stage 4 colon and liver cancer. We all know that. Great Day, do I worry about that. So many times over the last few months I’ve heard Robby say that he doesn’t worry about himself. He worries about April. He worries about Bryson, Raelyn, Jordan, and Evan. He knows that when he leaves this life, whether that’s next week or 60 years from now, he will be face to face with Jesus. And that’s nothing to worry about. That’s AMAZING. That’s what we all long for. Last night he said that he doesn’t know how you could know him and not know April. So true. They are Robby and April. A team. They quite frankly are very rarely apart from one another. They are most definitely one flesh, and they work so well that way. I DO NOT want my friend to have to live a single day without her best friend and lover. If I had my way, I would never see them apart from one another. I love them as a couple and I want to vacation at the beach with them when we are eighty years old and have a hundred grandchildren. You know what, though? It might be Robby that’s not there in that little dream scenario I have in my head. Or maybe I won’t be there. Or maybe it will be Collin or April, or maybe all four of us will be there. I am not God and I do not know. But it’s nothing to worry about because it’s completely under the control of the one who made me and loves me more than anyone else loves me. I know that, and yet I still worry about April and the children all the time. But last night Robby gave me his trick for alleviating that worry. I mean, I know that he was speaking to the hundreds of people in that room, but I also know that Jesus specifically spoke to me when Robby said these words. Robby said that when he wakes up in the morning he thinks “How can Robby Ott glorify God today?” He prays that he will glorify God with every action he takes on that specific day. If your heart and mind are focused on how you can specifically glorify your creator, then how can you waste time worrying? YES!! Why have I not thought of that before? I was put on this earth to glorify God, and if I am doing that then there is no room for worry. Now, I know that I am going to need to be reminded of this 3 million times, but Robby, Thank You! Thank you for being you and thank you for sharing your heart always.

I said I didn’t have many words for last night. I guess I was wrong because this turned out to be a kind of long post for me. Trust me, there’s so much more that I could say. I am so thankful for last night. I am SO thankful that God chose to place this family in my family’s life. Robby and April, we love you, Bryson, Raelyn, Jordan, and Evan SO MUCH!!!