Craig, you have a good wife for putting this together for you. You and Kim are great friends and have shown us both great care and direction in life.
You've had a massive impact on my life. In fact, I told Eddie Sanderlin that I'm not sure you realize the extent to which you've helped me. There are not many men I run too in my darkest hour; when I'm there, I know I can come to you for honest loving truth and encouragement in grace. In all honesty, your one of the few examples in my life of genuine courageous love for people. Your desire for people to be intimate with the one true God and to grow into Christ is evident from your life.
God has used you to point many lives to Jesus. In fact, Ben and I often tell each other that the young guys you disciple seem more solid. I think this is true because your honest and patient with them. You also put forth the effort to ground them theologically, something many don't do. For example, I had coffee with Aaron Keener the other day and was blown away at his level of wisdom, transparency and biblical knowledge. He's light years ahead of me when I was his age. I think a lot of that has to do with your influence. He shared with me that your influence has been tremendous. Aaron is just one example, there are many more.
Along time ago, I told you one thing that inspires me are men who stick to their convictions even when the consequences are not favorable for them. That type of courage is a trait that God gives to men, a trait I want in my own life. Your that guy Craig. I look up to you like a father in the faith. When the walls close in on you and the temptation to compromise is there, you don't, you stand firm. That's admirable.
So thank you Craig, thank you for being an example of realness. Thank you for teaching me what it means to be theologically precise. Thank you for being there when I've confessed dark sins. Thank you for encouraging me to pursue real intimacy with Mitzi. Thank you for the friendship. And most of all, thank you for pointing me to the grace and love that Jesus provides.
In Christ,
Jake Sherron
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