by Shari Johnson, Publisher
What a morning! About 4:30 a.m. I fell out of bed, struck my temple on the night stand which created a large goose egg, as well as banged my elbow and stoved myself up pretty good. I then made my way to the kitchen, the coffee pot, the dining room table and decided it was a better use of my time to get to my bible study than to watch the knot grow. What struck me odd about this event was that it all started because my clothes didn’t match. I was dreaming about being in the post office and talking with a former post lady. But my clothes didn’t match so I decided I needed to put a sweatshirt over them, which happen to be too small. So as I was struggling to get the shirt on in my dream, I fell out of bed. I will assume that I was literally acting the dream out which caused the fall, although I don’t know that. I couldn’t even be frustrated about the goose egg because the story was so doggone funny and vivid in my mind! I’m glad it didn’t wake up Mother.
What does that have to do with my time in the word? I thought nothing, but then again in the words of one my favorite sermons, “Nothing just happens.” I’ve been journaling through the book of Acts each day and today landed me in chapters 6 and 7, the story of Stephen the martyr. In a bit of irony (or not) yesterday I lost a dear, dear friend, named Steve. One of the boldest witnesses for Christ in my life. I’ve known a few… but not very many. I know hundreds of self proclaimed Christians. They’re not ashamed of the gospel of Christ and will answer of their salvation to most anyone. But not like Steve. If you met Steve, you knew he was saved because within minutes of meeting him, he’d tell you. And then he’d usually ask you if you were saved, or if you wanted to be saved? His wife and children are much the same.
Their life has not been easy. His wife was diagnosed several years ago with cancer and had a long battle. They fostered children which took them on heart aching journeys. They ministered to people in the community so unselfishly it would have defied logic to anyone in the world… but not to God. Not long ago, their newly married daughter lost her husband in a tragic car accident. And then yesterday, Steve met Jesus face to face and his family and friends are here to grieve. I wondered this morning if I felt like the friends of Stephen of the book of Acts? My friend Steve wasn’t martyred, but there were those who certainly didn’t appreciate his “brand of Christianity.” There will be those who will not miss his witness, testimony and prayers.
Just before Stephen in the book of Acts was thrown out of the city and stoned to death, he preached one last sermon from the book of Exodus and the story of Moses. He preached the rejection of God by Israel when they made the golden calves to worship as Moses was getting the Ten Commandments. He preached of the temporary tabernacle in the wilderness, the building of the grand tabernacle by Solomon and rejection of truth throughout history of the holiness and identity of God. All of which lead to the tabernacle that man cannot destroy, and God living in the tabernacle of man in the form of the Holy Spirit. Glory to God I just wrote myself happy.
As Stephen was being stoned, he seen Jesus standing on the right hand of the Father in Heaven. He repeated the words of Christ for God “Not to lay this sin to their charge.” As a Christian who desires nothing more than for my friends and family to know Christ, I understand Stephen’s plea. I desire his boldness and the boldness of my friend Steve.
Satan would love nothing more than to think he’d won a battle when taking a bold person of faith out of the world. “One less person to talk about Jesus,” is no doubt on his lips this morning. But for me, is was a revelation of heart that I’ve been letting the Lord down by allowing my life’s work of spreading the gospel to be slack while on this journey I’m on right now with Mother. This morning I pray my journey get’s back on track and I refocus on the real life’s work God called me for. Before I was called to be publisher of the Ridgeview (which I have failed on as well, I will confess) I was called to be the Jesus Chick. I was called in 2010 to spread the gospel. I never questioned the validity of the call. Although I often questioned God’s choosing of me. But if you’re an honest to goodness prayer child of Jesus Christ, please… add my ministry to your list. And above all add the Boggs family to your prayers… the sweetest folks on earth.
Steve and Paula Boggs
