My Friend, My Brother

Nearly fifteen years ago, I joined up with three guys from college to form a Gospel quartet. We sang together for ten years and then called it quits to pursue other ministries. Out of that group I gained quite a bit of life experience, a veritable cornucopia of sound system parts, and a few decent songs that I still play in concert. The greatest thing that I gained from that group, though, was some truly dear friends. One of those friends (who also is a contributor to this blog) is Mike Massie.

Mike and I are very different people and, early on, our families were fairly sure those differences were going to get one of us killed. We fought over nearly everything, but, over time, we learned that those differences could be complimentary. It seemed that we would accomplish far more for the kingdom if we worked together. A decade and a half later, Mike and I are still teaming up to bring people closer to God. We've chosen to combine our talents in a two-man drama ministry. We sing, we act, we tell stories.

Tonight I had the privilege of watching some of Mike's work. You see, he teaches English at Fairfield High School and he also directs in the theater department. His production of Beauty and the Beast opens this weekend and I wholeheartedly recommend that you see it. His attention to detail and boundless creativity make this show a truly enjoyable experience for all ages. I am continually impressed with the ways in which he uses his God-given abilties for the betterment of others and this is no exception.

As we look back on times in our lives, it is easy to second guess decisions we've made in light of what we know now. I used to do that a lot. Now I just try to accept my journey for what it has been and be thankful for the blessings along the way. One of these amazing blessings has and will always be my friend, my brother.

Be God's
Greg