Hey Champ:
I am so grateful to God for you in my life.
You are an inspiration and you are that because in all my dealings with you, your honesty and expression of integrity shines through. You’re still the style don as far as I’m concerned and I am really impressed with how in touch you are with insights on culture. Thank you for sharing you life and what it entails. Thank you for your love of music in its variety of genres and how you appreciate them richly.
Hockey and battle raps are not areas I would have otherwise ventured into, but you have been an excellent guide to at least touch base with these interests. In doing so, I again am humbled to see that these methods of enjoying life and express skills, talents and abilities are really to be celebrated.
One of the most compelling and attractive traits about you, is your desire to love God. You and I come from different Christian traditions and there are lots that could be barriers to sharing faith together. I am glad we prefer to see them as views to acknowledge and from time to time probe without antagonising each other. That’s because there is a mutual desire to love God and I am a big fan of that in you.
What I appreciate a lot as well is that the desire is also a struggle. It’s hard to come across people who are both willing to admit that and still make a wholehearted effort to attend to that and be open to share that journey with others. That you share it with me is one of the most humbling and moving things I have experienced. Thanks for that honour.
You are a dear brother to me and in the light of that I encourage you.
There are forces around you that are eager to bring your downfall. They present themselves in various guises. From seemingly harmless pastimes, to aggressive attacks of the mind that seek to bring you to despair and despondency. Circumstances appear to conspire to leave you in a logjam and a cycle of rejection may appear to be your lot.
Here is how I encourage you. These things are happening to you because of who you serve. You might think it’s your lot and it’s the human experience, but don’t be deceived. Your choice to follow Jesus has made you a target. Your dedication to the Kingdom of heaven makes you an enemy of the prevailing kingdom. Because you’re in it but not of it and your source comes from elsewhere, you cannot live a trouble-free or a trouble-light life. In fact to call your lot troublesome would be an understatement. That’s why it’s nothing regular and usual for you. If they bothered the Teacher, they have to bother the students.
What’s even worse is that there is no doubt that the call of God is on your life. It is unmistakable that God has immensely blessed you with gifts, abilities and skills that benefit humanity in mind and soul. Sitting and listening to you over these months I have never failed to be amazed at how you can just tap into realities and weave them in an expression so poignant and powerful. It’s definitely the spirit of light shining brightly through you.
Why that’s even worse is because it’s clear that efforts are being made to stymie and squash these. The cares of this life, the worries of the world, the challenges of living can seem so overwhelming that it appears as though you’re in a struggle to stay afloat. But appearances are deceiving.
Your every day decision to follow Jesus is an invitation to see Him do the heavy lifting. He can carry the load to liberate you to be everything He’s called you to be. It’s not a promise of life without suffering, but it is a guarantee of life with the Saviour. It’s not a pass from the tough times, it’s an assurance that your steps are still ordered by the Lord who will help you navigate through these and bless others as you do so.
I don’t question the greatness in you. I challenge you to live up to it all the more by the help of the great One who lives in you.
Life informs me that we may not be in each others’ physical sphere of engagement forever. But for now, I am grateful that you have a heavy influence in my life and I get to witness you grow and tackle and overcome and enjoy and soberly consider this wonderful gift of God we call life. Thanks for that privilege.
I trust that as we continue to walk together, we will sharpen each other further to be of good use for the Master.
Oh and Champ, you know who you are. You know what God has called you to be. It doesn’t matter about what opposing forces and the naysayers do or say.
Champ – be yourself, no matter what they say.
(Photo by Ian Stauffer on Unsplash)
For His Name’s Sake
Shalom
C. L. J. Dryden
Life With CD 