January 13, 2011- Will Stokes

William Hall Stokes. I wish I knew where to begin this entry, but there are truly no words to describe how much you have effected me. Like many of the other twelve people I have already written about, I met you at camp(not as a camper of course because until age seventeen, boys are nothing but walking trees.) I know I talk about this a lot (but in case you are reading this and I have never had this conversation with you) for me, time is irrelevant. I don't measure things by age or months or knowing a certain person or doing a certain thing for a certain amount of time. Time doesn't make sense to me. I have realized in the last year that the only way I recount things is by memories; memories of people, places and things I have done. And according to my memories with you Will, I have known you for a very long time. 


The first time I met Will, there was something about him I wanted to figure out; a secret he had that I desperately wanted to know. I was lucky enough to teach archery(I still wonder sometimes why I taught that activity) with Will and slowly got to know his hopes, passions and how incredible his Party in the U.S.A. dance was. Jesus works in crazy ways, but I learned last summer that the best way I know to share Christ's love with others, and feel Christ's love is through encouragement. Such a simple way to let someone know you care, and the fear of sounding dumb or weird somehow holds us back from telling people how incredible they are. Will taught me, through encouragement, how uplifting it can be personally and how beautiful it looks to God. Building others up and loving them in ways that they feel appreciated and supported in what they're doing and how they are demonstrating Christ's love can make hearts so joyful. I have mentioned this before, but a huge struggle of mine in the past has been vulnerability, and by feeling encouraged, it made me realize how selfish I had been by not encouraging others. 


The greatest thing I learned and am still learning because of how Jesus is working through Will, is vulnerability. It has been a slow but gradually developing process (like my whistling) to learn how to be vulnerable and feel strong because I am weak. I have learned that I cannot expect complete honesty and vulnerability from others until I too show that I am broken and only filled up and placed back together because of Christ's love. Thank you Will for so much, but especially for showing me how to be honest and weak because that is when I am the strongest.


2 Corinthians 12:9-10
"Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong."