We’ve spent a lot of time in Thrive talking about ourselves. Our ambition. Our dreams. Our method.
But we’re not the heroes of this story.
Thirty-six months ago our unsuspecting protagonist had never heard of Thrive, had never set a progress bar in motion, and had rarely dared to place an exclamation mark where an ‘i’ should be.
Our hero had other demands to meet, people to love, dreams to chase, and moments to live. Our hero was stretched thin on time and resources and energy. Thrive was not at the center of our hero’s world... and never would be.
And, yet, when we sought to remake an auditorium in honor of a legendary teacher, our hero acted.
When we looked to take spiritual life to new depths, our hero prayed.
When we wanted to break the box on gaming and animation, our hero imagined.
When we told stories of the loved ones we’d lost, our hero remembered.
When we set out for the perfect brew, our hero ground some beans.
When we decided to get fit, our hero flexed.
When we wanted Wall Street right here, our hero invested.
When our healers needed a home, our hero made room.
When we craved the best eats around, our hero got hungry.
When we dreamed of three new colleges... when we eyed going worldwide (Das Millicanhaus)... when we got strategic (Strategic Planning Fund)... when we worked to keep the cost of tuition down (General Scholarships)... and when we dabbled in 280 other little ambitions...
Our hero delivered. Every. Time.
Know my punchline?
Thrive isn’t the story of a fundraising team. Thrive is the story of 9,307 amazing people--with too much to do and too little time--making space in their lives and in their finances to dream someone else’s dream for a few thousand kids they’ll likely never meet.
Thrive is your story. We had the nerve to call the $30M conclusion of that story in 2014. We should have known you’d make our big vision seem small...
Thrive: By The Numbers
It’s difficult to give worthy weight to what you’ve done here. New ideas will spark, careers will launch, families will begin, and Jesus will be encountered in the places and contexts you’ve built in the last three years. And the echoes of your work, loud and soft, will be dancing about this campus for generations.
You’ve encouraged us. You’ve equipped us. You’ve inspired us.
You are Thrive’s hero. Thank you.
-Will
PS - Read more about your big finish on the front page of today’s Oklahoman!
--
