Steve's Legacy

During my first year of college, the Lord provided me with a dear friend named Kaley.  She invited me to be a part of church renewal weekends with her, and through these I grew deeper in the Lord and also became good friends with her family. 

I remember Kaley’s dad, Steve, reaching out to me, accepting me as a part of his family, and showing me how to love like Jesus.  When Steve, Kaley, and I were able to lead worship on the occasional weekend, he often referred to himself as “the rose between two thorns” (Kaley and I).  J

Even as Steve was battling cancer, he joined us in serving various churches on these weekends.  The last time I saw him, I was really struggling with his illness.  I retreated to the empty sanctuary in tears.  He walked in, gave me a hug, and comforted me.  I mentioned to him how I didn’t feel like I was the Christian I should be.  He pointed me toward the truth that even when we feel like we are not measuring up, God has a plan and is teaching us something through it.  He is not disappointed in us.     

He lived 2 Corinthians 1:3-5 for me, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.  For as we share abundantly in Christ's sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too.”  He was able to comfort me because He had been given peace in the Lord. 

Steve’s fountain of joy, deep laughter, and life of love were not rooted in earthly securities, but instead in Jesus Christ.  Because of this, he was freed to give himself to the people around him – even a freshman girl in college, living away from her own family. 

His legacy has spread to his family, who is near and dear to my heart.  His legacy has affected me.

     

The Lord reminded me recently of how Steve loved me and how that love was like the Lord’s love.  He passed from this life to be with the Lord about a year and a half ago, and I miss him greatly, as do so many.  

I do know that he has complete joy worshipping Jesus now. 

His fight with cancer was terrible, but God used his obedience to glorify Himself.  Steve is a reminder to me that I am called to love fully like Jesus, and my prayer is that the Lord might choose to use me to make a difference in the lives of those with whom I connect – even if it’s only for a short time.