What are heroes?  Are they just people in movies and comics who wear capes and do heroic things?  Real life heroes are people who inspire us.  They are people who motivate us to be more and do more.  Recently I was listening to a podcast about heroes. The speaker asked the listeners to make a list of people that they admire and why they admire them. I took some time to think and pray to consider who my personal heroes are.

I thought of one of my pastors, Michael Thornton. Michael is a revivalist, traveling the country and praying for revival in the land. He is also a gifted speaker…he can preach like no one else! C’mon! But what I most admire about Michael is not his ability to preach or his large platform, but I love his transparency. You see, before Michael became a gifted preacher, he was lost in drug addiction, male prostitution, and prison sentences. He is so honest about his life and even his current struggles, and his authenticity brings many people to Jesus. He is real, and we need real.

I thought of my friend Heather Arnold. I met Heather many years ago when our children were young and we were both homeschooling. Later, we joined the church where Heather was the children’s pastor. At the time, she had three biological children. Through the years, she adopted a daughter from Guatemala, a son from Ethiopia, two sons from Ukraine, and four siblings from the Philippines! What I most admire about Heather is that she follows the leading of the Holy Spirit. When He speaks, she listens and obeys. Her obedience, which comes at a cost (come on, she has 11 children) inspires many people.  Heather is in the back row of this picture, next to her husband, Kenny.   Her family is beyond beautiful.

My husband is certainly on my list of heroes. And I won’t go all mushy on you here, but I will tell you why I admire him: He is wise. He knows so much about so many things. He is always learning: watching videos, reading books, and listening to podcasts. He is a quiet man, but people say that when he speaks, his words are profound. He teaches me about leadership and time management and marketing. He helps me to formulate ideas and plans and strategies. I value his feedback and wisdom more than any other. I could not be me without him.

I admire my friend Andy Lee. She is a fellow writer and speaker and Bible teacher. She is farther along in this journey than me and she has helped me so much. Her humility is what inspires me. She is an author, conference organizer, and a well known woman in our city. Yet she took the time to have coffee with me, a nobody, when I first starting blogging. She has encouraged me and taught me and has been a godly example for me to follow while I endeavor to minister and build a ministry. Her life points to Jesus and makes Him great while she brings no honor to herself. What an example for us all.

Lastly, my mentor, Arlene Casola, is one of my heroes. She is my mother’s age and she meets with me every month for coffee. I’m amazed at her willingness to invest in my life. What makes her my hero is her faith. She and her husband pray for me and my family daily, standing on God’s promises for us. While my faith falters like a flag in the wind, Arlene’s faith stands firm. She is a rock and I lean on her quite often. Her faith and faithfulness to pray for the body of Christ is a bulwark in the storms of life.

Transparency. Obedience. Wisdom. Humility. Faith. I see these virtues in others and I desire to have them for myself. So I endeavor to pattern my life after these heroes. I follow them, as they follow Christ. Isn’t that what Paul instructed?

“Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.”  1 Corinthians 11:11 

I am doing the same – keeping my eye on these Christlike heroes of my faith. And in the end, I hope that I can be just like them. And more like Jesus.

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