"This is not our life. Our life is eternal.
Our life is a gift from God. How we live our life is our gift to God." Ally Breedlove, sister of Ben Breedlove
Christian Teen Shares Final Thoughts Before His Death - Inspirational Videos
http://www.godtube.com/watch/?v=K6LDDWNX - Ben Breedlove's message
Last week, I saw this video on Godtube and it touched my heart. This young man has had a very difficult
life. He was unable to participate in sports with the other guys his age. So much of his life was centered around his heart problems.
He just wanted to be normal like other kids.
Have you ever wished you could be normal? Like everyone else?
Ben was not like the other kids. Ben was a very special young man, and after watching this video, I bet other kids would say they want to be like Ben. I would.
Ben nearly died (or maybe actually died) three times. He experienced something pretty incredible during those moments when his heart had stopped and he wasn't breathing. He had a peace that surpasses all understanding. When he "came back", and woke up, he was sad that he had to leave that place of serenity and peace. But he was okay with being back. He knew God still had something for him to do.
Philippians 4:7 NIV
And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding,
will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
You see, Ben realized this life is short and no matter what he had to endure during his time on earth, there was something better coming. His eyes were on the prize. His eyes were on Jesus and Eternity. He longed for that glorious future, but at the same time, he was willing to live his life to the best of his ability each and every day that God had him on this earth.
Ben made this video on December 16th, just 10 days after his last "heavenly" experience. It was still so fresh on his mind - the beauty and peace of what comes for the believer after death. Nine days after he made this video, Ben went home to Jesus for good. On Christmas Day, Ben got the best gift ever! He woke up in heaven for eternity. Thru his little video, Ben gave us the blessing of reassuring us all that heaven is worth whatever we deal with here. It's so worth it.
- Don't give up when things are hard.
- Live each day to your best ability.
- Somebody you know needs to see Jesus and you may just be the only one who can show them.
- The bumps and hazards on the road of our lives give us opportunities to be more because of our weaknesses if we trust in the strength Jesus gives us.
Mad, Mad World - Gary Jules
lyrics
All around me are familiar faces
worn out places, worn out faces
Bright and early for the daily races
Going nowhere, going nowhere
Their tears are filling up their glasses
No expression, no expression
Hide my head I wanna drown my sorrow
No tomorrow, no tomorrow
And I find it kind of funny
I find it kind of sad
The dreams in which I'm dying
Are the best I've ever had
I find it hard to tell you
I find it hard to take
When people run in circles
It's a very very, mad world, mad world
Children waiting for the day they feel good
Happy Birthday, Happy Birthday
And I feel the way that every child should
Sit and listen, sit and listen
Went to school and I was very nervous
no one knew me, no one knew me
Hello teacher tell me what's my lesson
Look right through me, look right through me
And I find it kind of funny
I find it kind of sad
The dreams in which I'm dying
Are the best I've ever had
I find it hard to tell you
I find it hard to take
When people run in circles
It's a very very, mad world, mad world
Enlarge your world, mad world
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Gary Jules wrote this song several years ago and it was brought back to our attention when Adam Lambert sang it while competing with America Idol. At first, the words can seem hopeless and depressing if you see this life as all there is. Yet when I heard this song gently playing in the background while Ben Breedlove shared his testimony, I understood the sadness in the song. It's not that life is depressing or hopeless. The sadness is that people don't understand that even though there are terrible struggles in life, that's not all there is. This life is our pilgrimage to Eternity with God Almighty! What on earth could matter compared to that hope?
The sad part of the song is that we get so caught up in this world that we lose our focus on what's to come. Greater things are yet to come. Hold on. That's what I hear now when I listen to this song. And like Ben Breedlove, I want to give people hope. Something so much better is coming if we just keep our eyes on Jesus.
http://youtu.be/hh8WONK6i4o - Greater things are yet to come - Chris Tomlin
Even when we struggle, God gives us the opportunity to help others who are struggling, too. When we suffer and struggle, many times the best thing we can do for ourselves is to reach out to others who are suffering. When we take our attention off our own pain, like Ben did, and try and help someone else, like Ben did with this video, we are being just like Jesus. Who better to walk someone through the pain of this life than someone who is walking or has walked that road leaning on Jesus? That's the person I'm gonna hear when I'm struggling and need encouragement. I wanna hear from someone who knows the Answer.
Think of all Jesus endured.
Rejection
Homelessness
Poverty (by our standards)
He didn't have a family like everyone else. No wife, no children...
His brothers didn't believe He was the Christ for a long time. They teased and mocked Him.
Betrayal
Humiliation
One of His dearest friends denied him at a critical time.
Beatings, stonings, flogging, crucifixion and finally death.
Through every heartbreak and struggle Jesus didn't dwell on His own pain, He reached out to comfort others who were hurting. Even on the cross, He comforted his mother and made provisions for John to take care of her. Gasping for breath, agonizing in his approaching death, He comforted the thief who came to believe while hanging along side him.
When you're hurting, if humanly possible, reach out to help someone else who might be hurting. The joy that comes from lightening someone else's load will lighten your pain, too. Remember, too, this is not all there is. Whatever God has allowed in your life can be your testimony to His faithfulness and love. People will see
your faith and there may be someone who comes to know Jesus because of your living testimony. Look what Ben Breedlove did in his last days. He testified to his faith. He gave us all hope for Eternity. He promised us:
Heaven is worth it!
After you watch the video of Mad World, read the comments that are posted. Some reference Ben Breedlove and his video. Ben used his struggle to reach out across the world wide web and give people hope through Jesus. What can you and I do to give that kind of encouragement to others who need hope? We can live a life that testifies to our Savior's Love and His amazing Gift of Grace.
http://youtu.be/4N3N1MlvVc4 - Mad, Mad World
comments ...
R.I.P. Ben Breedlove
starsonicy123 20 hours ago
My mums died of heart disease... a heart attack, im here because of Ben Breedlove, he has Brought back my long lost faith in God and the afterlife.... God Bless you Ben I love you X
rossyboiii 7 hours ago
Father, help us to see Eternity. Help us to keep our eyes on the glorious future we have with You. Help us to never give up on life here on earth until You call us home. Help us to live ever minute, good times and bad, in victory because of what Christ did for us. Whatever You allow in our lives, LORD, we trust Your promise to give us everything we need to get through those tough times, not in our own wisdom or strength, but in the Strength Jesus gives us through the power of Your Holy Spirit living in us and through Your wisdom. Help us, God, to see each bump on our road as an opportunity to testify to our faith in Your Son. Let us use every second You give on earth for Your glory. Thank You for Ben Breedlove and his testimony. Such a short life but what a powerful life! Bless his family and friends as they learn to live without Ben's earthly presence. Renew their hope in the future that Ben was so looking forward to. We love You, LORD and give You all our praise and worship. In the blessed name of Jesus we pray. Amen.
Here is Ben's sister's tribute to her brother at his funeral just a few days ago. Let us all go forward with the spirit of Ben Breedlove rising in our hearts - "Heaven is worth it!" Greater things are yet to come, and we can live our lives with honor and joy no matter what we may face, so maybe, just maybe someone will see Jesus in us and want what we have - the HOPE of Eternity with God!
Sister of Ben Breedlove Delivers POWERFUL Speech At His Funeral - Inspirational Videos
http://www.godtube.com/watch/?v=KGGKYGNX
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