Last fall I had the privilege of getting to know John Gjertsen. It started with us playing a game called “The Fury of Dracula,” which then ended up becoming my favorite game that has been created. As much fun as the game was, I also loved what we called “Monday Night Fury” because I got to spend time with John, and also get to know new people that we would play with that I had not met before. We played just about every Monday night, and the game would never get old, and I started to get to know John a lot better. The more I got to know him (and the more I realized just how awesome he was), the more I started wanting to be like him. He had become one of my best role models. Then January of 2010 came, and at this point sweet little Valor had been born, and the woman’s Bible started not meeting since they had finished their Beth Moore study. So we started to play Dracula only every once in awhile. I found myself with absolutely nothing to do on Monday nights, and kind of found how boring they were.

Then the woman’s Bible study picked up again with a new study, and so I thought we would start playing again. We did play, but still it was only a once in awhile kind of thing. Weeks later the Gjertsens went to NC after telling my family they had news they did not want to share with us. At this point I immediately new they were leaving, whether it is just a feeling I had, or maybe it was the fact I had just found out that my youth pastor/mentor was leaving, I do not know. Anyway they came back with the news, and it was like a gun shot to the chest (not that I would know what that feels like, but I’ve seen movies). I found myself alone in tears one night thinking about what I would do when I lost the two people I looked up to the most, besides my dad. Luckily, as odd as this might sound, my friend lost his truck, spent about two weeks shopping unsuccessfully for a new vehicle, and then I wanted to encourage him by giving him a good verse from Job, and while I was reading I thought about John leaving and I realized God was taking him out of my life the way he took all of Job’s possessions. I never realized how much Job could encourage me in times like these, but I’m glad I found out, and I know God will use the Gjertsens in NC, possibly in a way he could not use them here. While I hate the fact they’re leaving, I’m happy they have a missions opportunity somewhere else. I wish them good luck, and pray they would always look to God in stressful times.

1. Systematic Theology –Wayne Grudem
2. Institutes of the Christian Religion – John Calvin
3. Reformed Doctrine of Predestination –Loraine Boettner
4. Introduction to the Old Testament –Longman/Dillard
5. Introduction to the New Testament –Carson/Moo
6. Desiring God –John Piper
7. Let the Nations Be Glad –John Piper
8. God’s Big Picture –Vaughn Roberts
9. Church History in Plain Language –Bruce Shelly
10. Family Driven Faith –Voddie Baucham
11. Pilgrim’s Progress –John Bunyan
12. Mere Christianity –C.S. Lewis
13. Chronicles of Narnia –C.S. Lewis
14. Lord of the Rings Trilogy –J.R.R. Tolkein
15. Dictionary of Biblical Imagery –Phillip Ryken
16. IVP Dictionary of Theology
17. ESV Study Bible
18. Knowing God – J.I. Packer
19. Reason for God –Timothy Keller
20. Confessions –Augustine
21. Doctrine of God –John Frame
22. Doctrine of the Christian Life –John Frame
23. The Kingdom of the Cults –Walter Martin
24. Operation World –Patrick Johnstone
25. The Works of Jonathan Edwards 2 Vols.

Earthy, average, common, basic, plain, run of the mill, but timely and instantly applicably good news of faith and what it means to follow the scant trail of God’s mysterious will one cautious step at a time. Right now I can’t see very far ahead but I can see that God Himself is a few steps ahead of me on the trail. And now I’m supposed to follow the cloud by day and the fire by night until I get to the calm and rest of the mildly certain.

If you are on the same faint trail as I am current walking on, than lets trudge ahead together. Let’s keep our eyes on the author and the finisher of our faith, Christ Jesus! Let’s shod our feet with the good news that He who began a good work in us with be faithful to complete it! Let’s brandish the sword and shield and fight one more day and make it to the pillow as faithful warrior servants! Let’s fear God and curse at the storm! Let’s cling to hope, grasp for faith and bleed joy no matter what’s around the corner or over the hill! Join me on this impossible mission. The mission of walking into the unknown and waiting for the next trail marker of God’s will for us.

Clay