Ignite

May 4, 2009

My niece, Loren Thornburg, has an e-mail ministry. She shares her personal reflections by email with Loren fans across the country and world. Here's an excerpt from her mailing a couple of weeks ago.

Unlikely Hero

You’re My Hero

You fight when there’s reason to run

You’re brave when there’s reason to fear

You go when there’s reason to stop

…You’re my hero

You believe even though it’s hard

You try even though you might fail

You play even though it hurts

…You’re my hero

You smile because you’re alive

You dance because you can

You dream because there’s hope

…You’re my hero

You live and never stop loving

You reach out and never stop caring

You push for more and never stop inspiring

…You’re my hero

My life is forever changed

The way it was no longer enough

I won’t, I can’t be the same

…You’re my hero

Heroes are those people whose lives call to ours. Their story speaks so loudly to our own we are ignited in such a way that we will never be the same. I have found that some of my greatest heroes are not world famous, they don’t hold a prestigious position or have great wealth. In fact the older I get it seems the people I want to be like when I grow up are getting younger. Because of these heroes how I lived, the way it was, is no longer good enough and so is true because of 11 year old Erin Buenger. Diagnosed at 5 with cancer, battling this disease for 82 months she fought without fear. Not because it was easy, but because she could. She could still smile, love, fight, encourage, believe, hope and live and that’s exactly what she did. When I think about Erin, mediocre is no longer good enough. The circumstances that once defined my life become not smaller because others are going through worse, but they become less powerful. I am reminded of her smile, her energy, her life in the middle of it and that calls to me, it speaks to me, it ignites me to more and now I won’t, I can’t be the same. . .

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Thanks, Loren. You light the fire.