One of my favorite things to do while Jamie and I ride in the car is listening to podcasts. (Since we spend so much time in the car, we have plenty of time to listen.) While I wish that I could be super-spiritual and say that I always listen to sermons or Christian teaching podcasts, the truth is that my favorite podcast right now is "Pod Meets World." I know, that really shows my age!
Still, I really enjoy turning my brain off for a few moments and relaxing while the hosts reminisce about the lives of Cory, Sean, and Topanga from Boy Meets World. While I don't usually agree with their political views, that's a tiny portion of the show, and it's fun to hear the behind-the-scenes stories as they re-watch the episodes of this nineties show.
Of course, being a writer and a minister, I often find that my brain still finds inspiration even when I'm trying to relax and turn off my mind. This happened one day while we were riding in the car listening to a "Pod Meets World." In this episode, they interviewed the guy who played "Griff" in season 2.
"Griff" (as he was called on the show) told the story of coming in mid-season to replace "Harley Keiner." He said he was really nervous, but he quickly made friends with the guys who played "Joey" and "Frankie."
Still, they couldn't resist playing pranks on the new guy. One day, after "Griff" told "Joey" and "Frankie" (I'm just gonna call them by their character names) a really filthy, dirty joke, "Joey and Frankie" said, "Oh, man, you know who would love that joke—the guy who plays 'Mr. Turner'".
Now here's where things get interesting because almost immediately, the show's hosts (the now adults who then played Topanga, Sean, and Eric) began saying, "Oh no! Not him!! You can't tell HIM that joke! No!"
And that was the prank. Because apparently, the man who played "Mr. Turner" was a very conservative Christian. Everyone on the set knew him as a man with beliefs that guided his whole life. Everyone knew he'd never laugh at the joke, and the new guy would feel foolish.
Of course, everyone wanted to know what happened when "Mr. Turner" heard the joke.
Just as they expected, he didn't laugh. Instead, he said, "Wow! It seems like the guy in that story could use a lot of help."
Hearing the response, the hosts all said, "Yep, that's who he was."
The best part was—they loved him for it. Even those who were not Christians or even religious still had tremendous respect for this man who knew what he believed and always lived by his beliefs. They credit him as someone they trusted, felt safe around, and still love his friendship. They often talk about his tremendous sense of humor and the inside jokes they all shared.
As I listened to this podcast, I started thinking, "What an incredible testimony. They knew he was a Christian. They knew He was conservative. They knew he stood by his beliefs and knew he'd live what he believed."
It also struck me that the man who played "Mr. Turner" was able to be a witness for Christ in his environment without being a jerk about it.
He was their friend. He was their co-worker. They loved being around him and laughing with him, but they knew… He's a Christian. And they respected that.
It was just who he was.
I've thought about that podcast a lot over the past few months, and I've asked myself, "Can people say that about me?"
Also, "What would I have done in this situation?"
Would I have laughed at the joke?
Would I have been tempted to avoid taking a stand so the 'new guy' wasn't offended?
Do I live what I say I believe in every moment of my life?
Where can I improve so that I can have this reputation?
Hearing this story reminded me that's who I want to be.
When people hear "Adessa," I don't want them to think about someone who compromises with sin. I want them to know I love Jesus and do my best to live by God's ways.
I also want people to know that I love them. I don't want to put on a super-religious show. I want to be so genuinely in love with Jesus that obeying God is just who I am. Out of my love for God flows joy, happiness, and a genuine love for other people
Day in and day out, I want to be known as a follower of Jesus.
I want to live like Jesus lived, and love like He loved.
When people are talking about me, that’s what I want them to remember.
Adessa Holden is an ordained minister with the Assemblies of God specializing in Women's Ministry. Together with her brother, Jamie, they manage 4One Ministries and travel the East Coast speaking, holding conferences, and producing Men's and Women's resources that provide practical Biblical teaching for everyday life.
When asked about herself, she'll tell you "I'm a women's minister, a sister, and a daughter. I love to laugh and spend time with people. My favorite things are chocolate, the ocean, sandals and white capris, anything purple, summertime and riding in the car listening to music. It is my absolute honor and privilege to serve Jesus and women through this ministry."
Do you want to walk in God’s call for your life?
Do you want to find God’s perfect will for your life, your destiny, the reason you were created, and the job God has for you?
As you discover your calling, are you willing to do whatever it takes to walk in your calling?
Are you willing to abandon it all for the sake of the call?
If you are ready to say, “Yes!” then let’s get started with the rest of the book and begin living a life worthy of our calling.
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