A Walk To Remember

I am note sure how many of you had the opportunity to see “A Walk To Remember” this summer, but it is based on the book written by Nicholas Sparks, the same author of “Message In A Bottle” … anyway … if you are a hopeless romantic, like me, then this movie is for you …

So let’s kind of review the movie and if you haven’t seen it … this will be your ‘sneak peak’ …

Each Spring in the little port town of Beaufort, North Carolina, when the wind smells of pine and salt and the sea, Landon Carter remembers his senior year at Beaufort High and Jamie Sullivan (Mandy Moore), the girl who changed his life.

Jamie was the last person Landon was likely to fall for. Serious and conservative, she was as far from cool as she could possibly be, and didn’t care. The daughter of the town’s Baptist minister, Jamie was not afraid of letting people know that her faith was the most important part of her life, even if it cost her some friends.

Landon hung with the in-crowd -- an aimless, moody, reckless guy who breezed through school on looks and bravado. He had no plans, no future and no faith in himself or anyone else.

One night a prank that he and his buddies set up goes terribly wrong and lands a kid in the hospital. As punishment, Landon must tutor a young student at a poor school and participate in the Drama Club’s Spring play;¬ two activities the principal hopes will teach him some humility. They also happen to throw him into close contact with Jamie.

Clearly in over his head, Landon is forced to ask her for help. Soon, against his own expectations, Landon finds himself falling in love with this outwardly plain girl who possesses a passion for life he never imagined possible. But it isn’t easy. For reasons of her own, Jamie does everything she can to run away from romance until it becomes impossible to deny.

Being together will test everything that they believe in. Most of all, it will test the power of love and faith to transform a life into something worth living.

There are a number of scenes that have stuck in my head … the first is when Jamie and Landon are on the bus headed to poor school to help tutor some of the kids … Jamie gets up from her seat and sits with Landon … with a Bible in her lap, Landon asks, “So, what’s your deal? You don’t care what anyone thinks about you? Jamie quickly replies, with a sweet smile on her face, “No.”

Man, I pray that we get some young people in this group this year that will be just like Jamie … not caring what anyone else thinks about us or our faith in Jesus Christ … c’mon now!!!

But many of us are more like Landon Carter … wanting a “secret friendship” … not wanting anyone to know who we are or what we believe in … until one day … faith comes alive in our hearts!

The second scene that sticks out in my mind is when Landon tells Jamie that he loves her and she says, “Prove it” and then walks away.

Friend, I think that some of us need to “prove” that we belong to Jesus … that we love Him … we say we love Jesus here on Wednesday Nights … and I am telling you to PROVE IT when you are in school and at home!

And the other scene that touched me … is when she told Landon that she had Leukemia … and it was at that moment that this young girl changed her school … and restored Landon’s relationship with his father … believe it or not … Mary and I cried numerous times throughout this movie …

Jamie did not belong … she was misunderstood, but she would change Landon Carter forever!

Young person, my prayer tonight is that each of you would have A WALK with God TO REMEMBER … A WALK with God that changes those around you!!!

I want everyone in this youth ministry to live A WALK TO REMEMBER … and a WALK TO BE REMEMBERED!!

As you read through the life of King David, he had A WALK with God TO REMEMBER!!!

A WALK that he desired to give to his son, Solomon!

What was his advice to Solomon? “… my son, get to know God … worship and serve him with your whole heart and a willing mind … take this seriously … be strong and do the work.” (1 Chronicles 28:9-10)

David wanted his son to also have A WALK TO REMEMBER!!!

I want you to have A WALK that is so close to God that it will be REMEMBERED!!!