A couple of days ago, I shared about the amazing women of Colorado that have helped shape my faith from forty years ago until now. They have spurred me on in my faith by simply walking the road with me. There are two men in Colorado that I was able to visit with last week. They have impacted my life and faith as well, my youth pastor and my brother.
It is kind of interesting to look back forty years and be flooded with memories of your youth and then jump ahead forty years and start new ones. I met Jim Stuart when I was 13 years old. I had recently moved from Texas to Colorado and wasn't happy about the change. I was painfully shy and I am embarrassed to say that the first time I entered youth group, I hid under the table. At home I had all of the confidence I needed, but out in the world, I just wanted to hide. Then Jim Stuart walked into my life.
Jim was all of 26 years old. I didn't think of him as old exactly but he was definitely an adult with a wife, a mortgage, and would soon be a father. Jim, along with his wife, brought life to this God I knew of but didn't know yet.
I was always impressed by Jim's knowledge of scripture and theology. I have always respected him for that, but it was the simplicity of his faith that greatly influenced my spiritual walk.
I remember going on backpacking and whitewater rafting trips. Jim would break out his guitar and beloved Bible and share about what a relationship with Christ looks like. I knew there was a complexity to scripture but Jim also showed me the simplicity of walking through the woods with a guitar and a Bible and how they were just as meaningful. Over the years when life became challenging and my faith was tested, I thought about those powerful encounters with God on a mountaintop and would seek them out again in my life. Jim showed me that if I looked for God, I would surely find Him.
During those impressionable years I also learned what to look for in a husband. I loved how Jim loved his wife and how he treated her. His example, and the example of my dad, helped me look for that same type of husband and I am grateful to say I found him.
It is hard to put into words what Jim has meant to me. He is a brother I look up to and a friend I can rely on, but most of all, he is an example of Christ to me.
The other Colorado man I have known and respected for 56 years now, is my brother. Mark and I are very close in age, only 14 months apart. One of the attributes I admire the most about Mark is his servant heart.
When I arrived in Denver, Mark picked me up at the airport with two bottles of water in the front seat. He knows I have a tendency to get altitude sick in Colorado and wanted to try to head it off before my trip even started. Mark knew I was anxious about driving on ice so the morning I was to give a presentation on my trip, Mark got up at 6:00 am to warm the car and scrape any ice off the windshield. That is just the kind of person he is.
Just as Jim showed me the simplicity of faith, Mark has demonstrated the simplicity of being a disciple. To follow Christ is to live a life of service and humility. Over the years Mark has graciously served a variety of people in need of a new start or second chance. On a regular basis I have gone to Mark to ask him the best way to extend grace to someone that is struggling. I am grateful for Mark's example of what Christ calls us to do, love and serve.
I know my last two blog posts have had a different focus. I usually share topics concerning disability ministry, but my purpose in sharing the stories of the women and men of Colorado that spur me on is to communicate that ministry has numerous people in it's history that have helped pave the way. The ripple effect of people spurring others on is immeasurable, never knowing where it began or where it ends. Think of the people that have invested in you. What have they taught you? How have they impacted your spiritual journey? Think about the investment you are making in others. What will they remember? How will you impact their perspective on God and ministry?
