I got some news this morning about a young man that I know. I first met him when he was a middle-schooler and I was a youth group volunteer. He was quite an energetic young man, and I always enjoyed being around him. I was his small group leader in the youth group for a while. After my wife and I stopped working with the youth so that we could focus on having a child, I lost touch with him.
I actually ran into him about four or five months ago at a restaurant one morning while meeting some other friends for breakfast. He told me about how he had just been released from several months in jail that morning, and was there to meet his parents. He was in jail for getting into a fight that got a little too carried away because someone was using racial comments about his girlfriend. He was so fresh out of jail that I could even still smell it on him. He hadn’t even been “home” yet, and really didn’t have a home to go to anyway.
As I spoke with him, he shared with me about how his life had gotten way out of control since he stopped coming to church. I got the idea that he just started heading down the wrong path, and step-by-step, before you knew it he was knee-deep into a pretty bad lifestyle and was running with all of the wrong people.
But I also heard a desperate cry. One that was reaching out for a hand to help him get out of the lifestyle that he was in. So I told him that my wife and I were now leading the young adults ministry at our church, and that I knew that there were several guys there that had come from rough pasts that he could really connect with and help him to get on the right path. He told me that he would come, but I never did see him…
Anyway, my wife tells me that for the last few months he had been meeting with one of our pastors that he knew. Apparently he had given his life back to the Lord, and was counseling with him to get his life back on track. She also told me that his body was found dead this morning. At this point we still don’t know any details about how or why, but I don’t need to know. I already know that his old lifestyle had caught up with him somehow.
This whole thing saddens me deeply. It is always difficult to hear about a young life ending way too early, but it especially hurts when it is someone that you have had the opportunity to minister to and get to know so well…
I just want to take this opportunity to say that sometimes your life catches up with you. So each of us has a decision to make every day. Which God do you want to serve? If you live the life of righteousness, you will be able to walk in the peace and blessing of the Lord. This doesn’t mean that everything is perfect, but there is a comfort in knowing you can be separated from the world and walk on higher ground. If you choose a different path, then who knows where you’ll end up. I don’t mean this as a scare tactic; it is just the reality that your life can catch up with you…
May God be with the family as they deal with the loss of Chris…
Spledid post!
Spledid post!
It hurts so deeply to hear this story. For I have had some similar experiences; but I still hope that their sufferings are now completely over.
It hurts so deeply to hear this story. For I have had some similar experiences; but I still hope that their sufferings are now completely over.
It hurts so deeply to hear this story. For I have had some similar experiences; but I still hope that their sufferings are now completely over.
Spledid post!
Thanks guys! By the way, I have heard more details about how he died, and it is even more tragic than I had originally though. Without getting into the details, it really is just what I was saying… his life (and actions) caught up with him. Chris had a great heart, but got mixed up in some bad stuff. I know that he would want his life to mean something, so I hope that the questions that I present in this post make people think. I also pray that my readers here think about how precious life is, and don’t take a single day (or person) for granted.
The funeral is on Saturday, and this post will be posted on http://www.hopefulspirit.com/ on Saturday as well as a guest writer post. Please keep Chris’s family in your prayers.
Thanks!
Dan
Thanks guys! By the way, I have heard more details about how he died, and it is even more tragic than I had originally though. Without getting into the details, it really is just what I was saying… his life (and actions) caught up with him. Chris had a great heart, but got mixed up in some bad stuff. I know that he would want his life to mean something, so I hope that the questions that I present in this post make people think. I also pray that my readers here think about how precious life is, and don’t take a single day (or person) for granted.
The funeral is on Saturday, and this post will be posted on http://www.hopefulspirit.com/ on Saturday as well as a guest writer post. Please keep Chris’s family in your prayers.
Thanks!
Dan
Thanks guys! By the way, I have heard more details about how he died, and it is even more tragic than I had originally though. Without getting into the details, it really is just what I was saying… his life (and actions) caught up with him. Chris had a great heart, but got mixed up in some bad stuff. I know that he would want his life to mean something, so I hope that the questions that I present in this post make people think. I also pray that my readers here think about how precious life is, and don’t take a single day (or person) for granted.
The funeral is on Saturday, and this post will be posted on http://www.hopefulspirit.com/ on Saturday as well as a guest writer post. Please keep Chris’s family in your prayers.
Thanks!
Dan
Good news: I’ve read thousands of blog today and out of all of them this on is by far the best. I love your site and I digg your story. I’m going to tell people about this blog.
Bad news: This was in google ads on your site http://www.peace-of-mind.net/
Good news: I’ve read thousands of blog today and out of all of them this on is by far the best. I love your site and I digg your story. I’m going to tell people about this blog.
Bad news: This was in google ads on your site http://www.peace-of-mind.net/
Good news: I’ve read thousands of blog today and out of all of them this on is by far the best. I love your site and I digg your story. I’m going to tell people about this blog.
Bad news: This was in google ads on your site http://www.peace-of-mind.net/
Chris,
Thanks for the great compliment! I put a lot of my heart into what I am doing here, so it is nice to hear that all of my hard work and dedication is worthwhile. I’ll keep an eye on my ads and add some URLs to the exclude list if I have to. I just hope that my readers know that just because it shows up there that it doesn’t mean that I particularly endorse it. Thanks for the heads-up!
Dan
Chris,
Thanks for the great compliment! I put a lot of my heart into what I am doing here, so it is nice to hear that all of my hard work and dedication is worthwhile. I’ll keep an eye on my ads and add some URLs to the exclude list if I have to. I just hope that my readers know that just because it shows up there that it doesn’t mean that I particularly endorse it. Thanks for the heads-up!
Dan
Chris,
Thanks for the great compliment! I put a lot of my heart into what I am doing here, so it is nice to hear that all of my hard work and dedication is worthwhile. I’ll keep an eye on my ads and add some URLs to the exclude list if I have to. I just hope that my readers know that just because it shows up there that it doesn’t mean that I particularly endorse it. Thanks for the heads-up!
Dan
What a poignant, wake-up call of a post, Dan.
It always saddens me when the enemy makes inroads like this, and a young, promising life is wasted.
The good news is that Chris was apparently beginning to turn in the right direction, and making efforts by reaching out to one of our pastors. Thank GOD.
Still, the ripple effect continues. I pray God uses this tragic situation to awaken every person Chris knew.
What a poignant, wake-up call of a post, Dan.
It always saddens me when the enemy makes inroads like this, and a young, promising life is wasted.
The good news is that Chris was apparently beginning to turn in the right direction, and making efforts by reaching out to one of our pastors. Thank GOD.
Still, the ripple effect continues. I pray God uses this tragic situation to awaken every person Chris knew.
Thanks Julie!
Not only have I found out that he DID get right with God, but that he also wanted to be a youth pastor so that he could warn and protect other kids from going down the same road that he did. I think that this makes his story even more tragic…
Thanks!
Dan
Thanks Julie!
Not only have I found out that he DID get right with God, but that he also wanted to be a youth pastor so that he could warn and protect other kids from going down the same road that he did. I think that this makes his story even more tragic…
Thanks!
Dan
Thanks Julie!
Not only have I found out that he DID get right with God, but that he also wanted to be a youth pastor so that he could warn and protect other kids from going down the same road that he did. I think that this makes his story even more tragic…
Thanks!
Dan
What a poignant, wake-up call of a post, Dan.
It always saddens me when the enemy makes inroads like this, and a young, promising life is wasted.
The good news is that Chris was apparently beginning to turn in the right direction, and making efforts by reaching out to one of our pastors. Thank GOD.
Still, the ripple effect continues. I pray God uses this tragic situation to awaken every person Chris knew.
Dan: Sorry to hear about Chris and I pray that the blessings of your ministry on his behalf won’t end here.
I have also had a life tragically end ‘on my watch.’ Your readers might wish to read “The Carl and Leslie Story” on my blog. placesivebeen.wordpress.com
Peace! Jonas
Dan: Sorry to hear about Chris and I pray that the blessings of your ministry on his behalf won’t end here.
I have also had a life tragically end ‘on my watch.’ Your readers might wish to read “The Carl and Leslie Story” on my blog. placesivebeen.wordpress.com
Peace! Jonas
Dan: Sorry to hear about Chris and I pray that the blessings of your ministry on his behalf won’t end here.
I have also had a life tragically end ‘on my watch.’ Your readers might wish to read “The Carl and Leslie Story” on my blog. placesivebeen.wordpress.com
Peace! Jonas
I am so sorry to hear about that young man. I can only imagine the feeling but you did a good thing. That man knew about God cause of you. I’ve been volunteering at our local middle school and have really connected with the kids and I can only imagine how I would feel in that situation.
Anyways I love your blog and the posts you have on it. I’m working to be a youth pastor and its really cool to see people with the same passion I have for youth and to see that other people blog about Christ also. May God bless your ministry and your blog ~ Jeremy Newton
I am so sorry to hear about that young man. I can only imagine the feeling but you did a good thing. That man knew about God cause of you. I’ve been volunteering at our local middle school and have really connected with the kids and I can only imagine how I would feel in that situation.
Anyways I love your blog and the posts you have on it. I’m working to be a youth pastor and its really cool to see people with the same passion I have for youth and to see that other people blog about Christ also. May God bless your ministry and your blog ~ Jeremy Newton
I am so sorry to hear about that young man. I can only imagine the feeling but you did a good thing. That man knew about God cause of you. I’ve been volunteering at our local middle school and have really connected with the kids and I can only imagine how I would feel in that situation.
Anyways I love your blog and the posts you have on it. I’m working to be a youth pastor and its really cool to see people with the same passion I have for youth and to see that other people blog about Christ also. May God bless your ministry and your blog ~ Jeremy Newton