Chase-ing Glory-Explaining the Name

The purpose of this blog is to chronicle events in my life as I chase after Glory, in hopes that it is helpful to others and that because of it people encounter Jesus through the Holy Spirit at work.

The first line of this post may sound arrogant or that I'm trying to become the lead in made for TV movie about triumphing over adversity, but that isn't the reality. My life's pursuit is to bring glory to Him who is the only one deserving of it, Jesus Christ. So as their may be triumphal stories in this blog the purpose is not to bring glory to me, but rather to reflect the glory to God. 

My aim is to glorify God and I pray that as I do that my life can be a blessing to you.

-chase

My Story

I wrote this for an online outreach. It is the story of God in my life and it is crucial to understanding me or anything I say on this blog. I hope you enjoy it.

The Three Beers That Changed My Life

            I heard a loud whistle followed by movement outside of my tent. My friend Kyle started yelling for us to wake-up and get dressed because we were leaving in a few minutes. I put my shoes on quickly and out I went, people were gathering around the remnants of the fire from the night before as the sun started to rise through the trees.

            After everyone had gathered, Kyle told us told that we were starting the First Annual Burly-Man Challenge and to follow him. He took off at a jog along the trail. We ran for a few minutes until we came to a clearing. We formed a large circle and started learning names. After a few times around the circle, a senior was asked to come forward and repeat everyone’s name. If we were going to come together as a group and accomplish anything, we had to be one, and that started by knowing each other by name. The penalty was ten push-ups for every missed name.

            One hundred push-ups later we had learned everybody’s name. Now we could move forward and begin the real challenges. That morning we competed against each other in a number of events ranging from a push-up contest to a survival puzzle. Some challenges were individual, others were as a team, and few we had to complete as a group. Each activity was designed to show our need for brotherhood. It culminated in people getting launched over a high rope to be caught by the group on the other side. After we were exhausted we cleaned up our campsite and ate breakfast.

            That morning, as we competed with each other, I saw something different in the older men of the group. They had a deep bond and connection that was unmistakable. It was the first time I had ever seen men truly care for one another and be so genuine about getting to know me, a punk freshman kid. It was enjoyable to just be around them regardless of what we were doing.

            We crowned our Burly-Man and headed home. I left relatively unchanged from the experience.

            That night the Badgers played Iowa in a night game at Camp Randall Stadium. I got dressed in my red and white bibs, a wig, and boxing gloves and went to the game early to get a good seat. After the Badger victory I went to a party at a friends house from high school. I had a few beers and hung out with a lot of old friends from high school who were there for the game. While I was drinking my third beer I started looking around the party and realized how empty it was. Everything seemed so fleeting.

I found that I…

            I no longer needed that beer to be accepted or have fun with people.

            I no longer needed to be drunk so I could fit in and be funny.

            I no longer needed the party scene for a place to escape on the weekends.

            I put my beer down on the counter, said goodbye to a few friends and went home. On that walk home I realized what was different about those men I had hung out with that morning. They had a love that wasn’t conditional. They had love for one another, period. Not love if you’re funny, or cool, or attractive, or athletic. Unconditional love.

            I left that party changed. I realized that what I had learned in my youth group at church in high school was real after seeing it lived out by those men. The story of Jesus being God, coming to earth as a man, living a perfect life, and dying on the Cross for my sin so that I can have a relationship with God, was no longer just a fact to me, but it was real. I had experienced God’s love and he showed me that it is so much better than a buzz from a few beers and the approval of some people at a party. That night I submitted my life to Christ, not my plans but his.

            Since then, it hasn’t been easy, bad things still happen to me, but I have a hope in something else now. I still catch myself seeking the approval of my friends and peers, but I remember that it isn’t their approval that matters. The God of the universe chose me. He didn’t care how much I had done to wrong him. He loved me so much that he sent his Son to die in my place while I was still living to gratify my own desires.

            I am not yet a finished product, God is still revealing things in my life I have to change or give up and it usually isn’t fun in the moment, but looking back on my life since; I have been happier, I have great relationships with people who really care for me, and I have purpose. The biggest change is I have finally experienced the greatest love; that someone would lay down his life for his friends.