Previous Challenge Entry (Level 1 – Beginner)
Topic: Light and Dark (05/21/09)
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TITLE: My Personal Heroes of the Faith | Previous Challenge Entry
By Al Lovelady
05/27/09 -
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The year was 1998 and I had known Michael and Eric for less than a year. But in that short time I had already figured out that they were two of the godliest men that I had ever met. They didn’t just talk about a personal relationship with Jesus Christ – they lived it every day. And they weren’t the Bible-thumping maniacs that scare unbelievers away. They carried themselves with quiet dignity and were always the consummate gentlemen. But the depth of their conviction and caring concern for others screamed out loud and will echo through eternity. Initially I was skeptical, but eventually I had to concede that their faith was genuine and that living it was virtually effortless for them. The genuine part I could handle, but effortless?
Michael’s assessment of my “black and white” perspective was typical. He and Eric had been roommates since college and they shared similar opinions on most subjects. I was the wild card in our discussions, which were always respectful but rarely harmonious. I was harsh, judgmental and extreme. They were kind, compassionate and forgiving. I demanded truth and justice while they offered grace and redemption. I was trying to toughen them up and they were trying to humanize me. It was entertaining if nothing else.
And, as phenomenal as it was, our time together would be cut short. I moved away the following year in search of fame and fortune. Predictably, it didn’t take long for me to return to my old ways. Without Michael and Eric to chaperone me, I soon traded a church pew for a bar stool. It would take another seven years of hard living and a second failed marriage to really get my attention. Divine Intervention is rarely subtle, but thankfully my experience was much less spectacular than it could have been. I didn’t crash and burn so much as I just ground to a halt. But neither is the end state that our Creator had in mind for us. And thus began the long journey toward the genuine and effortless faith that I had seen in Michael and Eric so many years ago. I firmly believe that they were given to me as two bright, shining examples of who Christian men should strive to be. And now, so many years later, I can finally say to them, “Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:13-14, NIV
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The 3-friends relationship is really cool; I also liked the way no. 3 character found his way-very real.
I enjoy the introspective way you write, but agree that adding some more dialogue with anecdotal information would help flesh out not only your characters but your story as well.
I VERY much liked this: the depth of their conviction and caring concern for others screamed out loud and will echo through eternity.