In his book, Crazy Love, Francis Chan tells a story about a very young girl by the name of Brooke Bronkowski that challenged me in such a way that I found myself saying I want to be like Brooke when I grow up. Brooke was a 14 year of girl… loved Jesus, started and led a bible study group at her school. According to Chan

At age 12 she wrote the following:
I’ll live my life to the fullest. I’ll be happy. I’ll brighten up. I will be more joyful than I have ever
been. I will be kind to others. I will loosen up. I will tell others about
Christ. I will go on adventures and change the world. I will be bold and not
change who I really am. I will have no troubles but instead help others with
troubles. You see, I’ll be one of those people who live to be history makers at a young age. Oh, I’ll have
moments, good and bad, but I will wipe away the bad and only remember the good.
In fact that’s all I remember, just good moments, nothing in between, just
living my life to the fullest. I’ll be one of those people who go somewhere with
a mission, an awesome plan, a world-changing plan, and nothing will hold me
back. I’ll set an example for others, I will give others the joy I have and God
will give me more joy. I will do everything God tells me to do. I will follow
the footsteps of God. I will do my best.

Unfortunately, Chan continues,

one day while she was driving to the movies, she got
in a car accident that ended her life. At her memorial service nearly fourteen
hundred people showed up. Before the pastor presented a gospel message, people
from her school read poems she’d written about her love for God, and everyone
spoke highly about her – laying emphasis on her example and joy. Than after a
brief gospel message, more than two-hundred people responded and came forward to
receive Jesus and make Him their personal Lord and savior.

Brooke’s short fourteen years of footprints on this earth left an indelible
impression that would never be forgotten. She left a legacy that will outlive
her. At her funeral, no one had to stretch the truth to create a semblance of a
meaningful lifelike they do at so many other funerals.

What I loved more about Chan’s story, is how he applied it to his hearers. He said,

You see, no one would dare say an unkind word at a funeral,
because there is an unspoken obligation to come up with something nice to say
about the person who died. I can guarantee you that your funeral would be very
nice… but would it be a true reflection of the kind of life you live. Would
there be people at your funeral secretly thinking “he wasn’t really a great
guy?” What footprints are you leaving behind? What story do you want your life
to tell when you kick the bucket?

 It’s not too late, you can change the
narrative of the rest of your life right now… that you will follow the footsteps
of Jesus and that you ‘will be one of those who live to be a history maker’ by
the way you live. Jesus said, “Come follow me and I will make you…”  Paul said, “Follow me as I follow Christ…”
than he later told Timothy to set a good example… (Matt. 4:19; 1 Cor. 1:12; 1
Timothy 4:12). We are called to light of the world and salt of the earth. Will
you be that today?

Excerpts from Crazy Love, Francis Chan