Nine years ago I got the special privilege through a friend, Joyce Boston, at my old church to be introduced to a young man named Ray Werner. At the time Ray was in between his 8th grade and freshman year of school. Ray was a pretty special kid. He was from a broken family. His dad was non-existent. His step-dad was in prison. His mom was an alcoholic. Ray had already been through Narcotics Anonymous as a 14 year old. On top of that, it was not out of the norm for Ray's mom to call the cops on him when they would fight. To say that his history was sketchy would be an understatement.
But one summer afternoon I got a call from Joyce asking me to come meet Ray at her horse pasture where they were tending to the horses. While Ray and I met and talked in a mini van, I sensed that the Holy Spirit was doing something special. That day Ray accepted Christ as his savior. And man, did his salvation ever change him! From that day forward, Ray truly was a new creation in Christ Jesus. He became involved in church and WaterMark Student Ministries. He began going to a Christian high school. He was discipled. He got involved in leadership. He straightened up his life and used what Satan meant for evil as good.
Ray changed my life that summer afternoon. Because of what Jesus did in his life, it gave me hope that God could reach and use anyone and that there are no lost causes. Not only did I get to lead Ray to Christ, but I had the privilege of mentoring him and discipling him for 5 years! Those were five of the happiest years of my youth ministry because he was so contagious. He truly impacted the people around him for good.
Ray died in Iraq on February 8, 2007. His patrol was hit by a road side bomb while policing the streets of Iraq. While Ray provided me with nothing but positive memories and joy in my ministry, the day I found out about Ray's death was the darkest day of all my years in youth ministry.
I continue to believe that God works all things according to His purpose and He is sovereign. While at the time I did not understand why God took this 21 year old man who had gotten married 2 weeks before he shipped out for Iraq, I just knew that God was not done with Ray's life and legacy. I was asked to preach Ray's funeral a couple of weeks later and it was one of the greatest honors for me to be able to preach about the hope that Ray had as a child of the King. That day the Gospel of Christ was presented at Ray's funeral and dozens of hands were raised saying they accepted the very free gift that Ray received when he was 14 years old in a mini van. Praise God! Even in death Ray was impacting eternities!
I write this today not to mark an anniversary or to commemorate a special day or memory. But I write this because I was just thinking about my friend and "child in the ministry" and missing him. I was notified of a facebook page that is dedicated to remembering Ray. When I viewed the page, I was reminded of what a special place Ray had in my heart and how much I long for a student in my current ministry that I can raise up in the Lord. I have hope. I pray that God gives me another "Ray".
To check out Ray's memorial page on face book and read the articles about his life, legacy and his funeral, go to http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/group.php?gid=2239340403&ref=mf
Chris Standridge
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