When I was asked to write about Al Gonzalez, there was no hesitation on the willingness to write about this incredible person.  The thoughts that gave me a quick pause was, how do I concisely write about all the great attributes of one man?

But, after thinking for a moment about who Al represents, the character of this man, who he has been and even the man he is becoming it became very clear.  Al is a man after God’s own heart.  Simply put, he is a man of God, perfected in the furnace of life, always looking to help others, always willing to serve and always willing to give glory to God in all that he does.

Like the pot in the potter’s hands, he has willingly let God season and perfect him to do what he has been called to do.  To help others through this life.  When you speak to Al, or Al speaks to you, you immediately feel the presence of someone who is wise in his counsel, has let life’s experiences teach him what is most important and you know that he cares!  He genuinely cares about you.

 He has accomplished much in this life, on this earth but he abounds in humility.  He could stand from the rooftops and shout out all that God has allowed him to accomplish, warrior, motivational speaker, author, leader and on and on.  But he does not, he is a man of humility and that’s what I love about Al.  Even though he has done all these things in which most men would be haughty and proud, he is not, he sees himself as just being obedient to God.  

 He has served our country heroically, he has served our industry with steadfastness and he has loved his teams and family like a servant leader should.  I admire Al.  I look up to this man.  I am honored to call him a friend, a mentor and a confident.

 As this world turns, it seems each and every day, there are fewer and fewer men who live for God, stand fast in their commitment to doing things right and are pure through and through.  This is who he is, what you see is what you get and what you get is an incredible man who I would emulate to be.  A man after God’s own heart.