23 July 2013
Dear Chick-fil-A Family and Friends,
I’ve heard it said that if you want to make God laugh, tell
Him your plans. I planned on retiring
here at Chick-fil-A. I planned on
accomplishing many specific things while here at Chick-fil-A. However, God had other ideas. Chandler, Davis, Jackson, Tori, Carter and I
know that God is in this next step in our journey. However, my family and I also are sad to say
goodbye to so many wonderful people.
Social Media and other forms of 21st Century communication
will allow us to stay “in touch” but it won’t be the same. There won’t be the cups of coffee or tea in
breakroom. There won’t be the college
football jeering and jesting in the fall.
There won’t be the prayer groups and book studies. So my family and I have to mourn the loss of
that, but we also celebrate that God is moving in our life. I also celebrate what God has done in you and
through you during my family’s time here.
I want to leave you with a couple of thoughts.
·
Gratitude
“Give
thanks in all circumstances; for
this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.“ -1 Thess 5:18
I am eternally grateful for all the relationships formed
over the past 13+ years. It’s because of
those relationships that I began to open up and share struggles in life (Galatians
6:2). It’s because of
relationships that I learned that our Heavenly Father wants a relationship with
all of us through His son Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 1:9).
It’s because of relationships that I began to share my faith, go
on mission trips, and now am called out to go make disciples (Matthew
28:18-20) elsewhere. It’s because
of relationships that I learned how to be a better husband, a better father, a
better friend and a better employee at Chick-fil-A (Proverbs 27:17) . I’ve also learned that gratitude is an action
word, not a state of being. I have to
choose to be grateful. No matter the
circumstances, God calls us all to be grateful as everything comes from Him
anyways. I encourage all of you to
practice gratitude daily. If you’re like
me, you may have to “fake it til you make it”.
I had to when I first came to Christ in 2007. I’ve given you a copy of the most beautiful
and profound quote about gratitude I’ve ever read. I came across it in my devotional Bible in
2008 and have kept it with me ever since.
I pray that you are encouraged and strengthened as much as I am through
this quote.
·
Encouragement
“Therefore
encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you
are doing.” – 1 Thess 5:11
“But
encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none
of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.” –Hebrews 3:13
I have been encouraged by all of you over the years. Whether it was to keep going on my weight
loss journey, keep training for the
marathon, keep the course in my walk
with the Lord, or just a random compliment in the café, so many of you have
been such an encouragement to me. I pray
that I was able to return encouragement to you as well. I remember early in my career Jimmy Collins
(retired Chick-fil-A president) telling the staff, “You know how you can tell
if someone needs encouragement? If they
are breathing.” I pray you keep up an
encouraging environment here. Remember,
if someone’s name pops into your mind or your heart, it could be God prompting
you to go encourage them. I can’t tell
you what it’s meant to me when I get a random compliment from someone in the
hall or in the café. God works through
your smiles and your kind words.
·
Humility
Humility is not humiliation.
Humility is not saying “I can’t”.
Humility is saying confidently, “I can do that, but only with the help
of God”. Humility comes from having a
posture towards God that acknowledges He is sovereign, He is Creator and He is
in charge. Humility results in
forgiveness, gratitude, generosity and kindness. Having a humble spirit has helped me
recognize that if it weren’t for God, I wouldn’t be here. I started in 2000 with quite a bit of pride
and learned how to be humble. I learned
how to be a servant here, but it wasn’t until I truly humbled myself to God. We have the ultimate example of humility in
Jesus. Paul wrote to the church in
Philippi:
Therefore
if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort
from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if
any tenderness and compassion, then
make my joy complete by being like-minded, having
the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do
nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather,
in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests
but each of you to the interests of the others.
In
your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:
Who,
being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
rather, he made himself nothing
by taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
by becoming obedient to death—
even death on a cross!
did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
rather, he made himself nothing
by taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
by becoming obedient to death—
even death on a cross!
Therefore
God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father. –Philippians 2:1-11
and gave him the name that is above every name,
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father. –Philippians 2:1-11
·
Genuine/Authenticity
“Let love be genuine; hate what is
evil, hold fast to what is good; love one another with brotherly
affection; outdo one another in showing honor.” –Romans 12:9-10
My final point is that I hope I am remembered as being
Genuine and Authentic. I encourage you
to be just that towards each other. I
had a conversation last week where I said, “Don’t underestimate the power of
having cups of coffee with each other”.
I learned what being genuine and authentic really means here. I have yet to regret sharing what’s really
going on in my life with someone and being genuine. Growing a small company successfully, in my
opinion, involves being authentic with each other.
I know God has big plans for Chick-fil-A. Please know that I will continue to pray for
you and thank God for you (1 Thess
1:2). I know some of us will
continue our relationship, while for others this is where the road ends on this
side of eternity. I will continue to
press on, as Paul says, and look forward to seeing you on that Great Day. My family and I are sad about saying
goodbye. This was a VERY difficult
decision for us. However, I rejoice
knowing that God is working in our lives and in your lives, too. God has big plans not only for Chick-fil-A,
but also for YOU and your family.
My final words to you come from the book of Numbers, and
know that I earnestly pray these words over all of you.
“The Lord bless you
and keep you;
the Lord make his face shine on you
and be gracious to you;
the Lord turn his face toward you
and give you peace.” –Numbers 6:24-26
and keep you;
the Lord make his face shine on you
and be gracious to you;
the Lord turn his face toward you
and give you peace.” –Numbers 6:24-26
Until we meet again, be abundantly blessed!
Karl D. Riddett
Gratitude
We learn the magical
lesson that making the most of what we have turns it into more.
Say thank you,
until you mean it.
Thank God for everyone and everything sent your
way. Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough,
and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos into order, confusion to
clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into
a friend. It turns problems into gifts, failures into successes, the unexpected
into perfect timing, and mistakes into important events. It can turn an
existence into a real life, and disconnected situations into important and beneficial
lessons. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates
a vision for tomorrow.
Gratitude makes things right.
Gratitude turns negative energy into positive
energy. There is no situation or circumstance so small or large that it is not
susceptible to gratitude’s power. We can start with who we are and what we have
today, apply gratitude, then let it works its magic.
Say thank you, until you mean it. If you say it
long enough, you will believe it.
-Melody
Beattie
Today, I will shine the transforming light of
gratitude on all the circumstances of my life.
