Sun City, AZ

Sun City, Arizona is home to my grandparents, who are arguably two of the most wonderful people who have walked the face of this planet… Gamey and Pop-Pop. The last three days they have taken in my roommate, her mentor (my new friend) and I. No, the people in this picture are not my grandparents, but my Pops often wears a hat that resembles the one pictured above.

While I was there, I spent some time thinking about how much I do not anticipate living in a retirement community. I kept thinking about how hard it would be to deal with the reality that every person you build a friendship with either attends your funeral or you attend theirs. Pesemistic, I know, but I felt burdened by that. Then, I remembered a conversation we had at the dinner table the first night of our arrival.

As I was cutting into my steak, Pop-pop began talking about his friend who became a Christian two years ago and how this man has led 68 people to the Lord ever since, all on the golf course. As Pop described how the Lord softened this man’s heart, his voice became slightly louder and more certain. His speech declared the reverence and affection he has for the Gospel. After talking about his friend, he began to talk about Gamey, he lights up when he talks about his wife. My Gamey is constantly showing hospitality toward her community and getting to know all those who live on her street, so she can tell them the Good News of Jesus Christ. He spoke of how everything Gamey does is done with the hope of telling someone about God’s love for them. Gamey doesn’t just talk about God’s love, although she displays it pretty well. She talks boldly about the problem of evil, the conquering of sin in Jesus’ death on the cross, and the resurrection of Jesus Christ that fully displays God’s glory.

I feel like it is easy to speak of God’s love. The world makes it okay to speak of God’s love because it is a safe term and not explicitly Christian. Do not get me wrong, Gods love is good and it is real and it is beautiful. But I felt convicted about the need to clearly explain the Gospel of Jesus Christ. My grandparents inspire me to speak about more than just the stuff that is easy to digest. They inspire me to make the Gospel my everything and to go out and spread it more often.

I pray that I am like them one day: madly in love with each other but first with the Lord, always seeking the expansion of the Kingdom, a deep desire to serve others and the ability to serve the Lord wherever they are at. 

I hope you get to meet them one day. If not on Earth, let it be in Heaven.