By Eric Tooley

 My wife and I previewed the movie, I Can Only Imagine. I have seen MercyMe perform my favorite song live a few times and it always moves me to tears.

The movie is amazing. Go see it.

This is the true story of Bart Millard, lead singer of MercyMe. It is also my story.

The movie is about how Bart went into music despite his troubled home, how he made peace with his father, and how he wrote the song.

As a teenager, Bart told his dad he wanted to sing. His dad said, “Dreams don’t pay the bills.”

Bart replies, “Dad, I can do this.”

His dad answers, “No, you can’t! And you’re going to blink your eyes and you’re going to realize that life has got you nowhere because you chased some stupid dream.”

I know how Bart felt. As a teenager, I told my dad, “I don’t want to be a doctor or play football or go to Oklahoma University. I want to be a youth minister and go to Abilene Christian University and study Bible.”

My dad responded, “You are taking the easy way out in life and wasting your God-given intelligence and talent. I’ll give you two weeks to come up with a good reason for this or you’ll lose your car.”

I responded, “I will tell you then what I am telling you now. I believe God wants me to do this. Punish me all you want but I have to do what my God wants.”

Dad didn’t punish me and I held true to my word except I took a scholarship to Oklahoma Christian. A year and a half later, I baptized my parents.

Eight years later my dad visited me when I was a youth minister in New Orleans. He saw the great things God was doing in my ministry. I’ll never forget the moment we stood looking at the Mississippi River near the Café Du Monde. He put his arm around me and said, “I am really proud of you.”

Tell your kids you are proud of them. Don’t let your pride be something they only imagine.