Lee

This is Lee.

Lee and I go way back. I mean 6th grade, ridiculousness back. We met at church and were instantly dear friends. We went to camp together and were connected at the hip, forming the type of friendship that lasts a lifetime. He was in my caller ID at my parent's house as "Southdale" (our local mall in Edina, MN) because he was my best shopping friend (in fact, we shared sweaters all the time...we were in 7th grade people, give us a break). We layed out for hours in his backyard and watched endless hours of him barrel racing his horses. We lit Gap "Dream" incense and just got lost in its amazing scent (in fact, I cannot dare smell that scent without drifting back to my younger years with Lee by my side). We never shared a romantic connection but we were always just best friends and I consider him to be like a brother to me. My parents loved him like a second son.

Our friendship tended to often consist of him smoking and drinking and hanging out with girl after girl and me just shaking my head disapprovingly. My heart always hurt for the decisions he would make but I would never give up on him. I hoped there would come a day when he would know and love the Lord.

We graduated and he went off to college at UND where he partied with the best of them. He pledged Sigma Chi and, I'm sure, was the life of every single party. He would fly down to Arizona and we would lay out (and he always got more tan than me...jerk). In fact, I got in to my very first bar when I was 19 because of stinkin' Lee...because he had a fake ID that was impeccable...except that it claimed he was of the female gender....eeek! don't worry people, i didn't drink.

But then one weekend....

My phone rang. and it was Lee. He called to tell me he was taking our friend's little sister up to a Campus Crusade (Christian parachurch ministry) retreat and, rather than driving the hours to and from only to pick her back up, he was going to remain at the retreat for the weekend. My heart did a tiny back flip but then I tried not to get too excited because he was, Lee, after all. The life of the party who would most likely come back with two new girls in love with him.

And then, on Sunday, my phone rang again. And it was Lee. Well, it was Lee but then again it wasn't. It was a new Lee. I remember it like it was yesterday. I remember where I was. I remember what I was wearing, even.  He called and explained that he was a new man. He was changed. He told me that he met men on this retreat that he could be more vulnerable and more real with than he had ever been with anyone in his entire life. And he has never ever looked back. 

I prayed for this man for years. I mean years. I would just ache for him as I would watch him live the life that he claimed was fulfilling and making him appear to be so happy and carefree. But I knew that God wanted more from him. 

Lee spent several years working for Campus Crusade and, for about a year has now been a pastor at a church back in Edina. Wild. absolutely wild. I still literally could get goosebumpy and teary thinking about this brother-figure of mine, a pastor! I have seen him tons of times since his conversion but every time it's like the sweetest reunion and just sheer beauty as I watch this man who is so passionately in love with God. 

Anyhow, Lee had the privilege of speaking in the main service last weekend at church and he emailed me the link to his sermon so I immediately listened. The first fifteen seconds were absolutely surreal for me, as I listened to this very grown and wise sounding voice coming from my childhood friend! And I thought, 'well this will be great to listen to'....

but then I really began to listen. and he began to share what the Spirit had put on his heart. And I was left in tears. Because Lee met me right where I was at. He challenged me as if he were speaking straight to me and me, alone. (that's the beauty of the Holy Spirit) And then I realized how crazy beautiful it was that this childhood friend of mine could push me spiritually, from thousands of miles away and I could be encouraged by his words, as I know so many were this past weekend. 

Lee spoke on advent and on what this season means for us. That we should expect love to show up in our lives through this season. And then asked us what we are expecting for and thirsting for that we need to lay at the foot of the cross. Lee shared how he entered a season of his life coming out of Crusade that he struggled deeply with who he was and I am going through that season even now. He was thirsty. I am thirsty. The woman at the well was thirsty. And so often we look for thirst in things that will not satisfy. Lee explained how he thirsted for recognition, comfort, to maintain a good image, etc. I thirst for all of those things. And I know God is kneading my soul right now and it hurts so badly. But it is so comforting to know that my friend, Lee, went through this, too. And so did David as he wrote in Psalm 38:10;15 - "My heart throbs; my strength fails me, and the light of my eyes - it has also gone from me...But for you, O Lord, do I wait; it is you, O Lord my God, who will answer." 

and the woman at the well came, ultimately, to be relieved of her physical thirst, but scripture tells us she left her water jar at the well in order to walk back and tell everyone whom she met. She left the very thing she came to the well requiring. She knew that she had just received so much more than physical fulfillment. Her soul was quenched. And so is mine.

Selah.

ps if you would like to listen to this sermon, you can click here.