Stand for What You Believe

How many times have you heard the words “It’s a small world, isn’t it?” Tuesday I had one of those moments. I opened up an email from Marsha Gifford, our travel agent that helped book our flights to Africa. Marsha’s husband Dale preaches at a church of Christ in California and Marsha became a travel agent to help missionaries in their traveling.

Marsha’s email was entitled, STEP UP! STAND OUT! STAND FOR... WHAT YOU BELIEVE! Her email was a challenge for us all to quit backing down or simply watching as Satan takes more and more control over the hearts of Americans for whom her son Micah died. As I read the email, I realized that I went to college with him. I still remember when I heard the news that Micah had died in Baghdad. I did not even know he had joined the Army. I never knew Micah well but I did know that he was the kind of guy who would light up a room in seconds. In middle school I am sure he would have been considered a class clown, but in college he was considered an encourager, a servant, a guy who loved life and loved people.

As I read Marsha’s email it was weird to think about how this woman who I spoke to many times over the last year was the mom of someone I admired, someone who impacted everyone he encountered. My thoughts then turned to seeds that Micah planted not just at Harding but in California and in Iraq, and how they have been scattered from those places to many others around the world. You see Micah’s life reflected that he understood that each day is a gift from God and he wanted to use each one for God’s glory. I hope you will be inspired by the memory of this man of God who you never knew and who lived every day looking for opportunities to plant seeds. It is amazing to think about how God is growing those seeds even after Micah’s death, I Cor. 3:5-7.

I want to end this article with these words from the Auburn Journal in Auburn, CA. Dale Gifford said his son had moved to Redding with plans to become a firefighter. Gifford said his son enlisted in the Army after hearing stories of beheadings of kidnap
victims at the hands of Iraqis.

"Micah said, I have to do something, I have to help out." He was not there to do anything other than help the Iraqis. While in Iraq Micah posted this to his MySpace website. "In case you are worried about my well being ... don't, I am proud to be a part of this fight. I signed up to do this for a reason and I hope that everyone understands why this fight continues to be important to every one of us ... not just the Iraqi people. Don't pray that I come home soon. Pray that the people that are causing us to stay out there can see the Light and change their ways without harm coming to them first." —Will Tucker