Capture Moments: My Life Story in 15 Pictures

I can summarize my 40 year life story in 15 snapshots. You see, our stories are really the stories of other people. People who have forever impacted us. People we have known, places we have traveled to, and books we have read. In 15 photos, I can share these people and these places and these books- the highlights of my life. This is my life in pictures.

1. Coach Bredlow

All my life I wanted to be a coach. And then the spring of my freshman year, Chuck Bredlow became the Head Football Coach at my high school. He represented everything I wanted to be. Coach Bredlow came to my high school with three state championships- two in football and one in girl’s basketball. He remains the only coach in Iowa to have won states titles in two sports in the same year. Playing for Coach Bredlow and being around him for three years was one of the greatest experiences of my life.

2. Fastpitch Softball

Softball became a big part of my coaching life. I coached high school softball in Iowa and Minnesota. In addition, I spent six years coaching at the college level alongside George Wares and John Tschida. They have won seven national championships between the two of them. I had the chance to be a part of five NCAA playoffs and two College World Series. More importantly, I saw how these two men led nationally ranked programs year after year. I am thankful to God for the opportunity to spend time around those two coaches.

3. My Wife

I met my wife while she was a middle blocker playing in the Missouri Valley Conference. She was a college athlete; I had been a college athlete. She wanted to coach; I was a coach. The Lord led our paths to cross on March 6, 1999. We married in 2001. Psalm 40:5 would summarize our lives together: “You have multiplied, O LORD my God, your wondrous deeds and your thoughts toward us; none can compare with you! I will proclaim and tell of them, yet they are more than can be told.”

4. First Mission Trip- Monterrey Mexico

It was a short mission trip with our church. But Kari and I had said we wanted to go on a mission trip together. And then an opportunity to go to Monterrey, Mexico with our church opened up. We served at an orphanage, helped with construction projects for the pastor’s house, and prayed for people at the local hospital. This trip exposed us to poverty and brokenness that we often don’t think about in our comfortable middle class lives.

5. Radical by David Platt

The New York Times best-selling book Radical is a short book. But I hammered through it, highlighting and underlining passages like crazy. I had no prior knowledge of David Platt. The Amazon algorithm simply told me that if I liked Crazy Love by Francis Chan then I would like Radical by David Platt. Radical remains my favorite book of all-time. The book led me to years worth of Pastor David’s teachings that I could watch and listen to via the internet. From the Radical sermon series to the Faith Works series, from Threads to Acts, from Matthew to Revelation and all the Secret Church episodes, nobody has helped build my faith and help me have a right view of God more than David Platt. I am thankful to God for David Platt and his ministry.

6. University of Minnesota Days

I am not even sure what to write about the Minnesota days. Working as a bottom of the totem pole strength and conditioning coach had its privileges and its good memories. For two years, I had the chance to be in that world, and again the Lord blessed me with the opportunity to be around highly-respected coaches who were among the best at their profession. Kari was extremely busy with extra volleyball coaching responsibilities at this time and I was working crazy hours. My main memory is the verse that I carried on a notecard in my pocket to help encourage me. It comes from 1 Chronicles 28:20, where David is encouraging his son Solomon to complete the work of building the temple of the LORD. “Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the LORD God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you until all the work for the service of the temple of the LORD is finished.

7. Mission Trips #2 and #3- Children’s Cup, Swaziland in Africa.

Working alongside Children’s Cup in Swaziland was an experience that forever changed us. The country of Swaziland has been ravaged by HIV/AIDS. An entire generation has been wiped out leaving thousands of orphans with no one to care for them. Children’s Cup helps to feed and care for the children of Swaziland. It is an amazing ministry and we have had the chance to get to know several of the full-time staff. I wish everyone could have the chance to spend 10–14 days in this country, serving with Children’s Cup.

8. Welcoming Refugees

Somewhere around the reading of the book Radical and our second mission trip, we got serious about trying to love and serve those in the Twin Cities. This led to several years where we had the privilege of welcoming and befriending refugee families new to the U.S. These years are full of good stories and crazy meals. What an experience to be able to help Somali and Karen families who came from refugee camps and war-torn countries to the U.S. We consider them all friends. They blessed us more than they know.

9. Desiring God National Conference 2011

The only reason I heard about the Desiring God Conference was because David Platt was scheduled to speak there. I was a mattress salesman desiring that my life not be wasted. I wanted my life to have eternal significance. Three of the most influential people in my life spoke on this fall weekend- Louie Giglio, David Platt, and John Piper. The weekend was extra special because my wife attended with me, and my dad came up from Iowa to spend the weekend at the conference with us. This weekend was a defining moment in our lives.

10. God’ Unusual Kindness Toward Us

In the midst of a very bad year of commuting, a record-setting year of winter weather, and a horrible living situation in the house we were renting, God showed us unusual kindness. In the midst of that bad school year, God provided a chance for my wife and me to work together at Rosemount Middle School for that entire year. For most of my wife’s teaching career she has taught high school math, but for that special year we had the privilege of working together. Looking back, it was definitely a case of God’s unusual kindness during a year full of trials.

11. The Peak Volleyball Years (2012–2015)

Ever since watching my wife’s spring volleyball matches while she was a sophomore at Drake University, my life has been a volleyball life. Kari has coached for one of the top five volleyball clubs in the country for 13 years. She has also coached her share of high school volleyball, summer camps, etc. She has coached some amazing players through the years and won two national championships- one as an assistant coach and one as a head coach. The peak years might have been the 2012–2015 years. Her 2012 team finished in the top 10 at 14 Open Nationals and had some terrific parents and special players. Her 2015 team was very talented, winning the President’s Day Tournament in Omaha, the Show Me Qualifier, and battling TAV in an epic match at the Northern Lights Qualifier. During that season, Kari had the chance to coach with Greta once again. The two of them coached together in 2014 when their team won something like 30 matches in a row to finish the season and win the national championship. That might be the best team and the most enjoyable season Kari has ever had.

12. Reading Crazy Busy and Relaxing in Isla Mujeres

For about three years, we were living our lives at a pace that was not sustainable long-term. When the summer volleyball camp season ended in 2014, we escaped for 16 days on the quiet island of Isla Mujeres. We read and discussed Kevin DeYoung’s book Crazy Busy. We decided to start saying no to things- even good things- so that we could focus our time on the people and things most important to us. The phone was on airplane mode for 16 days as we enjoyed the Mexico sun, the food, and views of the Caribbean Sea.

13. Middle School Years

Not my middle school years, but the four plus years that I worked at a middle school. No more retail sales hours. No more mattress sales. I wanted to work in a school district and have the same hours and vacations as my wife. It was a clerical position- think copy guy plus detention guy and other student supervision tasks. It was an incredible four plus years, and I especially loved the connection I had with my fellow volleyball players and all the 7th graders I connected with through the years. In my last year, I even had the chance to teach a 7th grade PE class. It was the highlight of my time there.

14. Horses are Good for the Soul

“Every created beauty was created by God to lead our affections to Him.” I highlighted that in Steve DeWitt’s book Eyes Wide Open. For me, that summarizes horses. I love being around horses, visiting horse farms, watching horse racing, and reading about horses. Horses were created by God to lead our affections to Him. That’s why my love of horses exists. Winston Churchill said, “There is something about the outside of the horse that is good for the inside of man.” Bob Baffert said, “For some reason, horses, animals, they just really win people over. I think horses are good for the soul.” I always wondered why I enjoy horses so much. Horses help me relax and enjoy God’s creation. Horses point me to the beauty of God’s creation. Horses point me to God.

15. The Comeback by Louie Giglio

“We all know what it feels like to have life disappoint us and not work out as we’d hoped. We’ve all been in seasons when we’ve longed for something better than what we’re experiencing right now.” I consider myself a voracious reader. And with that in mind I declare that The Comeback by Louie Giglio is one of the two or three books that has impacted me the most. And reading it in the fall of 2015 was especially meaningful as I was thinking and praying about what God had next for us. The book also led me to sermons by Louie that were beneficial and perfect for what I was walking through at this point of my life. We serve a God who restores. God is the God of comebacks and this book was an encouragement to my soul.

Thanks for reading- I’m Scott Raymond. I’m a horseplayer, volleyball husband, writer, and avid reader of non-fiction. Together, Kari and I want our lives to count for His renown.

You can read more of my work at https://medium.com/@onehorsestable

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