What a legacy...

Have you ever had one of those moments where your reminded of exactly how "human" you are. I don't mean spiritually...although, I have those days too. I mean physically. I remember being in second grade when my cousin passed away and I can easily recall a deep awareness of how easily and how quickly we can die...and how we can pass from one reality into the next. At the time, I was unaware of the Lord and all the truths that flow from that reality but I just recall feeling so vulnerable... so human. Before that, I just thought I got to live forever and do whatever. As an eight year old, my reality was shaken.

Over the last few days, a powerful and beloved member of the AG Chi Alpha/World family's visa on this earth has expired and he had to return home to be with Jesus.

Bro. Joe Zickafoose.
As I am beginning to write this, I'm starting to feel a little like Luke writing about the happenings of Jesus and the Disciples... because I never had the honor and privilege to meet Bro. Joe (yet). I'd mostly only even heard of Joe and Jayne through stories that Bill and Lena Shrader would tell here and there. But over the last week, I've been given a deeper birds eye view into the legacy that he spent his life sewing into the people he left behind. Bro. Joe became a believer while attending Kent State University, Ohio. He pioneered several campuses including The Ohio State University. Did amazing things and built incredible relationship at Missouri State University (formerly SMS), and the University or Louisville,KY and also pioneered University Student Ministry in Scotland before having to return to the states. He was in the construction business, constantly building the kingdom everywhere he went whether is was in his interns or just having coffee at the mudhouse in town with total strangers. I know just from reading accounts from facebook and talking to those who truly loved him here as we continue to process through the memorial service that Joe was a doer. He did a lot of stuff and continued to grow the kingdom everywhere he went. He loved. He loved his family, you can tell just by the way that he looks at his sons and wife in the pictures. He loved his guitar and music, you can tell by the passion he has in his face as he was playing. He loved students, why else would anyone work on that many different universities? Although Joe did all of these wonderful things, there is something that his life and his legacy will continue to teach me long after I post this blog and years to come.
Joe was able to be.
Sometimes, we can get so wrapped up in the doing. Are we doing right? Are we living up to our potential? Are we this or are we that? Joe was able to be and was grounded in the Lord regardless of where he was living or what he was doing. He was the same Joe whether he was having coffee at the Mudhouse with the manager or playing guitar at the European Student Conference. Anyone who I've spoken to can say one thing with complete clarity and agreement...
Joe loved Jesus.
What a legacy...
today I better understand the passage...
"come follow me as I follow Christ."