I begin my hunt for heroes on the first day of the new year. Tomorrow, I'll create new draft of a blog post. It will contain the title, and nothing else. Then over the course of the year, as I'm inspired by the people around me, I'll open up the draft and add their names to a growing list. By the end of the year, I'll have a nice little list of heroes--men and women who have inspired me over the past year. That's how the names on this years list got here. Some, I knew within a week or so of the new year, would be on the list. Others were added right at years end. It's been interesting to look back on those names now, and feel satisfied that, yes, these people really have made a lasting impact on my life.
To take a page from one of my heroes, these people exemplify excellence. They leave me feeling empowered to live my own life better. And through their lives, intentionally or not, they are evangelists for their Creator, sharing His love and care through their lives. They are eight women and three men. Some I work alongside every day. Others I've never met. One hero needed only about fifteen minutes on a workday morning to inspire me. Another's entire life was short, but her impact is eternal. Two of the heroes are back for a second time. You can click on their names to link through to their first nominations. For every one of them, my life is better because they've been in it.
Here they are: My heroes and inspirations for 2024!
Jasmine Best
Jeremy & Brooke Wong
JJ Wong
Tracy Chapman & Bebo Norman
Tanya at McDonalds
Ebisa Roba
Josephine Serwaah
Cindi Moore
Jasmine Best
I'm inspired by her cheerful helpfulness
There are lots of people who get the job done. Fewer that get it done right. And fewer still who do it with joy. Jasmine is among those elite few. If I ever need anything from the Allegheny West Regional Conference (which is my official employer), I know that Jasmine will handle it--whether it's in her job description or not. Jasmine returns phone calls and emails. She gets back to you. She takes care of it. And she's always, genuinely, happy to help. If I didn't know better, I'd say that Chik Fil A brought her in to help the company develop their culture because that spirit of pleasant competence has Jasmine's name all over it! She always says it's her pleasure to help, but that cheerfulness is infectious, and I feel better, not just because my problem is solved but because of who solved it. I want to be more like Jasmine in my own workplace, someone who takes joy in serving others and brings joy into their lives in the process.
Evelyn Goodman
I'm inspired by her focused leadership
She helped us find ourselves. For my principal, Evelyn Goodman, vision and mission are more than buzzwords. They are the engine that drives her school forward. I've never worked with anyone who has so successfully focused the organization she leads. Under her guidance, we know who we are as a school--a school that educates children through and for Christ-centered evangelism, empowerment and excellence. Ask any kid in our school what our mission is--and they'll most likely know. But more important than that, every decision we make as a school is undergirded by these core values. They inform everything we do and that is entirely due to Mrs. Goodman's vision. That she has managed to bring this focus, while also creating an environment where every one feels respected, valued and cared for is an incredible bonus.
Jeremy & Brooke Wong
I'm inspired by their faith
The tsunami wave of tragedy crashed into their family, flattening them with unimaginable grief. But as the wave receded, something remarkable happened. Brooke and Jeremy Wong, though battered and in pain, rose to their feet, their faith still intact. Just over a year ago they lost their precious seven year old daughter to a vicious cancer. Already, stunned by the diagnosis only a few weeks earlier, they were preparing to support their daughter as she did battle with this ugly foe. And then, almost before it began, the battle was over and JJ was gone. I know they wept. I'm sure they raged at God, asked why, struggled with the pressing darkness of grief, and like Job cried that it wasn't fair--that they didn't deserve this. But like Job, somehow their faith though shaken remained unbroken, and they bore witness that "the Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away. Blessed be the name of the Lord." Watching them continue to honor God in their journey of grieving, continually seeking to minister to and bless others, as they always have, I'm inspired that a faith such as theirs can be mine too.
JJ Wong
I'm inspired by her life
If the fullness of one's life is measured by impact, then JJ Wong packed more into her seven years than many ten times her age. There's no question that there is so much this little girl missed out on when her time on this earth was cruelly cut short by cancer. But with the time she had, what a difference she made! I knew her parents much better than I knew her, but when I attended her funeral, I was deeply moved by the joy, faith, and love and that filled her years and touched so many around her. I found myself inspired to live as JJ did and aspiring to leave an impact and legacy the way she has. And even though she's gone her influence is still felt whether through her wise-beyond-her years assessment that "the first death is really not a big deal" to the scholarship established in her name. We mourn what might have been for JJ and look forward to her life continuing in eternity and all that amazing potential being fully realized. But we also rejoice in what was--a life on this planet, truly well-lived.
Tracy Chapman & Bebo Norman
I'm inspired by their perspective & priorities
Some might call it brave. I call it wise. Instead of choosing to chase this ephemeral thing called fame, to allow themselves to become addicted the roar of the crowd, these two talented artists, Tracy Chapman and Bebo Norman chose to focus on other things. At least in my view, these were not artists forced into obscurity as their talents waned or the interest of world wandered. Tracy Chapman who shot to stardom in 1988 on the back of her song "Fast Car" and Bebo Norman, who became a staple in the Christian music world in the 2000s (here's one of my favorite Bebo tunes) were both well-respected and loved in their genres. But both artists seem to have made a deliberate decision to decline the stage because they understood that the bright lights of fame and attention are not what life is all about.
Tracy Chapman first came back across my radar when country singer Luke Combs released a fantastic cover of "Fast Car." Tracy stepped back into the limelight briefly earlier this year to perform the song with Combs at the Grammys. I was just so impressed with the easy grace and humble confidence Chapman carried herself with. As for Bebo Norman, one day I did a "whatever happened to" Google search and was stunned to find he was now working as a physician's assistant, living a quiet and to all appearances satisfying life far from the stage where he'd made his name (this article was written when Norman made the deliberate decision to retire from music and articulates why he chose to step away). So many long to have what they achieved, and among the few who have achieved the same heights even fewer have found the perspective these two have. I may never be as famous as Tracy and Bebo have been, but there's nothing stopping me from ordering my priorities in the way they have. Edit: Now that I've gone back and listened to tunes by both these artists, it comes as no surprise that their music is similar too: real, unadorned, honest.
Tanya at McDonalds
I'm inspired by her excellence
You don't need an audience to produce excellence. The best of the best simply do what they do, and sometimes you get lucky enough to see it. I was so fortunate last May when I rolled into the McDonalds on South Kirkman Road in Orlando, not too far from Universal Studios. With me were close to thirty students and chaperones on their 8th grade class trip and hungry for breakfast before a day at the theme park. Tanya, the general manager was on the clock, and didn't bat an eye when we came crowding in to her restaurant that morning. I watched in awe as she moved with efficiency and speed, tracking all our orders and making sure her crew got it all done right. And she was cheerful and professional to boot. We tend to view jobs in the service industry, like McDonald's, as low-end and undesirable. And many, whether customers or employees, behave accordingly. But Tanya was someone I could point my students to and say: "That's what you want to be in life."
Ebisa Roba
I'm inspired by his gratitude
Most of us only realize our blessings in hindsight. I've thanked a few teachers in my life--but that was typically years after I'd been in their classroom. Ebisa is grateful after every lesson. I'm truly amazed and inspired by this young man who always seemed to recognize and appreciate the effort my colleagues and I put into teaching him. When he was in my 8th grade class, it was commonplace for Ebisa to finish an assignment and sign off on his submission with a "thank you for the lesson" or "Thank you for teaching me. I learned a lot." Those words of gratitude brightened my day so many times. Of course, it's no surprise that Ebisa always earned top grades. The quality and effort he put into his work mirrored his gratitude for receiving it. Ebisa has inspired me to be grateful for every opportunity I have to teach--and to learn.
Josephine Serwaah
I'm inspired by her passion
There are those who enjoy their work and there are those who have a passion for their work. Josephine belongs squarely in the second category. Last year as we were conducting interviews for the first member of of our high school faculty, I was looking for--longing for--someone who would be passionate about the incoming members of our fledging freshman class. I prayed for someone who would invest in making the experience of our 9th graders special, someone who would ensure the students felt cared for and seen. I know what I try to do for my 8th graders: I wanted someone like that. Josephine Serwaah was the answer to those prayers. On top of being an excellent teacher, with high standards and expectations, she is a teacher who passionately cares for her students. Whether it's ordering them all class of 2028 sweatshirts or planning special parties or outings she's always looking for ways to make their experience as the first high school students at Columbus Adventist Academy feel special and meaningful. Now, this year, as we look to hire our next round of staff for our growing school, I'm looking for someone like Josephine!
Cindi Moore
I'm inspired by her generous care
Imagine bringing 9 dogs into your home. Now imagine 8 of those dogs are two-week old puppies. If that sounds like only a superhero could handle that, you'd be right. Lucky for us, we found one such wonder woman in Cindi Moore. When we discovered, to our shock and dismay, that our new dog was pregnant, Rico (the rescue organization that led us to our dogs) put us in touch with Cindi, a seasoned puppy whisperer with lots of experiencing caring for puppies and their mamas until the puppies are old enough to be placed in homes of their own. I don't know what we we have done without Cindi. Even before she took the dogs out to her farm she was so generous with her time and expertise. She drove across town several times to help us out as we were waiting for the pups to be born, she was there on the day of their birth. And since Luna, the mother, and her litter moved out to Cindi's farm she's welcomed us for weekly visits with our dogs. To me she's gone above and beyond anything we could have asked for or expected, and we are so grateful! Everybody loves puppies, but the love Cindi has for our canine friends is extraordinary. (Pictured: Cindi weighing Amora on the day of her birth, October 29, 2024)
