Her name was Judy
Heroes pass through our lives.
May we be lucky enough to know them and to recognize their heroics when they happen. Sometimes they show themselves through ordinary people…heroes who have doubts and fears just like us.
Many years have past….literally decades since I was a college undergraduate student. And somehow I remember it as if it were yesterday.
I first met Judy while a member of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship at UT Knoxville. She was so young all those years ago.
I still remember how vibrant she was:
How she smiled.
Energy seemed to radiate from her.
To me she was an upper class hero. Someone I looked up to.
Back in the day, once a year, Cliff Knectle would come to our campus and for a few short days he would stand near the Student Center on the upper outside deck and preach open air. As students we would train for weeks in advance on how to create a crowd from a group of us and to draw passers by to listen to Cliff’s Apologetics.
Cliff preached the risen Christ.
He presented Biblical apologetics to the crowds explaining clearly how the Scriptures were true.
He would have open dialogues with students who came by. Much like the Apostle Paul on his missionary travels…Cliff traveled the country persuading college students everywhere to seek Jesus. To examine themselves. To repent, to believe and to be born again in Christ.
It is a radical message to preach Christ. It often brings hostility in the open marketplace of ideas.
Cliff would stop preaching to take a break and grab a glass of water or a quick snack. During the breaks in the preaching while the crowds were at their peak our staff worker Mack Stiles encouraged us to stand before the throngs of people walking by and share our personal testimonies.
Our stories of conversion:
How we came to know God in Christ.
How Christ had drawn us to Himself.
Called us by name. To reference Scriptures that had opened our eyes and might open the eyes of those who heard those same Bible verses.
To explain how Jesus had revealed Himself to us through study of the Bible which led us to repentance, salvation and sanctification.
To follow after Him. To be Disciples for Him in the World.
And that same calling applied to everyone who walked by and had ears to hear. They only had to accept Christ’s offer through faith in Him to receive the gift of Eternal Life.
It was intimidating to us. To stand up publicly before people who knew us and the throngs of people who didn’t and share our stories.
To stand before people we knew and those we didn’t know and proclaim the Risen Savior is scary especially when you are a young college student.
Judy’s turn was at hand.
She was brave and yet scared.
Scared to stand before her peers and profess her Risen Savior.
Mack encouraged her with a Bible verse that says “He who confesses me before men I will confess before the Father”. (Matthew 10:32)
Judy steeled her nerves.
Stood.
Took her place before the crowd and shared her testimony.
A few weeks later I got the news. The kind of news that causes a person’s memory to block it out because the event is so tragic. I can’t say where I was when the news came. Probably because my mind couldn’t comprehend it at the time.
You see, Judy died in a tragic car wreck just a few short weeks later. She and her mom were somewhere outside Jackson Tennessee on the interstate on the way to a Mother Daughter weekend Retreat. They were going to give their testimonies when the accident happened.
Apparently a semi tractor trailer truck passed them on the interstate and they lost control of their car. However it happened, their car slammed into the infrastructure of a bridge overpass.
The ambulance came and did what they could for her. If my memory is accurate she had broken her neck in the accident. They loaded her into the ambulance and proceeded to head to the nearest hospital.
We were told that her last words in the back of the ambulance were “tell everyone I’ll be just a little late”. I can see her on that gurney almost as if I’d been there….
The angelic smile on her face.
The tender words on her lips.
The angel we knew as our friend was going home to be with her Savior.
We were all heartbroken and drove from Knoxville to Jackson to go to her funeral. Each saddened by the loss of our friend.
At the funeral someone reminded us of the Scripture that Mack had quoted to Judy that day on the plaza….he who confesses me before men…I will confess before the Father.
We found comfort in those words. To know that Judy is with her Father in Heaven. That Jesus is standing before the Father on Judy’s behalf.
Thank God for Judy. As long as there are witnesses to her courage and faith… her story will live on to encourage those who come after her. To share their stories and to confess Jesus before their peers.
Me…I’m just glad I knew her. An honor really to have known a hero of the Faith. An honor to pass her story to you.
Funny thing is….looking back…Judy wasn’t going to be late…she was early….sometimes I think God takes back those He loves the most. He calls them home early. I know that’s crazy thinking, but I guess I’m allowed to have my opinions.
Angels pass through our lives. Make sure to stay alert so you don’t miss them. Judy passed by and left an indelible mark on me forever…more on that as this book unfolds.