Its unfortunate that most people wait until a funeral to thank someone for the imprint made of their life. Instead of sharing an encouraging word, time has a way of distracting individuals from expressing how they really feel. Thus, souls often perish without hearing or knowing the impact they had on others.
May the Lord show mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, because he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains, 2 Timothy 1:16.
While writing a letter to one of his ministry partners, the apostle Paul urges believers to remember those who refresh souls. To heed this call, I feel compelled to give a shout out for those people who have helped me along my faith journey. The first was my high school swim coach, who also served as a science teacher and spiritual mentor. To a student who was seeking for meaning in life, Ken Horne pointed me in the right direction as a Fellowship of Christian Athletes huddle leader at Concord High.
Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone, Colossians 4:6.
After helping me develop a solid foundation, several college friends inspired me to further my faith. My roommate Mike introduced me to contemporary worship music, Phil showed me how to live life to the fullest and Dave led me to see the importance of accountability. There are others who deserve additional credit, but there will be other blogs to address their deeds. For now, don’t let time slip away on this July 4th before you remember those who have refreshed your soul.
by Jay Mankus