Verse Of The Day~ July 3, 2011

John 15:13
    "Greater love has no one than this; that He lay down his life for his friends."

Verse Of The Day!!

‎~Romans 12:17-18~
Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes 
of everyone. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with 
everyone.

Virginia's Legacy

        As soon as I found out Virginia had died, I didn’t believe it and it still sometimes isn’t real to me. But when I finally realized what really did happen I had absolutely NO doubt where Virginia was and is now- in Heaven worshipping and glorifying our Lord!

For anyone who knew or just met Virginia could tell there was something different about her. Everyone said she was smiling and always happy. The reason she was like this, was because she had the joy of the Lord in her! She loved God more than anything in the world and He was her greatest delight! No matter what Virginia was doing whether it was school work, basketball, or hanging out with friends, she always gave any and all glory God like it says in Colossians 3:17, “Whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all for the glory of God.” As athletes, students, and friends we are called to glorify God and enjoy him forever, and that is why we are here! Virginia knew this and took it seriously every day. Through doing this and her love for Christ, she changed and influenced so many people including myself.

I grew up with Virginia, went to church and school with her my whole life, played basketball with her for 6 years, and in the last year she was here, she spent it discipling me. She was indeed a sinner like all of us, but she learned from mistakes she made and used that to encourage others and give them advice, which is one thing I’m sure everyone misses. Virginia was constantly in the Word learning from it and teaching others through it as well. She has always been a role model of mine and still is! The life she lived and the legacy she left is one that we always will remember which is: to glorify God in everything and to lead other to Him by living like Christ did. Virginia was not perfect and she knew that which is why she clung to the Lord for comfort and strength, knowing He was the only hope she had!

So I challenge everyone to look at your life and see how you are living and to see what kind of a legacy you would leave for those behind you. Do you live your life to the fullest for the Lord and not yourself and are you a servant who loves Christ above all else? And finally, we need to ask ourselves everyday if we are glorifying God in all we do!

Servant For Christ

       As a believer, we are required to be a servant just as Christ was like in Philippians 2:5-7, “Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.” Christ came to the earth to save us and be a servant and he, being the greatest among all men and the Son of God, humbled himself to serve everyone around him. God uses us as his servants to touch other people’s lives.

       I know many people have said that Virginia Jacks influenced their lives, but for me, she not only influenced my life by the way she lived, but by leading me closer to the Lord. She walked by my side whenever things got tough and always encouraged me with scripture. One thing she would always tell me and write to me in notes was, "Keep shining in the beatiful image of our Lord!" I think about that one thing all the time, and I learned that when we shine in the image of Christ, other people DO notice it! Virginia showed me that , and I cannot thank her enough. Christ's light always was shining through her, which is why so many people were influenced by her- And the amazing thing about it is that, we can do the same! Which is one thing that Virginia desperately wanted everyone she knew and loved to do! Before she died, she said she really wanted something to dramatic to happen as an eye-opener for her grade, the basketball teams, and the school. Little did she know that SHE would be that eye-opener. If she knew she would die and that this many people's lives would change because of it, I know that she would gladly have accepted that and would have loved to know it. That just amazes me that her love for the Lord was that strong!

           When Virginia died, I not only lost a teammate, friend, and fellow student, but I lost my other big sister. Just thinking about that hurts so much, but I know that God used it all for a reason. And for me personally, to strengthen my love for Him. Which sure enough is exactly what happened and is still happening. Virginia lived life to the fullest as some would say, and she lived for her Savior and Lord!! God used her to strengthen, comfort, and draw others closer to Him. Vig knew that was why she was here and she didn't waste a minute of it! God took her home after 17 years, but compared to where she is now, in Heaven for eternity with Him, that seems so short. We don't know when we're going to be called home, but we need to be ready at any moment. "Live every minute like it's your last" is such a true statement, that we all need to keep in mind. Virginia's work on earth was complete after 17 years!! That is amazing! God wanted Virginia home with him so bad becuase she's His daughter and now, she is with her Heavenly Father forever and nothing can tear them apart! We have that to look forward to one day as well. I honestly cannot wait until then, but I have to continue her legacy and continue to do what God is calling me to do until then, like everyone else!

        The life and death of Virginia taught so many things and changed so many people and will continue to do so! She was such a humble and loyal servant of the Lord who shined His light on everyone! Are we servants of the Lord and do we serve in such a way, that peoples lives are changed and influenced by us? So once again, treat every second, every minute like it's your last.

Being A Leader

       When I think of being a leader and leading people, the first thing that comes to mind is basketball and sports in general. In basketball and all sports, your team needs a leader-someone who will influence a group of people towards achieving a goal. A leader goes first and leads the people who follow, by setting examples, and having love for people!

       Typically in sports, the leader is the one who knows the most, who knows what to do, and the one is able to teach others what they have learned. The knowledge of the game, understanding the plays, and mastering fundamentals are, of course important aspects a leader needs in sports.They also have to have true commitment to the goal that is trying to be achieved. Humility is the most important in my opinion. In Philippians 2:3-4 Paul says, "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves,  not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others." If a leader or any player on a team focuses only on themself and their own goals and accomplishments, then that can cause the team as a whole to struggle, "The best teams have chemistry. They communicate with each other and they sacrifice personal glory for the common goal" (Dave DeBusschere). By having this commitment along with trust, others WILL follow and be commited as well.

       So, if you are given the opportunity to lead, whether it's on a team, in you home, at school, etc., make sure that the way you lead is in a way that glorifies God as well as blessing and helping others. Be a leader who people will remember and be inspired by! Don't take it for advantage or be selfish, view it as an opportunity to serve others, touch their lives, and make a difference!

Virginia And Basketball

      Even though Virginia has been gone almost 5 months since Virginia's death, it's still tremendously hard living without her.  I was talking to one of my teammates earlier and we were just remembering how much Virginia loved basketball, practices, each new season, and her basketball "family". In one note she wrote me she said, " And I'm really excited that you'll be on the Varsity team this year, it'll be alot of fun!" Whenever I read that or think of that, I always think about the fact that we never got to do that, and it makes me so sad. But, it also makes me realize how encouraging those few words were! Everything she told me and encouraged with in basketball meant so much. She was the joy and 'smile' of your team, I guess you could say. Going into state this weekend, is something our whole team is extremely excited about and I know Virginia absolutely loved it as well: the bus ride up, walking into the gym, staying in the hotels, cheering for the guys, playing in the game, and encouraging her teammates were some of the many aspects she loved about the whole experience. I'm sad I won't get to experience that event with her.

     However, I am convinced that she has the best seat up in Heaven where she will cheer her heart out for us! Also, I'm so very glad and greatful that God's put me on this basketball team not only because we're good :) and I love the sport, but because of the wonderful girls that make it up. Walking into my first season of Varsity Basketball, I was actually really excited. But after Virginia, I just knew part of that joy the team had would be gone and that it would be a totally different team than it had been before. Once practices started, I noticed our team beginning to grow closer together and I think Virginia was the reason for that. When we all realized she was gone, we knew we were always going to be missing a part of our team. I have seen our team get closer every single day whether it's at practice, games, or at school and I cannot be more thankful or ask for a better team. Gary said that Virginia is the heart of our team- and I so agree! She has impacted the lives of every girl on this team in so many ways and always will!

     So, when I think of September 18, 2010 I don't think of it anymore as the day we lost a close friend, teammate, and amazing girl, but as the day that amazing girl came face to face with her Heavenly Father whom she loved with her whole heart. I think her legacy has challenged our team and everyone who knew her. Going to state this week will be such an exciting time but also a time that will be hard for us, because we feel like she should be there with us. I encourage my coaches and teammates: Gary and Sarah, KK, Mary, Izzy, Caroline, Hannah, Marg, Beth, and Crewe, to work your butts off and play these last few games with your whole hearts! But, don't forget the main reason we play-to glorify our Savior and Creator!  Love you guys so much! <=   

Make A Decision

            As I was talking with some friends, the subject of Virginia, her life, and her death came up. We began to talk about how we want our lives to impact others just like hers. For me personally when I die, I want people to look at my life and see Christ!! That is our goal in life and I want so much to complete that goal. I don't want people to say, "she was a good girl... she was so good at this and that" but I want them to say that the love for Christ I had was shown and that it helped them grow closer to Him! I want to leave this earth with a lasting impression on those who knew me. And that is exactly what Virginia did. Her passion in life was Christ and glorifying Him in all she did. I know that if she had the choice to come back to here, she wouldn't come. That may be hard for some of us to imagine, but if we look at it from a perspective of not thinking about ourselves we would see that, she is so much happier in Heaven then she ever way on earth. As much as we miss her and want her back, we have to understand that one day, we WILL see her and be with her forever and we will never have to worry about losing her again! I look at this trial that many of us have faced and have only been able to find one 'negative' thing that came out of it. That is the fact that I don't get to see her everyday, write notes to her, or play basketball with her. There are so many positive, happy things that happened because of it and I think that was God' plan the whole time! People's lives were changed, people started viewing life as an everyday opportunity to serve our Lord, and we're living for something now- our Creator!! This was what Vig wanted everyone one of us to realize and she spent everyday of her 17 years on earth, displaying that and showing us how to do it! 

        Trials are put in our life to test our faith and they force us to make a decision: turn away from God or run towards Him. I had another huge trial in my life similar to this one- when my mom died from cancer 4 years ago on Christmas Eve. I never thought anything like that would happen to me and my family. I did not run to Christ, but I turned away from Him and looked to people and worldly things to comfort me. I kept asking myself WHY? why would this happen to me? why would God take away MY mom? I was angry and even mad at God for doing this to me. I look back now, I realize that my relationship with Christ could have become so much stronger through that, but I made the wrong decision. I regret it too. I never, once again, thought anything else like that would happen to me. Then when Virginia died, it all was coming back to hit me again. But something was different this time: I was more mature in my faith and ran to HIM when things went wrong. Vig helped show me that He is the only one that will last forever and the only one that will bring me everlasting love and peace! I wish I had believed that when I lost my mom. I don't know when something else like this will happen, but I know that my faith is strong enough to see me through whatever happens in my life. Another best friend of mine, teammate, family member, or friend could die tomorrow unexpectedly. We HAVE to trust God when times are quiet and easy so that when the waves and storms come, we will be able to make it through with the power of Christ!! I challenge everyone to think about what decision you made when Virginia died: did you draw closer to Christ, or flee from Him?