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Hart to Hearts

By Paige Christian

Author Joe White shares in his book, What Kids Wish Parents Knew About Parenting, that following the loss of a close friend, he becomes conscious of “the unfamiliar lump that nags within my neck, making difficult a simple swallow. The lump in my throat is a tumor I’m growing to appreciate. Surgically, it is impossible to get to … for it’s a lump of grief, accompanied often by watery eyes and an empty heart.”

I’m lonesome for my friends, Geoff, Christy, and Rebekah Hart, whose young lives on Earth were cut short in a recent tragic accident. Their model as a Christ-centered family was unsurpassed, their unconditional love poured out on not only their most fortunate families, but also their Custer Road UMC family and friends.

So, I now push on each day, working through the pain of this tragedy, surprised to realize that this lump in my throat is also a blessing. We can be encouraged by the godly work and mission of the Hart family, for they’ve gone before us on this path, set the example, and have led the way.

The apostle Paul also undertook the difficult task of spiritual mentoring – and in a culture no less twisted than our own. With his eyes fixed on the gospel of Jesus, Paul imparted his values to his young friend, Timothy, in the same way a relay runner hands the baton to a team member.

Olympic track star Madeline Manning Mims reflects on the vital aspect of relay: “I’ve had batons slip, drop, slide, and even bounce off the track back into my hand on the way to victory. But of all the crucial moments in an Olympic relay race, there is none so crucial as the pass. It is the approach, the timing, the grip, the exchange, the power, and the pressure. It is the all-important transfer. It is where the race is won or lost. Period.”

God’s work doesn’t get passed along without the all-important transfer. I believe that God is calling me to carry on the Hart family’s values and missions – whether it’s to reprioritize my personal life, work in Mexico, teach Sunday school, facilitate a Bible study, help with our youth, or volunteer in the church office. The list of baton-carrying opportunities is endless. I’m hoping others will join me in receiving the baton. which I believe has been passed from the Harts to our hearts.

In recent weeks, I’ve witnessed our congregation come together as a family of support, hope, and healing. At a restaurant, church members (whom I didn’t know) who knew I had worked the church staff stopped by my table offer condolences. I’ve seen people church recently whom I haven’t seen for some time – some visiting to offer support for our loss, some

deciding to join us again as they realize Custer Road UMC is where they belong.

We’re carrying the baton of faith, and there are others around us, waiting expectantly in the batonpassing zone. All it takes is willing hearts, relentless spirits, and the desire to carry on God’s work for his glory. May the Harts’ mission and example live on – transforming our hearts and permeating God’s calling in our lives.

Paige, a former church staff member, says, “I do feel we’re now being held at a higher standard, not only in our congregation, but in our community.”