Ty & Terri’s Incredible Influence
This week as I’ve been grieving the loss of my friends, Ty & Terri Schenzel a couple of things have happened. One is as I followed the news and their memorial page on Facebook, I learned what a huge impact they made in Omaha. They touched literally thousands. More than 3,000 attended their funeral, and an estimated 13,000 watched it via the internet.
I knew they were amazing people, but the impact they made, the influence they had was incredible.
The memorial service was held on Wednesday, August 26th. You can read more about the service and their lives here…
They Shared An Extraordinary Marriage
My wife, Dawn directed me to an article written about Ty and Terri’s marriage. A young woman, Melissa Joy Kong traveled around the United States and interviewed 100 couples that had extraordinary marriages. Ty & Terri were one of the couples she interviewed, and Melissa said they stood out from the other couples, because of the Schenzel’s warmth and the obvious love they demonstrated for one another.
You can find the article here, which includes an audio interview.
Ty & Terri Finished Well
As I reflect on their lives I feel proud of what my friends accomplished. I’m so Glad to have known them. I regret not having more contact with them since we left seminary.
They lived well and they finished well. The apostle Paul exhorted the church to run in such a way that we receive the prize. “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it.” (1 Corinthians 9:24) Then later at the end of his life he tells Timothy, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” (2 Timothy 4:7)
In reflecting on the wonderful legacy that Ty and Terri left, it causes me to consider what kind of legacy am I building? What influence and impact does my life have? Those are good questions to consider.
One of our seminary professors, Dr. William Iverson used to talk to us about outliving and out dying our generation. Ty and Terri accomplished that, may we follow their example and do the same.
Grieving & Reconnecting
As part of my grieving process, last week I started to contact all my old friends from seminary. Friends who knew Ty and Terri and because of that we shared a common bond.
I found the reconnection to be refreshing, and to bring me a level of comfort and healing. One of the classmates I connected with was Dieter Zander. As we chatted I learned about the amazing journey he’s been on over the last several years. I asked him if it would be okay for me to share his story with others, and he said yes, so next week I hope to write about his life and the redeeming work that God is doing.
“Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.” Psalm 116:15
I’m so thankful that we have a loving God who makes sense of this crazy world that we live in. He brings order out of the chaos. He gives us hope when it seems hopeless.
In His Grip, Dave
DiasoLifeOnTheBorder.org
