Bro. Kobernat is a 2001 graduate of Golden State. He and his wife serve God in the college ministry and travel the country each summer with one of our tour groups. His father, Joe Kobernat is the pastor of First Baptist Church in Geneseo, IL
Someone very wisely stated that time is the most valuable gift that a person could ever give. While growing up in a preacher’s home, I had a mother and father who spent a lot of time with me. My parents definitely took care of the basics by putting food on the table, clothes on our backs, and a roof over our heads; however, they also made time for special activities with their children.
"I am amazed to think about all that my dad was willing to go through for me."
Looking back at my childhood days, I am amazed to think about all that my dad was willing to go through for me. We used to play football in the snow out in our backyard for hours. I remember my fingers were so cold I could barely feel them, but that never stopped me! I just loved spending time with my dad. When I played little league baseball, my dad spent hours playing catch with me in the backyard. When baseball season was over, we would head out to the basketball court in our backyard and shoot baskets until it was too dark to see the hoop. As I think back on these memories, these were not isolated activities – this was the way our family operated. As children, we never felt like we were a bother to Mom and Dad; we knew that we were loved beyond measure.
My parents not only taught us how to have fun, but they also taught us how to work. I remember helping Dad haul and stack firewood for our wood burning stove (in the cold winter months in Illinois). We spent many hours shoveling snow, mowing the lawn, and cleaning the garage. We always had a great time together as a family. We worked together, played together, laughed together, and cried together; but we always did it together! We never had a lot of money; we didn’t drive the nicest cars, or live in the nicest homes, but we always had each other. Somehow my mom and my dad always managed to find the time to spend with all seven of us children!
In spending a lot of time together, I had the opportunity to see that my parents were real Christians. They didn’t act one way at church and a different way at home. They were the same both places. Seeing that my parents were real gave me a desire to have a relationship with the Lord just like my parents had.
Growing up in a preacher’s home was definitely a privilege, but it wasn’t because of the title that my dad or my mom held. It was a privilege because of the time my dad and my mom invested in me.
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