Life Is But A Breath, Don't Waste It

This past week has been one of many different emotions for the campus of Illinois State University, following the death of one of our peers in a train accident near campus. One of the students here was on his way to class and was hit by an Amtrak train, killing him and leaving the community with many unanswered questions about why it happened? Did he not see it? Etc.... You can imagine the rumors, the speculation, and the genuine sadness that is being felt by his family, peers, and even people who didn't know him at all.

I'm one of those people. I have no idea who he is, never seen him, run into him, spoke with him, etc., but I cannot get him out of my head. With every train whistle he comes to my mind and I'm absolutely heartbroken. Why is it? Is it the idea that I'm completely shocked by the tragedy? Yes...it is. But more than that, I'm struck with the idea that just like that, in an instant he was faced with eternity. He woke up that morning and had no idea what was going to happen to him that day and in a literal instant he was faced with the very real idea of eternity.

Now I have no idea where this guy stood spiritually, but I just know that it makes me want to share Jesus' love with every single person I meet. I hope that He knew the Lord, but if he did not, what if someone would have shared the gospel with him? We have no idea how the Lord could have worked in His life! So why don't we do it more often!? Life is so fragile. Not even just in the idea of sharing the gospel, but just realizing that OUR life is so fragile as well. That could have easily been me who walked over those tracks at the wrong time and faced with eternity. What would people be saying about me when I was gone? Will I have made an impact on my peers? Not just an impact of "Oh Amanda was a nice person..." But one that more importantly has an impact on the Kingdom! I want to leave an impact on this campus for Christ. I want people to know where I stand. I stand in Christ and Christ alone. I want every single person on this campus to know that and to more importantly understand that they too can stand in Christ alone as well. I want to leave this campus with no regrets. I want to know that I did what I could to reach lost students for Christ. I want every student to get the chance to hear and respond to the gospel. If not the gospel, then at least be able to tell that Christ lives within me and that my actions would reflect that to the people I come in contact with. That I would love the girls on my floor, that I would tell them to have a good day when I see them in the bathroom, that I would compliment someone in the elevator, that I would BE Jesus to the people I meet so that I know that I lived my life with no regrets.

So, no, I may not have ever met this student whose life we now look back on as a memory, but I do know that he has changed my life. I stand in Christ and Christ alone, and I live to speak of His fame to ANYONE and EVERYONE I meet. I will live my life with no regrets and live it for Kingdom things, that every student would know.....