January 5, 2011- John Andrews

Jandrews, Jandies, Bubba, John- whatever you want to call him, you are still talking about my best friend. I met Jandies my junior year of high school at Universal and right off the bat i'm sure he thought I was insane. We honestly didn't get close until after spending a summer together in the beautiful blue ridge mountains, but I grew to love his endless rants about things and people I didn't know and he hopefully grew to love my ridiculous lifestyle that rarely had attending class on the schedule. We shared stories, friends, but most importantly we shared life together.

This is one of those posts that I am in dire need of writing, because I don't know if Jandies is fully aware of why I love him so dearly. Every time I would talk to him on the phone, before I would hang up he would always tell me he loved me. Love has never been an easy word for me to understand or even want to understand. The forms of love I knew and was accustomed to, were not what I wanted to have coming from him. For a while I would just laugh and hang up the phone but he never stopped saying it. I never truly understood Jandies love for me until this past summer at camp where he bothered me to the point of no return about my touching phobia. I told him all that I had held back about my past from him and waited for the judgement to come. One great thing about him is he never holds his tongue with me and was never scared to tell me what he thought I was doing or had done was wrong or irresponsible. All he told me after my stained past had come up was that he loved me. Love. The word I had never understood from him finally made sense. I was being loved unconditionally from a man who was letting Christ love through him.

Since then we have certainly had our disagreements, misunderstandings, disregard for the others feelings and, from his end, stern talking to's! But I know now that regardless of what I say, do or think- Jandies will always love me. The life changing lesson God taught me through John, is that I will never not be loved. Not the kind of love that hurts, waivers or leaves you, but the kind of love that will lift you up on your worst days and comfort you when the world hurts. Jandies, you are an absolutely incredible example of unconditional love and I pray everyday that you will continue loving others the way you have loved me. I truly, truly love you forever.

1 John 4:18
"There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made in perfect love."

January 4, 2011- Emily Etchison

SlimJ Slick Etchasketch, a.k.a. Emily Etchison. My word where to begin? I had no idea that meeting you in Dr. Earls AP english class our junior year of high school, would completely change my life. Em you will never realize half of the people you influence and inspire in life. You kind and loving spirit shines brighter then the stars, and the way you care for people is incredible to see and be a witness to. You are truly, truly beautiful Slick and I have loved sharing life with you over the past two and a half years. I will never be able to convey in words how much you honestly have changed my life, but I will certainly encourage you in the ways you have helped me:

From the moment I met you, there was a light I desired to have. A certain joy that I couldn't seem to grasp because of how peculiar it was to me. A heart that cared so deeply, I felt completely exposed, but completely comfortable at the same time. Em I am so grateful for the love you showed me and the beautiful relationship you chose to start with me. You helped me seek Christ and understand that He loved me more then I could ever imagine. You sat by me and wept when I wept. You poured your heart and soul out into music that touched our hearts in a way many will never understand. We have celebrated, laughed, screamed, prayed, worshiped and loved together, and I will never forget all that you have done for me.

If I could pinpoint the most influential impact you have had on my life, it would be your freedom. Freedom to praise and to dance and to sing and run and laugh and cry all for Jesus. Your freedom to ignore what society says is "right" and truly define your own way of living. Your freedom to love, your freedom to just be with others and share the love that only Jesus can give with them. You are unbelievable EmJ and I have no doubt that you have already changed the world. I love you forever.

Galatians 5:13
"For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don't use your freedom to satisfy sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love."

January 3, 2011-Sarah Hord

Today I went to the beach with some friends and as I waited for God to place a person on my heart, one of my friends mentioned something about The Avett Brothers concert. My ridiculous train of thought led me from that to Asheville, to who went to the Asheville concert to none other then Sarah Hord. Sarah Hord and my story begins back when I was the biggest punk to ever walk the grounds of Camp Merri-Mac and she was forced to out up with me. From day one where her first nick-name from me (Swordfish) was established, I admired her wisdom and beautifully captivating spirit. She taught and encouraged me in ways that were done, simply out of love for a sixteen year old who didn't understand the first thing about love. The next year, I was lucky enough to be under her care for another summer of growth, fellowship, time in the word, and refusal to sleep in any bed that wasn't hers. She also developed 2 new nick-names(Mom and Big Papa) which I still frequently use when referring to her.

Knowing her now, I am more blessed then ever to see how God has used her in my life to teach me first about myself, and now about His love. Her heart is so beautiful and her patience is unlike any other person's I have ever met. She loves in a way that could only be Jesus' love radiating through her and takes the time to genuinely invest in other people's lives. The greatest thing I have learned from her is that truly loving people requires more then a "how are you?" or "love you!!" It requires the ability to look past the exterior and simply see the heart of a person. It requires patience for those who are slow to be vulnerable with others, and it requires you to be vulnerable with others in return. I couldn't be more thankful for the role model Christ gave me in her, I love you forever Big P.


Romans 12:12
"Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer."

January 2, 2011-Tim Schiller

An unexpected friendship arose simply from Timmy forgetting his shoes in my car, and therefore me picking him up for school entirely too early in the morning-everyday. For the first week or so of car rides, we both sat, exhausted, and angry we were being forced to go to school, only exchanging a few words here and there. But man, by the time we got past those awkward few days, our conversation sparked more easily and was much deeper then normal 6:45AM chats (if those even exist). We began to genuinely inquire about the other's heart and what made it beat. I learned his passions, his struggles, his inability to sleep in his own room after seeing Paranormal Activity, and most importantly I was exposed to a true man of God falling more in love with his creator everyday. Timmy and I began to take escapades away from the campus of West Orange High School to drink coffee or eat lunch or just fellowship with each other. I am truly sorry that because of those trips, neither Timbo nor I exceeded expectations in our classes that year, but I am so grateful for those trips and all the love Christ radiated though Timmy to me in those trips.

The day Timbo stopped needing a ride to school made me realize how much I appreciated his friendship and the time that we had together in the mornings. They blessed me in a way that only the Lord could have known I needed. Timmy challenged me to remember that West Orange High School was a mission field in itself and that I was called there for a reason. He encouraged me to seek out the best in people, and to always look and love.

If you don't know Timmy Schiller- get to know him. If you do know him- get to know him better. Coming home from college for breaks, I am amazed with the growth in his spirit for life and for sharing Christ's love with everybody around him every time. The greatest lesson I have learned from Timbo is to never be too afraid of the consequence to do what you feel is right. His beautiful and fearless way of sharing his faith with others is incredible to witness, and his bold way of keeping the conversation on Christ is inspiring. Thank you Timmy for being a friend and a brother in Christ. I love you forever.

Proverbs 28:1
"The wicked run away when no one is chasing them, but the godly are as bold as lions."

January 1, 2011- Jordan Ashlee Schlosser

I have recently discovered how often I neglect to tell people how much they mean to me. Everyone I come in contact with, effects the way I think or act, whether I realize it at the time or not. Many of these people have challenged me to truly examine my heart and determine how to better myself or my relationship with Christ. This year, my new years resolution is to pray for and write about one person everyday that God puts on my heart. And instead of what I normally do and keeping these prayers and thoughts to myself, I'm going to share them with that person so that they may stay encouraged in what they are doing, and know that they have changed my life in a wonderful way.

Day one. It's always tough to start these things off and I'm not sure why God placed one of the hardest people to write about on my heart today, but what better way to start things off then with your best friend? They're are very few people in this world that I can be fully vulnerable with; I mean cry with, share burdens, and struggles and heart's desires with kind of vulnerable. One of those few goes by many names including Joge, Nubs, Schnekel, Gertrude, J-Dawg but is known to most as Jordan Ashlee Schlosser. If I could sum her up in one word, it would be love. Her heart is so big, I sometimes fear that it's going to explode from all the compassion she has for others. When Jordan has her mind set on something, it takes off and nothing can stop it. She goes out of her way to care for others regardless of how they feel about her, and never gives up on anyone. Joge truly seeks out the best in everyone she meets and inspires me daily to live for no one, but to live a beautiful and faith-filled life because Jesus died for me. Her dreams and aspirations are not at all of this world; she thinks of herself last, and is in a full and constant realization that she is not a member of just her school or friendship group, but of the world. I could write a book about all that she has done for me, but the greatest lesson she has taught me is that sometimes, the best way to love someone is just to listen. Thank you for always being there Joge, I love you forever.

"Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand it's own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith and is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance." - 1 Corinthians 13:4-7