Guest post by Clayton KingRecently, a simple question asked by a pastor got some people to thinking. Churches across the country began to preach series’ based on the book (that sold millions) based on this one idea. The book went to #1 on the
New York Times bestseller list.
What if you only had one month to live?
How would you treat people? Spend your money? Talk to your children? It is indeed a good question to make us stop and take notice of how we order the steps of our days. But just like most trends in Christianity (or trends in general), it lasted for a season and people largely returned to life as usual, though hopefully with a renewed sense to make some lasting changes and to live more deliberately.
This week at
Crossroads, I had the opportunity to hear about a young man who had EXACTLY one year to live (
note: this post was written July 17, 2008). This was not a book title or a sermon series, but an actual human being who had a finite number of days left on this earth. You might be inspired by how he lived his last year with us.
July 4, 2007. One year ago. Thomas Bayham was a 17-year-old rising senior from Loranger, LA. He was at Crossroads summer camp with his youth group. The very first night of camp, Thomas felt the Holy Spirit drawing him to salvation, so he stood to his feet and publicly confessed his sin and trusted in Christ as his savior and Lord. Three nights later, July 7, Thomas Bayham stood to his feet to surrender his life to ministry. He felt like God had a specific purpose for his life and he wanted to preach the gospel. He was saved and called into the ministry the same week.
July 4, 2008. One year later. Thomas Bayham was an 18-year-old teenager who had spent the last 10 months in and out of the hospital with a rare disease that finally took his life.
He died exactly one year from the day he gave his life to Jesus. And he really did give his life to Jesus, and to ministry, because he did more with his faith in one year than many of us will do in a lifetime.
When he returned to LA from Crossroads, he was on the football team, living life like a teenager, taking a bold stand on is team and at his school for Christ. When he got sick, he told people that he trusted God and God would work things out. He told his team about Christ, he testified to all his friends about his salvation. One night at his youth group at church, he took off his football jersey and laid it in the middle of the floor. He told all the students there that his jersey made him part of a team, and they were a team for Christ that needed to work together to see all their friends saved. He was so radically changed by Jesus that even after losing dozens of pounds and going in and out of consciousness, he shared the gospel with his nurse and led her to faith in Christ before he died, right beside his hospital bed.
Thomas Bayham was buried this past week. And everyone that knew Thomas knew that his last year on earth was different. He lived the gospel, he lived the change. And he is with Christ now while we still get the honor of living the difference here in this world.
One year was all he had. He did not waste a minute of it. May the same be said of me, and of you.
(photo: sashamd)
Comments (13)
That is SO beautifully touching!!! He REALLY got it, :)
Oh, wanted to add this...."He lived the gospel, he lived the change." Those are the KEY words. He didn't simply profess it, he practiced it by living it. I heard a saying once that has always stayed with me. It goes like this."Our lives should reflect what we believe about Him!"
Thanks for sharing! Again, very touching!
Wow...that is a great story. Thanks so much for sharing it, really gets us thinking!
If I only had one year to live I would have thought God finally heard my prayers for death, live life til the fullest and die content, at peace and harmony forevermore, but to my luck I'll be here forever just because I don't want to be!
Wow, thanks for sharing that. One year, one month, one day, I'm not sure how I'd spend it....
"Live Like You Were Dyin'" by Tim McGraw
He said I was in my early 40's,
With a lot of life before me,
And a moment came that stopped me on a dime.
I spent most of the next days, lookin' at the x-rays,
Talkin' 'bout the options and talkin' 'bout sweet time.
Asked him when it sank in, that this might really be the real end.
How's it hit ya, when you get that kind of news.
Man what ya do.
And he says,
[Chorus]
I went sky divin',
I went rocky mountain climbin',
I went 2.7 seconds on a bull name Fumanchu.
And I loved deeper,
And I spoke sweeter,
And I gave forgiveness I've been denying,
And he said someday I hope you get the chance,
To live like you were dyin'.
He said I was finally the husband,
That most the time I wasn't.
And I became a friend a friend would like to have.
And all the sudden goin' fishing,
Wasn't such an imposition.
And I went three times that year I lost my dad.
Well I finally read the good book,
And I took a good long hard look at what I'd do
If I could do it all again.
And then.
[Chorus]
Like tomorrow was a gift and you've got eternity
To think about what you do with it,
What could you do with it, what can
I do with with it, what would I do with it.
[Chorus]
Sky divin',
I went rocky mountain climbin',
I went 2.7 seconds on a bull name Fumanchu.
And I loved deeper,
And I spoke sweeter,
And I watched an eagle as it was flyin'.
And he said someday I hope you get the chance,
To live like you were dyin'.
To live like you were dyin'.
To live like you were dyin'.
To live like you were dyin'.
To live like you were dyin'.
Thought I would share that song pertaining to this topic. I really love that song.
I know exactly what I would do if I was dying, because I am.
My entire focus in life is the Lord and how much He can use me in whatever time He has left for me here.
He has consumed me and I've never felt more love for Him and His creations.
Every little creation is a special gift to us. I enjoy the sun rising and setting, the birds singing, the rain, the dew drops on flower petals, but most of all I enjoy His presence here with me.
Blessings,
Wonderful. Absolutely inspiring. God rest his soul.
i dont get it. what was his sin? how was he saved? sorry.. i'm not just being facetious
I've always said if I was diagnosed with a terminal illness/if I live till I'm old, I'll pack my bags and head for a third world country. Wear out, don't rust out.
What an incredible story!
omg.... that's so touching. he's just... wow...
True Christians will be living each day the best they can, especially in being good examples of faith and compassion. The famous preacher John Wesley was asked if Jesus Christ was to return in 7 days, what would he do differently. He said that he would do just as he did normally, mostly praying and sharing God's wonderful truths. When individuals are told by doctors that they don't have long to live, most respond by planning and doing selfish things, but I have read and heard about wonderful individuals (usually teenagers) using most of their remaining time for unselfish actions of compassion.
Amen.