Happy birthday, Neil!
Today I want to wish a very happy birthday to a man who has become one of my best friends and a key person in my life…happy 68th birthday, Marvin Neil Enloe!
I don’t have a lot of heroes anymore…sure, I had them as a kid(we ALL did)…but now that I’m all grown up, a lot of the people who might have been heroes of mine as a kid are really not THAT much different from me…we’re all doing the best we can, and we all have our good and bad days. I can admire and respect someone without making a hero out of them, because I know they’re just muddling along like I am!
Now, does that mean my “heroes” don’t have their good and bad days, or their struggles? Of course not. They just live their lives in a way that I want to live mine as well. Thus, Neil Enloe remains one of my heroes!
What makes him such a special person to me?
First and foremost, his life is centered in the reality of the saving power of Jesus Christ. Ever since he was 13 years old, growing up in Illinois, he has chosen to live his life not for himself alone, but for the One he calls Lord and God. At his center is the most powerful force in the universe…the same force that is at the center of my life.
Second, he reflects that reality to his fellow human beings. For nearly 50 years now, he has dedicated his life and God-given talents to serve the Lord and His church. He has been entrusted with a gift for music that few others have ever had, and he has consistently used it to glorify God and serve his fellow man. With his musical group, the Couriers, and today as part of Dave, Duane, and Neil(the Couriers of bygone days), he has made and written music that has touched the hearts of millions over the years, inspiring seekers to find the Lord that Neil knows. I am one of those seekers, and my life has been impacted by the music he made.
Third, he is faithful to his mission. He understands that eternal truth must not only be proclaimed, but lived. And in 42+ years of marriage to his lovely wife Ruth, and through his three fine children(Beth, Heidi, and Tim), he has built a legacy to be admired and cherished. Through his personal and professional dealings, he has by and large been faithful to his higher calling. This shows me that it CAN be done in a world that doesn’t readily accept it. By the example I’ve seen and heard about, he has been a model for the kind of person I want to be.
And fourth, he is a friend. Since I had the honor of finally meeting him in person after a 30+ year wait, he has given of his time and wisdom to help put perspective in my life, and remind me of what is most important, and be faithful to my calling as well. There have been days that I have been overcome with frustration, and Neil has always had a word or deed that would help put my mind and heart back where it belonged…i.e., focused on Jesus Christ.
One of the many fine songs that Neil has written in his long career is called, “Choose Your Heroes Carefully”, a song that reminds us to be very careful where we cast our pearls in life, and to make sure they meet the standards that are most important to our lives. Neil DOES meet those standards, and consequently, he is one of the heroes I still have.
Once I heard a radio preacher talk about making a spiritual Mt. Rushmore…that is, imagine a huge majestic mountain with the heads of the four most important people that have shaped your life…and when you get to where you need to take a moment and reflect on what the thing to do in a given situation might be…just imagine what your Mt. Rushmore people might do.
The four people on my spiritual Mt. Rushmore are Bruce Baloian, my “mentor” and the man that was the principal person that led me to Christ, and taught and shaped my initial spiritual values…LaDonna Strid, an associate of Bruce’s that taught me by example how to treat my fellow man as I should…Nicole DeWeese, one of my very closest friends for many years, who consistently shows me the importance of sharing the joy that comes only with knowing Christ, and Neil…for his lifelong witness in the world of gospel music, and for his recent friendship, example, and guidance.
Those are my remaining heroes in life…my spiritual Mt. Rushmore.
One other thing…in a business where the wounded are regularly shot and ostracized, Neil(and the rest of the Couriers)has an impeccable reputation that is as untainted as one can imagine. He is respected universally through the gospel music world for his great talent, and for his tremendous personal integrity. This is no mean feat in a business where that sort of thing ought to be the rule rather than the exception.
But Neil Enloe is all those things…plus just a nice, fun guy. He is articulate, perceptive, patient, and has a tremendous sense of humor…all things that are important to be in this all too crazy world.
And most of all, Neil Enloe is my friend…and I’m proud that he is, and proud to be his friend as well.
So happy birthday, Neil…and may you have many more, so the rest of the world might learn what I already know about you.
Posted on Jun 05, 2006 - 08:41 PM | [0]
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