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God's Family
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The Story of Brenda’s Family
Something began in 1993 when a group of rowdy 7th graders wanted to spend time with their substitute teacher (who they constantly tested) after school hours. It all started with a bet over report cards and the winner (Brenda) getting lunch with two of the boys outside of school. That just opened the door. The kids continued to invite her over at every opportunity they could. Sometimes stealing her keys when she got there.
Knowing this might be a “God thing,” Brenda obediently followed whatever God may be doing. To her utter surprise, they all became Christians in 8th grade. That is a wonderful story but the bottom-line is it was unplanned. Brenda has continued to obediently follow whatever God may be doing with this group which has led to a form of family of young men and young women not repeating family cycles and living new lives in Christ.
There are now seven grown young adults and two grandchildren. Back in 1996 God spoke to Brenda months before her wedding to John that God’s Family would be her family with John if she chose the call. The promise she received was that their children would know Jesus from the very first breath they took and all the way through their lives. Brenda and John are loving this stage of parenthood.
The Wedding Story
From the beginning it was Mrs. Seefeldt and her kids. Then John came along. They met John early in the courtship and they were the first to know when they got engaged. However, after that announcement the boys came to Brenda and said “we like John and all but we are afraid he will be like every other stepfather and take you away from us.”
So the kids became a large part of the wedding. They were the ushers, the music, and hostesses.
After John and Brenda exchanged their marriage vows, Brenda’s parents prayed a prayer over them. Then all the youth came up and prayed over them and gave Brenda away to John. This was the only point that Brenda cried during her wedding. When the new couple was announced, the kids processed out behind Brenda and John before the wedding party.
While the kids are Brenda’s first, it is amazing to watch their bond grow to John, especially as the boys became young men. It was then that John became more than a stepfather but became their father.
Maurice’s Death
On January 10, 2003, we lost Maurice. He was 22 years old. As with all of our kids, they face real struggles everyday. Maurice chose to keep a childhood friend who has always been “hard.” So many times we tried to draw this friend into God’s Family but he didn’t want to give up the “street.” At the time of Maurice’s death, they were room mates. In a street beef over drug sales, a warning shot was fired into their home. Unfortunately, Maurice was sitting on the living room couch playing video games and he was shot in the head by that warning shot.
Maurice’s struggle is over. He’s in heaven. We were a part of Maurice’s initial commitment to Christ and he did grow in his faith. He also still struggled but that is part of the life our kids come from. While visiting his room mate who was serving some jail time, Brenda got to hear firsthand of all the times Maurice witnessed to him and tried to steer him straight.
Two of the three men involved in the shooting were given life sentences. We continued to visit the roommate during his short time in jail. He was pretty shaken up that his lifestyle cost him his childhood best-friend. While reading the Bible together and through many long discussions, he vowed that when he got out he would move out of the area and change his life. He vowed to live his life in Maurice’s honor.
He did move out of the area but that was the extent of his vow. Nearly four years later to the date of Maurice’s death, he shot the other man involved dead in a public setting in front of his 2-year old daughter. That’s the law of the streets according to Young Jeezy and other influencers. It doesn’t seem like such a good law when you are this close to the situation. The roommate is lost to “the system” for the rest of his life but he still has a chance to make good on his promise to live a life in Maurice’s honor.
God’s Grace
Frank Brinson IV died March 9, 2000. He was 18 years old. He was one of “my kids.” He was one of God’s kids too–and left quite a legacy because of it.
I must first begin with how I met Frank. I was subbing at my school and had a much larger than a regular freshmen boy in my PE class. A large, threatening-looking guy complete with cornrolls. But he was fine in class and the next couple of times I had him. He was always smiling–didn’t fit the look.
One day I was doing lunch duty and there was Frank wearing a black t-shirt with 4-inch white letters which said “God’s Grace” across the front. That was it. Nothing clever. No artwork. I squealed out to Frank, “what is that?” To which he gave me his brief testimony. A year ago he was locked up in juvenile detention after being gang associated. His grandmother died and spoke some life words into him. He and his mother decided to move to northern Virginia to get a new start. Which he did with God’s help.
No one knew what Frank left behind in Pittsburgh. They knew him as a good football player (his passion which he put extra effort into), a good student, someone who constantly talked about his bright future (he was always forward-thinking), and someone who always smiled.
When news of his death spread that next morning at the school, a pall hit. Nearly the entire school. The halls were full of weeping and walking wounded. “Not Frank,” were their cries. The football players put on their football jerseys from storage. Football players broke down in sobs. Students used ink to make makeshift tattoos with Frank’s football number (21) on their bodies. And everyone talked about his smile. Even students who didn’t know Frank were visibly upset because he had once smiled at them. It was a dark day.
What started happening next is what is amazing. Only a God-thing. The next day the front page of the local paper had a picture of Frank’s sisters wearing the “God’s Grace” t-shirts he had made for them. Teenagers had their own “God’s Grace” t-shirts made. And in the chain-linked fence in front of Gar-Field High School, two seniors took styrofoam cups and spelled out “God’s Grace RIP 21.” Not “Frank RIP.” Frank has become known as “God’s Grace.” This made the front page of the local paper, again. Gar-Field High School has been marked by “God’s Grace.”
The viewing was the worst I had ever been to. Hundreds of youth congregated in front of the casket. Lots of crying. Some wailed so loud they had to be removed from the room. That set off a chain reaction to the rest of the mourners. Some did not have the strength to stand. Some passed out. Most would come and look, leave the room, go outside and scream and yell, only to come back in again and start the cycle over.
The screams and wails were “Why Frank?” “Why not drug dealers?” “Why not criminals?” “Why Frank? He was so good.” “That’s not Frank (open casket). He’s not smiling.” “I don’t want to leave him.”
Hundreds of teenagers devastated by Frank’s untimely death. Hundreds of teenagers having to face their own mortality. Hundreds of teenagers facing death in such a personal way for the first time. Hundreds of teenagers wearing “God’s Grace” t-shirts.
After the questions and the wailing, we would start to hear and overhear stories about Frank which brought laughter and joy (a breakthrough from the intense mourning). The stories always included his smile. From the stories we would hear, “I’m going to live my life like Frank did.” It was an undercurrent from all the grief, but it was starting.
The family borrowed a church to have the funeral at. It seated 1400. Around 1300 streamed in to the funeral. Lines and lines of teenagers dressed up (a very untypical look for the student body) crossed the street from Gar-Field High School to this church to attend the funeral. More than there were for the viewing.
Everyone was seated for the funeral. You could hear the muffled cries and the occasional wail. Joy had not come in the morning yet for these students.
To start off the funeral, the pastor decided to play the song, “God’s Grace.” A song Frank played over and over again. The wails erupted. Students poured out the church doors to get out of the sanctuary. Some students fainted again. For a long moment, it looked like the mourning would never end.
But then the preaching started. And was it anointed! The challenge was sent out clearly and directly, “If Frank could come down from heaven and talk to you all one last time, he would tell you all to get saved…God’s Grace. What a better legacy to leave behind…You all need to pick up your lives and win like Frank did. You need to carry on and live your life with God’s Grace.”
A very specific and clear altar call was given and before the pastor was even done, James stood up. James was one of Frank’s friends. Others stood up following James. In less than a minute, over 1200 people stood up to commit their lives to Christ. The spirit of death lifted and joy came rushing in.
Now we will see how these commitments are lived out. James is committed to living his life changed. Some will fall along the path and be eaten by the birds. Some will fall among rocky places and spring to life quickly but not have much soil. Some will fall among thorns. And some fell on good soil and will grow and multiply. (Mark 4:3-8). If what fell on good soil grows, that is 300 students of a 2500 population at Gar-Field High School.
Frank’s short life of 18-years, his shorter life as a Christian and his 13-month life as a Gar- Field student influenced 1200–for starters. What is most interesting is how he did it. He didn’t preach. He didn’t hand out tracts. He didn’t start a Bible club. He didn’t use a high-tech audio visual production.
He was a good student. He was polite in class and didn’t push his limits, even if it was a substitute. He worked and got good grades. He played with that little extra on the football field. He smiled at everyone. He talked to everyone. And he wore a simple t-shirt that gave witness to his life.
A definition of grace is being accepted before you are acceptable. Frank received that and never forgot it. Now hopefully 1200 others will never forget about it.
