There are a few men in my life… my Heavenly Father, my earthly father (Tim Atchley), my brothers (Josiah and Isaac Atchley) and the one who’s steadily taking winning my heart Justin McConnell… My Man
The Lord takes you through seasons, and with each new season comes new relationships.
My relationship with Justin has been growing for over a year now… almost 14 months to be exact. And, every moment has been a gift from God.
Justin continues to amaze me as he grows with Christ and determines to walk according to His will. As he listens to the voice of the Lord speak to him regarding school, work, a calling, etc, etc, etc…
He’s been a blessing by being consistent. Is he perfect? No! -sorry Justin
However, I can bank on his hearing the Lord when it’s necessary; I can bank on his being honest with me,;I can bank on the fact that in the end he’ll do the hard thing; I can bank that in difficult times, he’s gonna stick to it and through it; and I can bank that he’ll be willing to pay the price for Christ.
Which, in turn, means that he’ll do the hard thing for me if it comes to it, because Christ has placed me in his life and he will steward that calling just as much as any other.
It is not yet time for my heart to be “completely turned over” to him… but, in the season that God has us in, and with what God has allowed me to in-trust to him, Justin has proven consistently trust worthy and faithful to care for it.
Justin has a servants heart that touches me daily, a perseverance that I admire and a humility that I wish I had.
He’s honest, loving and completely doesn’t care about “keeping his cool”.
There’s a Michael Card song “God’s Own Fool” that I love that makes me think of him when I hear it:
Seems I've imagined Him all of my lifeAs the wisest of all of mankind
But if God's Holy wisdom is foolish to menHe must have seemed out of His mind.
For even His family said He was mad
And the priests said a demon's to blame
But God in the form of this angry young man
Could not have seemed perfectly sane.
Chorus
When we in our foolishness thought we were wise
He played the fool and He opened our eyes
When we in our weakness believed we were strong
He became helpless to show we were wrong.
And so we follow God's own fool
For only the foolish can tell-Believe the unbelievable
And come be a fool as well.
So come lose your life for a carpenter's son
For a madman who died for a dream
And you'll have the faith His first followers had
And you'll feel the weight of the beam
So surrender the hunger to say you must know
Have the courage to say I believe
For the power of paradox opens your eyes
And blinds those who say they can see.
So we follow God's own Fool
For only the foolish can tell
Believe the unbelievable, And come be a fool as well.
Get to know Justin, and you’ll see this is the call that he’ll put out to you. This "foolish faith" is the faith that he walks in.
For every moment of fellowship you’ll share with him, you’ll get to see this heart and you’ll come to love it, just as I have.
I may be his girlfriend, but even as believer in Christ, I could recognize his heart…
If all of this is a little much for you - I don’t apologize.
The scriptures say to “encourage one another…” so, why shouldn’t I begin with a man who means much to me?
Why shouldn’t he and I, even now, begin the practice of “building one another up in our most holy faith”?
Better now, than realize suddenly later, that it’s necessary and not be sure where to begin.
So, My Justin… keep up the good work… I love you for it.
The Lord takes you through seasons, and with each new season comes new relationships.
My relationship with Justin has been growing for over a year now… almost 14 months to be exact. And, every moment has been a gift from God.
Justin continues to amaze me as he grows with Christ and determines to walk according to His will. As he listens to the voice of the Lord speak to him regarding school, work, a calling, etc, etc, etc…
He’s been a blessing by being consistent. Is he perfect? No! -sorry Justin
However, I can bank on his hearing the Lord when it’s necessary; I can bank on his being honest with me,;I can bank on the fact that in the end he’ll do the hard thing; I can bank that in difficult times, he’s gonna stick to it and through it; and I can bank that he’ll be willing to pay the price for Christ.
Which, in turn, means that he’ll do the hard thing for me if it comes to it, because Christ has placed me in his life and he will steward that calling just as much as any other.
It is not yet time for my heart to be “completely turned over” to him… but, in the season that God has us in, and with what God has allowed me to in-trust to him, Justin has proven consistently trust worthy and faithful to care for it.
Justin has a servants heart that touches me daily, a perseverance that I admire and a humility that I wish I had.
He’s honest, loving and completely doesn’t care about “keeping his cool”.
There’s a Michael Card song “God’s Own Fool” that I love that makes me think of him when I hear it:
Seems I've imagined Him all of my lifeAs the wisest of all of mankind
But if God's Holy wisdom is foolish to menHe must have seemed out of His mind.
For even His family said He was mad
And the priests said a demon's to blame
But God in the form of this angry young man
Could not have seemed perfectly sane.
Chorus
When we in our foolishness thought we were wise
He played the fool and He opened our eyes
When we in our weakness believed we were strong
He became helpless to show we were wrong.
And so we follow God's own fool
For only the foolish can tell-Believe the unbelievable
And come be a fool as well.
So come lose your life for a carpenter's son
For a madman who died for a dream
And you'll have the faith His first followers had
And you'll feel the weight of the beam
So surrender the hunger to say you must know
Have the courage to say I believe
For the power of paradox opens your eyes
And blinds those who say they can see.
So we follow God's own Fool
For only the foolish can tell
Believe the unbelievable, And come be a fool as well.
Get to know Justin, and you’ll see this is the call that he’ll put out to you. This "foolish faith" is the faith that he walks in.
For every moment of fellowship you’ll share with him, you’ll get to see this heart and you’ll come to love it, just as I have.
I may be his girlfriend, but even as believer in Christ, I could recognize his heart…
If all of this is a little much for you - I don’t apologize.
The scriptures say to “encourage one another…” so, why shouldn’t I begin with a man who means much to me?
Why shouldn’t he and I, even now, begin the practice of “building one another up in our most holy faith”?
Better now, than realize suddenly later, that it’s necessary and not be sure where to begin.
So, My Justin… keep up the good work… I love you for it.
2 comments:
I must say, the picture of David and his burnt nose is much rosier :P
Thank you, love.
Good and accurate observations, Hannah. Justin is the sort of young man that your father can "transfer his daughter's heart to" and feel safe about doing so. He has a history of walking with God - a verifiable track record of doing the hard thing, not searching for the easy way out.
Great post, daughter!
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