Happy Birthday Kevin!

This picture is very special to me.

From this past January, it was taken during commissioning night at our church when I was ordained as a pastor at New Life. Outside of the importance of the moment itself, today it is very special because of my great friend Kevin Bruursema.

Kevin is the one who led the ordination service and prayer for me. When I look at this picture though, I remember a few years earlier, when someone told me, “You won’t make a very good pastor.” After the conversation, in devastated tears, the first person I called was Kevin. With an obvious anger in his voice, he said, “That’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard and you need to ignore it as the stupidest thing you’ve ever heard! You’re already a great pastor and don’t let anyone tell you different.” That wasn’t the first time God used Kevin to speak into my life, and I know it won’t be the last time.

On June 12 of this year, Kevin got into a horrible scooter accident. Today is his 41st birthday. The 112 days between these dates have been an exercise in missing someone right in front of you.

I miss being able to call him.
I miss hearing his encouragement.
I miss hilarious text conversations with me, him and Matt.
I miss phone calls midweek to talk about the next Sunday’s message.
I miss phone calls late Saturday night to talk about finishing up said Sunday message.
I miss being able to mess with him.
I miss his laugh.
I miss being able to look at him in a meeting and we both knew the unsaid commentary the other was thinking.
I miss having to avoid looking at him in meetings because we both knew that if we made eye contact we’d bust out laughing.
I miss my collaborator.
I miss knowing at least someone understood me and had my back.
I miss knowing who would always tell me to keep going and not give up.

But for all the pain of missing, true joy comes in seeing his recovery progress.

Two weeks ago I walked into his room and he lifted his head to look right at me.
A month ago he could hardly raise his chin an inch.

As he looked at me I asked if he knew who I was. He nodded his head yes.
Two months ago we celebrated when he would blink on command.

I said to him, “Then what’s my name?” His voice was less than a whisper but what he mouthed was clear, “Bobby.”
Three months ago we didn’t know if he would ever wake up.

My friend is a fighter and my God is mighty.

Kevin’s story took a plot twist none of us wanted, but he has never left the care and presence of the Author. God is not done with him. God is not done writing his story and even now the gospel is pouring forth from this new chapter.

A good number of us from the pastoral team went today to sing happy birthday, encourage him and pray for him. With no effort or initiation, Kevin did what he always just naturally does: bring people together in the name of Jesus to smile, experience community and know the goodness of God.

Happy birthday my friend. Happy birthday. I know the missing exercise will continue for awhile, but that’s OK. You are here and God is good.