This is Robert Rios. He is my hero. Robert leads our singles group and is one of the most encouraging people to hang around. He always has a positive attitude and if anyone deserves a positive post, it’s Robert.

He is always willing to help out in any way he can. Sometimes we have to tell him that it’s okay to say no every once in a while. He never has anything negative to say about anyone and I love that. He also leads my small group which has been really awesome the past two semesters. Just this past week, the DVD didn’t work and he had to make up something to talk about and it was great. 

He also played a main part in getting our stage ready for Saturday. He was here a lot last week figuring out all of the technical details and doing the electrical wiring. It definitely wouldn’t look as good if Robert hadn’t helped.

Chances are, if your day sucks, Robert will say something encouraging that will pretty much rock your day. He’s a great guy and definitely deserves this Positive Post.

Stephen

This week I’m writing about Brent and Karla Garrard. They are my two favorite people (besides mom and dad, of course) and they kick butt. They are my friends, leaders, pastors, boss, and are some of the strongest people I know. They have been through hell and fought a good fight. They press in when it gets tough and know to always rely on God. I haven’t met any more humble and steadfast leaders than these two.

Brent and Karla are authentic. What you see is what you get. There’s no faking here. Their authenticity and transparency has challenged me in many areas. This is a character quality I strive for. They think before they speak and communicate wisdom in their words.

They are fun. You can’t be around this family for long before you find yourself having a good time. They can pretty much relate to anyone and everyone.

Finally, they are leaders and doing a fine job at it. I am proud to serve under their leadership. Their vision and passion for In Focus inspires me in everything I do. They desire people to experience a real God that loves real people. They want to see nations changed and are committed to making that happen. Most of all, they rejoice over a single life changed. Every person counts to them and that is infectious to the whole church. Most everything I learned about leadership comes from these two amazing individuals. They are doing a great job and they deserve so much more than this measly post.

And no, I’m not getting paid to write this. That’s why I waited until after business hours.

Stephen

**Check out more Postitive Posts over at brodyharper.com**

I know I wrote about my grandfather in my last blog but since it has been erased from history forever, I decided to write it again for my Positive Post. Some of you know that my 89 year old grandfather has cancer and that he doesn’t feel well enough to drive so our family takes turns transporting his girlfriend, Dot, back and forth to his house every day. As funny as it sounds, it really is a huge help to us because she keeps him company when we are not able to.

I really see it as a huge honor to bless a man that has passed on the rich Christian heritage that I am experiencing today. My grandfather was a pastor to many and a father to six. As a result, he has over 20 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren and we all get along.

The great thing I love about my grandfather is that he always is cracking a joke no matter how bad he feels. Several times when I drop off Dot, he asks me to pray for him and I feel privileged to be able to thank God for an awesome man that knows the power of prayer and passed on a generational blessing that I get to be a part of. His faithfulness to God before I was even born is now being played out through the lives of his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. I know that when he goes to heaven, he will hear a resounding roar as he enters his eternal home. He’s somebody worth telling the world about and I intend to do just that.

Pass it on.

Stephen