[Applause] first one apologize to this side of the room I’m gonna be facing that way I don’t know any of you but I love you all but I hope you enjoy my backside throughout throughout this speech but I honestly wasn’t planning on sharing this quick story but after hearing about the
Post pineco feelings of brooke and and what mr. Ingram was sharing I had I had to bring this one out but so this is past March our whole family went skiing all together Brooke was included this is a month after they got engaged so things were secure and so we were just standing
Around the table and I don’t remember who of us asked Brooke this but I think I might’ve been my mom but she’s like Brooke so I mean were you interested in Beaufort a long time before that and she’s like no just really really quick response she’s like to be honest I kind of
Thought he was a little immature for a while but clearly things have changed obviously so that’s that’s been fun but I think about ten seconds ago I deleted the notes on my app with my entire speech so we’re just gonna completely wing this I’m Ben Bo’s best man with the
Title obviously I hold a lot more dearly as being his younger brother coming with that title comes a lot of great things in life you know Beau’s built up a relationship with people built up a reputation with people that’s a good thing and so naturally following in his
Footsteps in a lot of ways is an easy thing to do just I mean coming to TCU like I got to meet a lot of amazing people who are sitting here tonight and gotta get my foot in the door with a lot of great people because it’s Bo proc like
Everybody loves Bo and then being his younger brother was was a great thing I kind of got to the point where I’d be sitting in the library and I just hear people talking positively about Bo and I just kind of scoot over and be like hey
I’m Ben I’m buzzed on your brother we’re blood-related let’s be friends but I was just kind of the positive aspects of being Bo’s younger brother but there were a few negative ones sometimes I felt a little bit more like the disciple Peter just wanting to deny any association with the man at all
And and one of those times came about two years ago I was applying for this program at TCU that Bo’s a member of and I was thinking to myself of course I mean I’m gonna have a nice conversation starter and interviews hopefully he’s built a good relationship with people
Like this will be a good thing to be both younger brother but then both sat me down one day and he told me these are his words not mine his words he goes Ben I’m the worst member of this entire program knowing me knowing me will only
Hurt your chances of getting in so I immediately decided to grab a sharpie and cross out my last name on my nametag going into the interviews and just deny deny deny any association with the guy but even though there were a few moments like that obviously I mean there’s a few
Titles in this world that all ever be given that more proud to hold in your younger brother what was fun from you is I got to I got to overlap with bone Brooke for a year at TCU and kind of see their relationship start and just want
To thank you guys for inviting me on your lawn run lunch and movie dates at like 1:00 p.m. every Tuesday so really appreciate being invited to those don’t know how you have the time to do that but more importantly I just want to thank you for each consistently showing
Me like how valuable I am to each of you throughout that time despite significant heart sparkles flying in the air around rowdy each of you but kind of the main idea I want to get craw I get across it’s just the fact that like who God has
Made each of you to be it’s only gonna be made more complete now that you’re married and the fruit that we’ve seen from each of your lives up until this point is only gonna be multiplied now that you’re not your one so I’m excited too excited to watch that and and so
Kind of want to go in to eat what I see about each of you and kind of how I see you guys together and and just how amazing that’s gonna be but Brooke – to start with you you have a way of saying hi that I don’t really think anybody
Else does but it’s fun to watch Brooke you’re one of the most others focused people I’ve ever met you’re patient you’re quick to listen quick to connect with people really the heart that you have for other people is pretty amazing your joyful your intentional and and not just
Intention like anybody else you’re not just intention with the people you’re close with and the people that you love but you’re you’re intentional with the people that you barely even know and that’s that’s kind of one way that you take that just a step farther you’re someone that people want to be around
But more importantly you’re someone who shows other people how much you want to be around them and I think that’s extremely valuable you show them their value every day like you have done for two years for me so I just want to thank you for that you’re amazing and I’m just
So excited to continue to get to know you and even in just two years knowing you you’ve challenged me time and time again and giving me countless reasons to admire you so so thankful so thankful for you now bow obviously I’ve kind of followed in Bo’s
Footsteps in a lot of ways I mean same college major fraternity stuff like that and and I told them this the other night but I just want to reiterate it like I hope you take my life as my biggest compliment to you [Applause] you’ve led a life worth following
I admire the choices you’ve made along the way and I I really would not have followed you the places that I have unless I looked up to you and then yeah you’ve led a life worth following one thing I’ve seen I don’t think I’ve seen throughout the last 20 years of
Following you is just this transition there [Applause] now one thing I’ve seen like in the last 20 years is just the fact that everything positive that comes from you is just rooted in your identity in Christ and you’re someone who knows your identity and it’s it’s absolutely
Foundational it’s it’s fun to watch it’s something that kind of sets the tone for everything you do in your life and out of that place you’re someone who takes a genuine interest in others lives I think I think I’ve realized a lot recently like how easy it is to kind of take a
Surface level or superficial interest in someone’s life and check in kind of to get your points or get your star on your friendship or something but you’re someone who like really desires to know what’s going on people’s lives you’re someone who like who really digs deeper
And you’re just someone who did you take joy in other people’s successes your heart breaks for them when you when their hearts are breaking like you have a compassion in your heart that I’ve never seen that’s really really rare and honestly the impact that you’ve had on
Other people is pretty amazing I mean everyone here I feel like can go back to a moment or a conversation that they’ve had with you or they’ve been impacted by you where they they’ve really seen the value of their lives because of you and so I just love you for that and one
Thing that I’ve really grown to appreciate recently it was touched on earlier but just your your humility I think it’s it’s no secret how successful you’ve been in a lot of areas of life and there’s countless reasons for pride to kind of come up and I’ve never seen
Pride reach the surface in you at all only thankfulness only humility has remained and so that’s honestly that’s so impressive it’s something that’s hard to do and I believe the conscious decision and it’s also just a part of who you are and then also I one thing I’ve really noticed recently that’s
Pretty amazing is how you really don’t complain I honestly can’t remember the last time I ever heard you complain maybe someone else heard it really recently but I’ve never heard last I can’t remember the last time I heard you complain you’re someone who just exudes positivity and everything you do I know
This last year’s there’s been amazing moments and some tough moments and I’ve never heard you complain and that’s just that’s pretty remarkable now remembering what my last point was because I lost my notes but anyways you guys together I think I mean obviously these are kind of unique to each of you
But and you guys have your differences and what’s exciting about that is that that’s only going to be complemented by the other person but out of all your similarities I think the biggest thing that I’ve noticed in each of you is how you’ve you’ve each made a living loving
On other people and that’s been that’s been really unique that’s been really fun to watch and really fun to learn from I feel like I’ve kind of had a front-row seat it’s a pretty amazing expression of love and and true care for other people and I’m just excited to
Continue having that front row seat throughout your marriage just because I really believe your marriage is gonna be an unbelievable expression of Jesus’s love for the church and it’s gonna be it’s gonna be a beautiful thing but I just love each of you so much and I’m so
Thankful for you and I’m sorry for crying through this entire thing and I love you guys Cheers you
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