Justin Sullivan's Journal - A Life Worth Following

He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. Micah 6:8

In life there are people who live exceptionally and set incredible examples for others to follow. I am in the process of writing a spiritual journal dedicated to the memory of a young man named Justin Sullivan who lived an exceptional life and set an incredible example for other people. Justin was an exceptional athlete, an exceptional student and an exceptional competitor. Though these qualities enabled him to stand out, the thing that made Justin’s life worth following was his exceptional walk with Jesus Christ.

The target audience of this journal is athletes. Though others would benefit from this forty day experience, this journal is designed to capture the eye and the heart of the athlete. The contents will lead participants to embrace six habits observed in Justin's life. I believe that the establishment of these habits will guide participants down the road to building a life that is worth following. It will not be easy or convenient. It will require thought, time and discipline resulting in supernatural benefits for those who walk this road.

The journal is laid out over eight weeks with the intention of each participant spending five days a week significantly engaging the Lord. Though individuals could effectively go through this journal, it will be most effective in a group setting either in FCA Huddle groups, Youth community groups, or even Father/Son studies. Each journal comes with a bracelet made from the seam of a baseball to serve as an accountability reminder to follow through with the eight week commitment.

The following is the breakdown of the journal.

o Twelve of the forty days will be spent studying the entire Sermon on the Mount.
o Five of the forty days will be spent walking through an exercise in prayer.
o Five of the forty days will be spent engaging in a meditation and journaling exercise.
o Six of the forty days will be spent in a section entitled “Time with a Giant”. In this section, participants will walk through character lessons lived out by Justin.
o Seven of the forty days will be spent memorizing Ephesians 3:14-21.
o Five of the forty days will be spent in practical assignments leading the participants to put action to their time with the Lord.

You may be asking, do we need another journal targeting athletes? The answer to that question is an absolute YES. The platform that athletes are given in our culture today is simply amazing. The best way to reach athletes is through the example of other athletes. The message of Justin Sullivan’s life was so strong that not even his death could stop it. All of us involved in this project believe that Justin’s story should be told in a way that points people to a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ. The creation of a spiritual journal based on the practices observed in his everyday life is the best way to communicate Justin’s contribution to the Kingdom of God. Unfortunately in our day, many people choose to count the days of their lives rather than making their days count. In eighteen years Justin made his life count. His example will inspire young men and women to use their athletic gifts for eternal trophies, rather than those which collect dust on a mantel.

I just wanted to invite you to pray for us as we walk through the journey of writing this journal. I pray that it will be ready to distribute August 2006.