DJ

I know God is real.  I know He is an amazing, all-powerful, merciful, and an invincibly loving God.  I know because I have seen Him.  Everytime I have visited Camp Daniel I have seen God in the faces of many people. But one in particular has impacted my vision, in whose countenance is unmistakably God.

Exactly when and where, I do not remember, but there was harmonica music, laughter, and one of the truest and most infectious smiles I have ever observed.  DJ struck me.  He struck me with his gentleness, with his joy, with his honesty, with his contagious contentment, with his vast capacity to love and accept others just as they are.  Shoot, put a beard and sandals on him and one might mistake him for Jesus from a distance.  But once you got up close, there was no mistaking the Jesus in him.  Right away, he got under my skin.  And everytime I was around him my burdens seemed lighter, and I just had to hug him, everytime.

If you  were ever fortunate  enough to be asked to help DJ get somewhere, you know the smallness of what you did for him compared to the hugeness of what he would do for you, every single time.  You also heard a lot more cheezball jokes than you'd ever thought you cherish.  The way his mind worked, some might say, was a little screwy.  But I always walked from him shaking my head, "yes, I can see that..."  and smiling bigger and bigger the further away from him I walked.  You would also notice his deep concern for people, his habit of praying with anyone at any time, and the peace that seemed to surround him and whoever was with him like a bubble.  He would just get under your skin, really affect you, in the most simplistic and profound way.

DJ saw people, though his eyes could not see.  DJ reached people, though he had a tough time getting around because of the stiffness in his legs.  DJ carried with him the stillness of the peace of God, though he was horribly abused as a child. DJ made music to God, and blessed all those who were lucky enough to be standing within earshot.  DJ laughed, when others would have cried.  He was full of the joy of the Lord, when he had every plausible reason to be bitter.  If you have ever met someone that just had it all together, you realize how you desire that for yourself. 

DJ was one of the few people I have met that made me want more of God, just by being around him.  I think if you can reach that point, perhaps you have made God so thrilled with you that He cannot be without you any longer.  We do not know the physical reasons he was removed from his body.  But, I think that DJ walked with God, and he was no more, for God took him. 

I can only imagine the wonderful things DJ is seeing for the first time, or the beautiful scene he is running through, full bore, that infectious smile on his face.  He is no longer with us, but with the Lord, enjoying his reward. But his spirit made a beautiful imprint on mine, and it makes me want to be more like him, like Jesus.