Jackson Blick -Bailey Cate

Today I am featuring a piece that my good friend Bailey Cate wrote about the Fremont car crash. This tragedy affected everyone in a different way, but to see the glimpse of sun peaking out from the clouds is what we all aim to do. Gone for now, but not forever. From Bailey Cate's eyes, Jackson Eric Blick.....

I finished my Biology final at 9am that Friday morning. My car was packed and my mom was on a flight to Dallas. I was to drive there to meet her so we could head home. I didn't say goodbye to half of my friends. I didn't want to believe my freshman year of college was over and that I was headed home for the summer. 

In my mind, heading home was weak. Most of my friends were packing for mission trips and summer camps while I was preparing to work three jobs and sacrifice my social life. I was less that an excited but thought to myself "my time to serve will come..."

I came home and began work about a week after arriving. I saw some old friends but hadn't really kept in touch with anyone. Things change as you grow up. 

Then, one night as I laid in bed sound asleep, my phone rang. It was my father. While it was not unusual for a him to call me at strange hours due to his night shift job, I knew when I answered the phone something was terribly wrong. He told me there had been an accident. That two boys were dead and two were in rough condition. 

My brothers and I didn't sleep much the rest of that night, nor did anyone in town. One of the boys who died was very special to our family-- the best friend to two of my brothers. The days that followed were not easy for anyone. We attended funerals for three 16 year old boys. Three intelligent, fun-loving, God-fearing boys. 

It was in the midst if this tragedy I got to see that God doesn't need us to travel the world to be doing Kingdom work. Where there are people hurting, there must be people serving. 

And so, I've spent a chunk of my summer with my "little sister." I would not have it any other way. The relationship we have is unlike any other. I've also been (trying) to be more patient with my own family and willing to spend my time with them over a prospective social outing. 

No, I didn't travel the world. I'm so thankful for my friends who did because God did incredible things in their lives and the lives of those they served. But I got to build my relationships on the homefront. I am so grateful I did. 

In the Bible, God tells us his plans for us are great (Jeremiah 29:11). Whether you are traveling the world, stuck in your hometown, at football camp, or your Meme and Papa's house all summer, God is using you as a vital part of His incredible story.