In May of 2004, I was asked to speak at a “Quinceañera,” a coming out party for a fifteen-year old girl in Latin America. It is a meaningful time spent with loved ones and focuses on the transition from girlhood to womanhood. In every sense of the word, it is a black-tie event, where the boys and men wear suits, and the girls and women wear evening dresses. The party was held at the Marriott in Costa Rica, in the finest conference hall on the premises. All three of my daughters, as well as their classmates and teachers, were invited to attend the celebration.
The mother of the young lady being honored asked me to put together a short message to address the guests. She wanted it simple yet profound. She said, “I want you to share something that will help my daughter and her friends for the rest of their lives. I want it to be something that they will be able to hold onto until they are grandparents.” I smiled and asked, “How much time do you want me to take?” She replied, “Take seven minutes.” I thought, “Well, that is a tall order for seven minutes, but I’ll give it my best shot.”
I sat in my hotel room and contemplated what I would say with the time allotted to me. I asked myself, “If I could go back in time and talk to Jason Frenn as a fifteen year old, what would I say?” First, I would tell him to make the attributes of the heart of God the Father his own. Being a godly person is one of the greatest things anyone can become in life. The second thing I would say is to seek the wisdom of the Son of God. Being good is a great accomplishment, but it isn’t good enough. I was a good person at heart, but I made a few poor choices. After embracing God’s heart and discovering His wisdom, I would emphasize the discipline of the Spirit. Godly discipline helps us put into action godly wisdom based upon godly values. It gives us the strength to do what we know is good and wise.
When I stood up in front of the crowd of 150, I had no idea that the words I put together in my hotel room the night before would develop into the book Breaking the Barriers.