John Gunter

Thoughts on Life and Living

Let me tell you about my friend, Tracey. . . and her current journey

by

Let me tell you about my friend Tracey Clarke. I am currently on a plane leaving Washington, D.C. where I was able to spend some time with Tracey and her husband, Craig Clarke.

Tracey Clarke in a DC train.
Reflection of Tracey looking out of a DC train (recently taken by Craig).

Tracey entered my life about 12 years ago when she and Craig began dating in Atlanta. Craig was then a full-time student and a part-time youth minister. Tracey was (and still is) an accomplished artist (http://traceyclarke.com/). She came to the church because of the established arts community there and ended up meeting one of the best men that I know. Craig and Tracey have been together since in a relationship of which I respect, admire, and hope to have one day myself.

Tracey is an artist of the highest order. Tracey is a follower of Christ to a level that has been inspiring and challenging to me personally. Craig often refers to me as her male twin, as he thinks we are united in our world views, personalities, and desires to please Christ with our entire lives. This is one of the finest compliments of which I have ever received.

One year ago this week, July 22, 2011, I was in a bowling alley in Fort Collins, Colorado. I received a call from Craig. It was one of those moments I will never forget.

[Read more…]

Further thoughts on life and depression – Psalm 13

by

Picture by Monica Skinner. . . not about depression.
This picture has nothing to do with the article, I just think it looks cool (taken by Monica Skinner).

This morning when I was reading the Bible, I came upon this chapter. I wanted to quickly share this Psalm with you.   Psalm 13…

1 How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? 2 How long must I take counsel in my soul and have sorrow in my heart all the day? How long shall my enemy be exalted over me? 3 Consider and answer me, O Lord my God; light up my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death, 4 lest my enemy say, “I have prevailed over him,” lest my foes rejoice because I am shaken. 5 But I have trusted in your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in your salvation. 6 I will sing to the Lord, because he has dealt bountifully with me.

In light of my last post on some of my thoughts on the death of Junior Seau (click here to read), this Psalm stuck out to me this morning.  It really is a great look into the matter of struggle and depression.

King David wrote this Psalm.  One of the many aspects of the Bible that I deeply appreciate is the fact that it is painfully honest in its writing.  In this Psalm, David is clearly depressed.  He feels abandoned by God and personally lost.  The Lord is distant and David’s earthly enemies are close.  He is scared for both his earthy life and his eternal soul.  Ever been there? I have.

What I noticed this morning, though, is the abrupt shift in David’s tone towards the end of the Psalm.  [Read more…]

Thoughts on life in the midst of a tragic death

by

Junior_Seau_624700_620x350
(Getty Images/Stephen Dunn)

Take me back 15 years ago.  I think if there was anyone whom I would have switched lives with, it would have been Junior Seau.  He was at the top of his game in football and seemingly, in life.  He played the coolest position in football and he was the best at it.  Junior loved the game and it showed.  He had fun.  Men rallied around him.  He made massive amounts of money for playing a game most of us would gladly play for free.

Junior was still playing as of January 2010.  Just over two years ago.  This week Junior Seau quite unexpectedly committed suicide.  He has been on my mind a good bit these past few days.

Thinking about Junior Seau as of one week ago, he still appeared to have it all.  At 43 years old, he was still young enough to do everything you would want to in life, save play professional football.  He had more than enough money to live comfortably for the remainder of his life.  Junior was a hero in his communities of both San Diego (where he grew up and played) and within the Samoan-Americans.  He had a family that loved him and a stellar name that would follow him for the rest of his life.  A week ago today, you would have thought that Junior was set up well to live a tremendous life for the next 40 years.

It is impossible to ever make sense of a tragedy of this level, so I will not try to here.  However, I do think there are principles that you can draw upon from this horrible event.

First, you never know what is going on inside the minds and hearts of other people.  We all have our secrete lives.  We all have our thoughts that we would be ashamed of if someone else knew [Read more…]

Subscribe to Blog by Email

Follow Me