Jeff Wenzel went home to Jesus a year ago tomorrow (April 21, 2007). Jeff was my brother-in-law. I met him when we were both students at Phoenix Seminary in 1994. He had moved to Phoenix from his hometown, Wichita, Kansas, to go to seminary. He soon started attending my church at that time, Open Door Fellowship. I also soon after that introduced him to my sister, Reneene.

They were married in August of 1996. It was the first wedding ceremony I ever performed. They had three children together and eventually moved back to Wichita. In 2003, he was diagnosed with brain cancer, which took his physical life. He was an amazing man.

I just watched the DVD of his funeral service from last year with my wife and kids. While I was there, my family had not been able to go. I wanted them to see it.  At the end of the service, they played a video that he made before he died. In it he encouraged everyone to live their lives in service to our Lord Jesus Christ. That is exactly how he lived his life. The legacy he left behind is massive.  I hope that I can follow his example and give my life away like he did.

Please remember my sister Reneene and her children, Joseph, Benjamin, and Olivia in your prayers. She is blessed with a wonderful church family, River Community Church, in Wichita which cares for them. They are doing the work of “true religion” by ministering to widows and orphans. May God bless them.

You can check out the organization, Youth Horizons, that he co-founded and their tribute to him.

Shane