Thank God for Gary W. Beecham, Jr.
This past weekend I had the distinct privilege and humbling honor to be a groomsmen for one of my best friends in the world, Gary W. Beecham, Jr. He got married to his beautiful bride, formerly Miss Ashley Harris. My wife and I had a wonderful time in Columbia, playing with our daughter and enjoying the wedding festivities. Going to Gary's wedding made me ponder over the highs and lows of our almost five-year friendship, and I began to thank the Lord Jesus for giving me such a good friend.
1. Gary loves the living Word of God.
Anyone who knows Gary knows two things: he is relentless silly and he is relentlessly talking about Jesus. This love for Christ is built on Gary's love for the Bible and his study of it. I have seen this firsthand during our long meetings at Bojangle's and many conversations on the phone. This is a man who cannot stop reading the Bible. God Himself has taken him and molded Gary into a reading, studying, Jesus-talking, joy-overflowing vessel of His own glory.
2. Gary loves his wife.
In a day when far too many men either disregard or dishonor their wives, Gary was planning and praying for his wife long before she was his. Often in the last few years, months, weeks, and days, I've heard him talking about how he did this or that because (either implicity or explicity) he knew it would help her. "Husbands, love your wives as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her," means that we give up not only our bodies but our desires, too. Gary is a wonderful example of that.
3. Gary loves his church.
Having the privilege of introducing him to his local church, and her to him, I can say, again, from firsthand experience, that Gary undoubtedly, unquestionably loves his local church. He loves her from the Scriptures and from his heart. He loves her with his hands, his time, and his mind. He loves her with kind words and with funny ones. He loves her with rebukes and with encouragements. And I've seen it all come about in the last five years. Praise be to God!
4. Gary loves his friends.
I was telling my wife the other day that when we went through an mind-bending, emotion-twisting, sin-exposing situation last year, I had two friends I knew I could count on to be there for us - one of them was (and is still) Gary. His friends simply cannot count the number of times Gary has helped them out of jams, holes, tough spots, brokenness, stumblings, and grumblings. Not to mention that he's always up for hanging out.
I am thankful for my friend, Gary W. Beecham, Jr. May the sovereign God give us more faith-filled, joyous brothers and sisters like Jesus.
1. Gary loves the living Word of God.
Anyone who knows Gary knows two things: he is relentless silly and he is relentlessly talking about Jesus. This love for Christ is built on Gary's love for the Bible and his study of it. I have seen this firsthand during our long meetings at Bojangle's and many conversations on the phone. This is a man who cannot stop reading the Bible. God Himself has taken him and molded Gary into a reading, studying, Jesus-talking, joy-overflowing vessel of His own glory.
2. Gary loves his wife.
In a day when far too many men either disregard or dishonor their wives, Gary was planning and praying for his wife long before she was his. Often in the last few years, months, weeks, and days, I've heard him talking about how he did this or that because (either implicity or explicity) he knew it would help her. "Husbands, love your wives as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her," means that we give up not only our bodies but our desires, too. Gary is a wonderful example of that.
3. Gary loves his church.
Having the privilege of introducing him to his local church, and her to him, I can say, again, from firsthand experience, that Gary undoubtedly, unquestionably loves his local church. He loves her from the Scriptures and from his heart. He loves her with his hands, his time, and his mind. He loves her with kind words and with funny ones. He loves her with rebukes and with encouragements. And I've seen it all come about in the last five years. Praise be to God!
4. Gary loves his friends.
I was telling my wife the other day that when we went through an mind-bending, emotion-twisting, sin-exposing situation last year, I had two friends I knew I could count on to be there for us - one of them was (and is still) Gary. His friends simply cannot count the number of times Gary has helped them out of jams, holes, tough spots, brokenness, stumblings, and grumblings. Not to mention that he's always up for hanging out.
I am thankful for my friend, Gary W. Beecham, Jr. May the sovereign God give us more faith-filled, joyous brothers and sisters like Jesus.
Labels: church, God, manhood, ministry, thankfulness
posted by B Treece at 1:12 PM
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