Kyle's Film

I don’t think I ever shared this, or at least not all of it. Mostly because I know that deep down one million and two things probably worked together to influence the decision to change my life and move my family (dogs included) to cold (and flooding) New England. Nevertheless, the day I heard of Kyle Lake’s accident (October 30, 2005) something inside clicked and merged my heart, calling and courage into one blinding moment of truth.

True, at this point I had already made my decision, but in the succeeding days of reading emails, blogs, and memorials, I was completely moved with emotion. And then I listened to the podcast that erased all of the doubts surrounding my decision: Kyle’s last sermon read before his congregation one week after his death. I was convinced Kyle was talking directly to me.

While this was blogworthy then, it apparently remains so. I just watched the video trailer for Kyle’s Film, which honors his legacy. I thought of the passion that has so often spurred our time together. Although we are ending our time together as interns and coworkers, there is a legacy that binds us together in life and love. Each of us belongs to that legacy because of the greatness planted inside: a holiness, full of beauty and echoing pure harmony and stillness, that awaits the day we shed this skin and face the Holy One. Until then, we yearn for something that honors that holiness here – in this lifetime, for this generation (and those to come).

Each of you are special to me and I cannot express the magnitude of joy knowing that you are serving the King with me. I know we each yearn for excitement and passion. Each of us wants a job that pushes us to excellence and lets us use our gifts. But remember the legacy we belong to, a legacy that calls us to take the gift and live it.

“Abandon your plans of escape…and be where you are. Plant gardens and live…and live well.” -from Kyle's last sermon