If you haven’t read the essay in my previous post, I would encourage you to do that first.

That essay really resonates with me and affirms the cry of my heart.

Jesus needs us to be tenacious about his Gospel. Our lives need to be in a continual battle to ensure we are in line with God. We need to be idealists; believing one person can change the world through the power and Spirit of God within us.

Brooke’s words are a subtle reminder to that and how short our influence on the earth is.

James 4:14 (NIV)
¹⁴ . . . What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.

Brooke passed away at fourteen.

Intellectually we all know that we will die . . . We do not really know it in the sense of living as though it were true. On the contrary, we tend to live as though our lives would go on forever. (emphasis added)
~Frederick Buechner

Why do we frolic along in our lives thinking we have the rest of eternity to accomplish the plans and purposes of God in our lives? Or that we can spend the first half for ourselves and then the last half for God?

I will go on adventures and change the world. . . . I’ll be one of those people who live to be history maker. . . . I’ll be one of those people who go somewhere with . . . a world-changing plan, and nothing will hold me back.
~Brooke Bronkowski

I want to spend eternity in Heaven knowing I’ve left behind an eternity on Earth.

An eternity of Kingdom influence. An eternity of disciples who are building up new disciples. An eternity of passionate, sold-out, radical little Tran-babies passing on the fire from generation to generation. ;)

But we don’t have an eternity to leave behind an eternity.

We have to start now . . .

Below is an essay written by Brooke Bronkowski, a girl I read about in Crazy Love by Francis Chan.

The essay was written at the age of twelve and is a humbling expression of maturity from from a girl who later passed away in a car accident (at the age of fourteen).

Since I Have My Life Before Me

I’ll live my life to the fullest. I’ll be happy. I’ll brighten up. I will be more joyful than I have ever been. I will be kind to others. I will loosen up. I will tell others about Christ. I will go on adventures and change the world. I will be bold and not change who I really am. I will have no troubles but instead help others with their troubles.

You see, I’ll be one of those people who live to be history makers at a young age. Oh, I’ll have moments, good and bad, but I will wipe away the bad and only remember the good. In fact that’s all I remember, just good moments, nothing in between, just living my life to the fullest. I’ll be one of those people who go somewhere with a mission, an awesome plan, a world-changing plan, and nothing will hold me back. I’ll set an example for others, I will pray for direction.

I have my life before me. I will give others the joy I have and God will give me more joy. I will do everything God tells me to do. I will follow the footsteps of God. I will do my best!!!

~Brooke Bronkowski