This is my first Spotlight Sunday! WOOH! I am actually super pumped to get this off and running! If you are wondering why this was posted on a Tuesday... please read the post below :)
There were SO many people that I wanted to do this on! I had such a hard time choosing. I think I wrote about 9 in my head on Sunday alone. But then I remembered that I have as many Sundays as I want to keep up the tradition and focus on all of those incredible people that have lifted me up and have helped shape who I am. So after that and after prayerful consideration, I picked Mr. Ian Charbonnet!
Now there are so many things I could say about this incredible man of God! Probably like at least 20 pages without stopping to take a breath. But it's spotlight Sundays and not Write a Novel Sundays, so I am going to keep it succinct. It may be short and sweet, but it helps highlight parts of this man's character that can be so deep and unending--just like the ocean. I know that the depths of his soul are incredible and that anyone who has the pleasure of spending time with him would immediately understand that he has intricate layers that are all equally captivating and beautiful.
Mr. Charbonnet is one of the happiest individuals that I know; his happiness radiates through and around him. I'm not saying that he is all sunshine and rainbows and that little unicorns and ponies dance around him-- that's ridiculous. I think we all know that one person that is just a little too sweet and kinda grates on your nerves. Like how can everything be so perfect all the time?! Just stop.-- No, Ian has a different kind of happiness. It isn't that Ian lives in moments that exude a lot of pleasure. Pleasure is fleeting. It's a positive feeling that usually accompanies a physical experience. You can have a lot of pleasure without being happy. Drug users can attest to that. They can have moments of extreme pleasure, but aren't happy. Women in labor can also attest to that. Most women in labor are experiencing something far from pleasure, but in that moment many of them are extremely happy. So what all this rambling means is that Ian acts like a real person. He has good days and bad days. There are fleeting moments of pleasure. Sometimes things just plain suck and sometimes there are some serious struggles... but he still shows happiness outwardly during these times. He's real.
So what exactly led me to pick this super rad brother of mine to spotlight? Well the point of my blog is to choose love everyday... and that's exactly what Ian does. He is the kind of person that makes you feel like you are important whether you are the only two in the room or there are 500 people in the room. He exudes happiness through his incredible ways of showing love to others. He would probably give you the shirt of his own back while singing you a song if you wanted him to. Perfect example: This weekend in SB we went to the BFOM concert together. (For those of you that don't know, BFOM is an insanely talented and entertaining all-male a cappella group at UCSB and Ian used to be a part of it when he went there) Well I've been going to the concerts for about 4 years... and Ian knows I like them so he sent me the invite once he knew I was going to be coming up. Super simple; super thoughtful. Well I didn't know anyone else that was going to the concert and asked Ian if he wouldn't mind me tagging along with him. Even though he could have just sat with all his other friends and old "brothas", he graciously let me sit with him. When we got there, there were a lot of old BFOM and other a cappella group members that he hasn't seen in a while and wanted to catch up with. Instead of politely excusing himself while I was at our seats to catch up with his old friends, he actually invited me to come with him and introduced me to every single one of them. First-- it was super rad because I've been listening to them sing for like 4 years and now I didn't have to be the creeper that knew their names without having ever been introduced. But more importantly, it made me feel so loved and important that he would introduce me to his friends (that I probably would never meet again) just so I felt included. And I don't think he even thought twice about it. I wasn't just some random girl tagging along while he caught up with all his good friends... but rather I was a meaningful person to him that was important enough to be included. -- And that's who Ian is. He is someone that is constantly in a state of uplifting others without even knowing it. God's love shines so bright through him.
There are a million great things that I could say about him. He is a Godly man. He is a loyal friend. He has a beautiful voice. He brings people closer to Jesus by connecting them to bible studies and churches. He leads worship at High Ridge. And I could go on and on. But it takes a true believer to act differently. You can have all the right answers to the questions that people ask. You can show up at church, even lead worship, and look like the example of a "perfect" Christian on the outside. But someone who really has a relationship with the Lord let's all aspects of his/her life reflect His glory and goodness. Ian doesn't just talk the talk... he doesn't just know the scriptures... his actions reflect the grace and love of Jesus. He challenges people in ways they have never been challenged before. He loves people fervently. He sees the people he is talking to, not just faces. His life is a living testimony of God's power and love for the world. I am so absolutely blessed to know this man and call him both my brother and friend. I couldn't think of a better person to start my Spotlight Sunday with. I think it is very safe to say that Ian chooses love everyday.
Ian is definitely one of the most amazing people I know.
ReplyDeleteI agree :)
DeleteI am so proud of Ian and his commitment to the Lord! He has the unique and God-given ability to make you feel valued above all the people he knows and loves! Beautifully written Miss Klocko. Pastor Tom Jackson, Pastor Drew Jackson's dad
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with you! And thank you!!
DeleteLove this!
ReplyDeleteThanks!
DeleteSo true :)
ReplyDelete