Today's society is crazy for credentials. Our school systems will not consider most candidates for an open superintendent position unless the individual has a Ph.D. or Ed.D. All principals must have a M.Ed. or M.A. in school administration. Christian denominations and even most independent churches require at least a M.Div. with the larger multi-pastored churches requiring the senior pastor to have a Ph.D. And the trend extends outside of education and churches.
We are obsessed with an individual's credentials! We want our politicians and departmental bureaucrats to have advanced degrees from the "best" universities. Somehow or somewhere our society has started to equate educational background with one's qualifications for the job. I submit this has done very little to improve the quality of education in the United States. But that is a debate for another day and another posting.
Emily and I have gone to see
"The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey" twice in less than a week. Each
time I am struck by the answer to a question posed to
Gandalf, The Grey. He replies to Lady Galadriel, "Saruman believes it
is only great power that can hold evil in check, but that is not what I
have found. I found it is the small everyday deeds of ordinary folk that
keep the darkness at bay... small acts of kindness and love. Why Bilbo
Baggins? That's because I am afraid and it gives me courage."
While I will not usually seek out great theological truths from a work
of fiction, this quote does have a profound truth. The majority of the
fight against evil does not take place in the White House, Congress, or
even Supreme Court. Yet, most Americans are eagerly watching the 24 hour news channels as Congress again "kicks the can down the road" in an attempt to avoid dealing with our nation's continued over spending.
And what about the "great" men and women of history and our society? Do we really think that all of these individuals originally had profound credentials? Even the majority of "great" men of God came from humble
beginnings. The Rev. Billy Graham was a farmer's son in what was then rural North Carolina. Dr. John Munro and Rev. Loran Livingston, pastors of two of the largest churches in Charlotte, both grew up in humble settings. And yet, our society continues to hold that credentials are all important.
Why do I pose this question? Why do I pose this question on the doorstep of a new year? Because in the last few weeks, as we endeavor to honor Gabriel's memory by honoring and serving others; I am struck by a common theme. Most within the organizations with which we maintain contact continue to tell us that Gabriel's life had a profound impact on them and on a few of the organizations as a whole.
I have often spoken of Gabriel as my inspiration for many of the life choices I have made. And even my personal growth and career path were radically altered by Gabriel's life. While still getting very little sleep each night, I engaged in a M.Ed. program. I completed my M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction with emphasis in Special Education just a five weeks before Gabriel went to be with Jesus. See, even I have to be conscious of credentials as I seek to honor Gabriel's memory with Gabriel's Sanctuary, Inc.
Why was Gabriel's life important? Why was his
multiple health issues and disabilities an important part of his life?
Gabriel forces each of us to slow down. Gabriel required gentle love and handling. He required patience. He required detailed planning. And he demanded our time to the exclusion of all other considerations. In short, everyone who cared for and loved Gabriel had to reach deep within ourselves to find a strength which is absent in many of our leaders today.
As the world approaches a new year and looks to "powerful" men for
leadership, perhaps our faith in them is misplaced. Perhaps we should be looking toward those who love and care for individuals with needs like Gabriel's! Perhaps, we should
be looking to the meek and mild!
Perhaps, we should be looking for the Christ child!
Glen
Sunday, December 30, 2012
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Moving On?
I'm having a bad day!
Oh, you would never guess it by watching me. I awoke this morning with plenty of time to preheat the car for my wonderful wife and see her off to work. I sat down to make a lengthy, detailed To Do List. Shortly after, I went to the gym for the newest aspect of my routine - one hour of walking currently totaling 3 miles and 450 burned calories. During this workout, I read three chapters in "Heaven is for Real." I went to Office Depot to purchase the supplies I needed to then return home and print the inserts for the thirty application packets I will take with me tomorrow to an education job fair at University of North Carolina at Charlotte. I kept an appointment which is as good for my psyche as it is for my physical health. I went to Gabriel's grave site as I have done almost every day since he was laid to rest fifteen days ago. I picked up my suit from the cleaners, and returned home to assemble twenty of the thirty application packets I will take with me Friday.
So, how do I know that I am having a bad day. Well, first I never make To Do Lists. I find the act of making a list of things I need to do to be tedious and needless. I find the list itself to be a reminder of all that I should be doing but am not doing.
This brings me to my second bit of evidence that I am having a bad day. Did you read all that I got done today? And let us not forget that to the above list we can add writing this blog post. I have not been able to be this "productive" from sunrise to sunset in the past six years. I went to the gym to exercise. Really!? Oh, and I read part of a book while I was at it!
On any given day, the application packets would have to wait until after Gabriel and Emily had gone to bed. Rarely am I motivated enough to get significant office work done during daylight hours.
And during all of this I had the presence of mind to give a friend professional advice concerning an educational matter.
As I wrote when we started, you would never guess I was having a bad day by watching me. So how do I know that I am having a bad day? Well, I have this undeniable feeling that life is carrying me along as if I was on a raging river. This day has been way too "normal"! Am I really supposed to be getting ready for a job fair only 15 days after our son's funeral worship service? He passed away less than three weeks ago!
I'm really conflicted! This job fair is really important to our future financial success. But do I really have to be worrying about all of that this week? Can't the sun stand still in the sky?
Don't get me wrong! I don't begrudge anyone else for moving on in their lives. But, can't I just sit and allow the waves of grief to wash over me for a while longer?
As I said, I'm having a bad day. And what is my favorite thing to do on a bad day? I eat! Yesterday, I took in less than 2,000 calories and burned 450 calories through exercise. While I burned 450 calories today, I'm sure, as of the writing of this, I have taken in more than 2,000 calories.
And what is the final piece of evidence for my bad day? I just don't care! For a caregiver, this is the clearest piece of evidence of them all.
I'm having a bad day!
Oh, you would never guess it by watching me. I awoke this morning with plenty of time to preheat the car for my wonderful wife and see her off to work. I sat down to make a lengthy, detailed To Do List. Shortly after, I went to the gym for the newest aspect of my routine - one hour of walking currently totaling 3 miles and 450 burned calories. During this workout, I read three chapters in "Heaven is for Real." I went to Office Depot to purchase the supplies I needed to then return home and print the inserts for the thirty application packets I will take with me tomorrow to an education job fair at University of North Carolina at Charlotte. I kept an appointment which is as good for my psyche as it is for my physical health. I went to Gabriel's grave site as I have done almost every day since he was laid to rest fifteen days ago. I picked up my suit from the cleaners, and returned home to assemble twenty of the thirty application packets I will take with me Friday.
So, how do I know that I am having a bad day. Well, first I never make To Do Lists. I find the act of making a list of things I need to do to be tedious and needless. I find the list itself to be a reminder of all that I should be doing but am not doing.
This brings me to my second bit of evidence that I am having a bad day. Did you read all that I got done today? And let us not forget that to the above list we can add writing this blog post. I have not been able to be this "productive" from sunrise to sunset in the past six years. I went to the gym to exercise. Really!? Oh, and I read part of a book while I was at it!
On any given day, the application packets would have to wait until after Gabriel and Emily had gone to bed. Rarely am I motivated enough to get significant office work done during daylight hours.
And during all of this I had the presence of mind to give a friend professional advice concerning an educational matter.
As I wrote when we started, you would never guess I was having a bad day by watching me. So how do I know that I am having a bad day? Well, I have this undeniable feeling that life is carrying me along as if I was on a raging river. This day has been way too "normal"! Am I really supposed to be getting ready for a job fair only 15 days after our son's funeral worship service? He passed away less than three weeks ago!
I'm really conflicted! This job fair is really important to our future financial success. But do I really have to be worrying about all of that this week? Can't the sun stand still in the sky?
Don't get me wrong! I don't begrudge anyone else for moving on in their lives. But, can't I just sit and allow the waves of grief to wash over me for a while longer?
As I said, I'm having a bad day. And what is my favorite thing to do on a bad day? I eat! Yesterday, I took in less than 2,000 calories and burned 450 calories through exercise. While I burned 450 calories today, I'm sure, as of the writing of this, I have taken in more than 2,000 calories.
And what is the final piece of evidence for my bad day? I just don't care! For a caregiver, this is the clearest piece of evidence of them all.
I'm having a bad day!
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
God's Lent Child
"I'll lend you for a little while
A child of mine" God said,
"For you to love the while he lives,
And mourn for when he's dead.
It may be six or seven years,
Or forty-two or three;
But will you, till I call him back,
Take care of him for me?
He'll bring his charms to gladden you,
And should his stay be brief
You'll have his lovely memories
As a solace for your grief.
I cannot promise he will stay,
Since all from Earth return;
But there are lessons taught below
That I want my children to learn.
I've looked the whole world over,
In my search for teachers true;
And from the things that crowd life's lane,
I have chosen you.
Now will you give him all your love?
Nor think the labor vain?
Nor hate me when I come to take
This lent child back again? "
I fancied that I heard them say
"Dear Lord, Thy will be done,
For all the joys Thy child will bring
The risk of grief we'll run.
We will shelter him with tenderness,
We'll love him while we may
And for the happiness we've known
Forever grateful stay.
But should Thy angels call for him
Much sooner than we'd planned,
We'll brave the bitter grief that comes
And try to understand.
Monday, February 13, 2012
My Tribute to Gabe
My Tribute to Gabe
by Clinton Echols
I have known Gabriel Stephens since he was a toddler through
the Joni and Friends network. Gabriel showed me his special room with all
the balls and I have lunched with his mom and dad when the beautiful
missionaries of JAF are busy with Gabriel.
Gabriel never spoke a complete sentence, but he taught his
parents and caregivers an entirely new language. If it were not for
Gabriel, Glen Stephens would never know the patience God gives to a parent.
If it were not for Gabriel, his mother and father would never have become
the "team" that they are today. If it were not for Gabriel,
cool places like "Make a Wish" would not exist. If it were not
for Gabriel, 1000s would not have contemplated God's gifts to them. If it
were not for Gabriel, his family would never have enjoyed some great vacations
or been on a first name basis with Mickey Mouse. If it were not for
Gabriel, many able bodied people would never have seen a picture of true,
complete dependence nor would they have been able to relate that picture to
what it means to trust in God. If it were not for Gabriel, platforms for
sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ would never have been built. If it
were not for Gabriel, opportunities for us to humble ourselves to rock a young
boy or to wipe his spit would never have appeared. Many people are closer
to God, have gotten over that whole problem of evil thing, have made disability
their ministry, have seen the world through different eyes, and have
experienced the life, power, and peace of Jesus because we knew and continue to
know Gabriel Stephens.
Gabriel is alive and well today. It comforts us to
think that Gabriel can run, jump, and sing in heaven with his Savior, Jesus.
I grin at the idea. But, that is just gravy. The inability of
Gabriel on earth was a metaphor of our inability to live fully with God.
We all want full life. That's not really measured by how fast you
can run, but by how close you can get to and look like Jesus. I pray that
as the Gabriel Stephens of earth proclaims to us our spiritual disabilities, we
will endeavor to reach heaven as he has: free to live the way God always
intended- sinless.
For we who have seen God's glorious plan to redeem the
world, we can boldly say that it was God's will for Gabriel to spend a few years
with us as a very broken vessel. Praise God, because now we long for our
redemption ever so much more.
Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life, no one comes to
God in any other way than through Him- John 14:6. Abundant life- the life
God always wanted for us- John 10:10, is offered through Jesus. Somebody,
maybe even now, is walking up to Gabriel in Heaven and saying: "You are
Gabriel Stephens? Wow! I know Jesus better because of you."
Gratefully,
Pastor Clint Echols
First Baptist Church of Zeeland
Sunday, February 12, 2012
Remembering Gabriel
Little did we know the blessings of 2011 would give way to the "ultimate miracle" of 2012. We miss Gabriel more than words can express. Below are the feelings Emily and I expressed at Gabriel's memorial worship service held on Wednesday, February 08, 2012. We know without any doubt that Gabriel is in the lap of Jesus. But this knowledge does not prevent us from profoundly missing our little boy.
Emily’s Comments

I am so
thankful for the wonderful things we were able to experience with him from the
hard work we asked him to do in various forms of therapy and watching it pay
off in the smallest victories, to the joy of twirling him in our arms just to
get a smile or a laugh from him, which gave us so much joy knowing that here
was this simple thing we could do; and it made him so happy. (How I wish I could
do that one more time before saying good bye.) Life is precious and fleeting, please
try to remember that in the hard times.
Now he has
unending joy and we are held back from sharing that with him for a while. The
day will come when we get to celebrate with him again, in the mean time we will
need your continued love and support. As
we look into an unknown future, I say, as in the words of: Job 1:21
More Life Than Most
Part One
By Glen Stephens

Thank you to all who have blessed us with your prayers,
words of encouragement, warm thoughts, and tears.
Today, tomorrow, in the coming weeks, months, or even years
when you see either Emily or myself crying; please do not mistake it for a loss
of faith. Gabriel is in the lap of Jesus. He is smiling, laughing, running,
skipping, hopping, playing, and regaling Jesus with stories of life here on
Earth. The sweet sound of his voice is bellowing throughout Heaven as it never
could here on Earth.
Rather when you see us crying, please understand those tears
are because we miss the little boy who so completely blessed our lives. And at
some point in the weeks, months, or even years to come; those tears will be
tears of joy as we bring to mind one of the many fond memories we will treasure
from his short years here on Earth.
We love you, “Little G.”
More Life Than Most
Part Two
By Glen Stephens
Isaiah
40:28-31
He does not
faint or grow weary;
His
understanding is unsearchable.
He gives
power to the faint,
And to him
who has no might he increases strength.
Even youths
shall faint and be weary,
And young
men shall fall exhausted;
But they who
wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings
like eagles; They shall run and not be weary; They shall walk and not faint.
Why would a loving God bring a
child into this world with a disability?
Look around. Take one look at our
FaceBook pages. Read our emails. Listen to our voice mails. More individuals have been affected by
Gabriel’s disability and sickness than would have ever been touched by his
health. Let’s take a brief journey. Shall we?
The doctors,
nurses, food service persons, housekeeping, security, child’s life persons,
administrators, etc of five hospitals in three cities have experienced
Gabriel’s unconditional love and seen his brilliant smile.
The
directors, boards of directors, and personalities of multiple charities have
witnessed the joy that can come from helping a child in need.
The pastors,
teachers, deacons, elders, staff and congregations of two churches have
personally felt the warmth that comes from caring for a child.
The
teachers, principals, administrators, and therapists of one of the largest
school systems in North Carolina have experienced the satisfaction of helping a
child succeed.
The campers,
families, organizers, short term missionaries, and even the founder of one of
this nation’s largest Christian disability advocacy organizations have all
watched what happens with families dare to dream.
And Emily
and I have each stretched our abilities well beyond that which we thought was
possible to love, teach, comfort, and even exhort others.
And these
don’t take into account the individuals touched as Emily and I advocate and
witness thorough all of our personal and professional activities.
It is hard
to believe that one little boy could have affected some many people. But I have been assured by so many that
Gabriel has touched even more individuals than have made themselves known in
the last few days.
Revelations
21:1-4
Then I saw a
new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed
away and the sea was no more.
And I saw
the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a
bride adorned for her husband.
And I heard
a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with
man. He will dwell with them, and they
will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.
He will wipe
away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall
there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have
passed away.”
So now we
are left with the aftermath of Gabriel’s passing. How do Emily and I get out of bed in the
morning? How do each of you go back to
work? The answer can be as simple as the
scripture just read. We hold on to the
promise that Gabriel is made whole. The
wheelchair is empty. The gait trainer is
still. The stander is rendered useless. The AFO’s and SMO’s are now pointless.
Gabriel
hurts no more. He experiences no more
sickness. His back is straight. His arms and legs are strong. His laughter is clear! And his laughter is heard throughout eternity
as he runs through green pastures or listens to the stories of old from their
Author.

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