Simplify

He wouldn't let the newspaper print his story because they were going to make it all about him and he wanted it to be all about God. He might be a little irritated at me for telling you but...I just gotta tell you about this guy. He inspires me

His name is Jeff Holley and I would guess he is forty-ish. He has been a business man for the past twenty years and has done very well for himself. Just a year or two ago, he found himself living on the west side of Bartlesville, Oklahoma. The west side is where the "haves" live. The east side is where the "have-less" live. He and his wife and four kids lived in a $400,000 home. They had a big screen TV and all the good things that go with success. He was a Christian, went to church, was active in the community and coached a young girls' basketball team. Life was good then one of his basketball players, age 10, got Leukemia. She fought hard and went through a period of remission...then it revisited and a bone marrow transplanted was needed.

Jeff and his oldest daughter Kayla went to visit their young friend and brought her a team jersey and a basketball. As they were leaving, the cancer stricken young girl said, "You know, Coach Jeff, I win either way." He looked at quizzically. "If this bone marrow treatment works, I get to stay here with you and Kayla and if it doesn't I get to go and be with Jesus. Either way I win."

Jeff's life took a turn that day. He told God he wanted that kind of child-like faith. Jeff started working with some of the less fortunate kids in the area and would bring them to his home. They would look around and say "Wow! You're rich!" What he had taken for granted was treasure to them! He listened to some of the stories the kids told about their life. He couldn't believe it. Sex abuse, domestic violence, parents in prison, drugs, alcohol...could this be happening in Bartlesville?

Each night after work, Jeff would return to his nice home and have a good meal. Each night he would think about these kids who had nothing to eat and no one to care for them. He was feeling the nudge of the Holy Spirit and finally he told his wife Marci, " I'm selling everything!" She looked at him with a look that said "What took you so long?" and said "Okay."

Together they started Vision Onward which is a non-profit created with the purpose of igniting a passion of unity among the churches in Bartlesville. The idea is to bring them together in action to serve their community. But Jeff didn't just talk the talk. He really did sell everything! He moved his family into a fixer-upper on the east side of town and he bought vans to pick up kids and bring them to church functions. He started after school activities and even put a couple of brothers in the Lord on his payroll to help him in his vision.

Jeff told me "if we really wanted to love our neighbor as our self, we'd see to it that he lives as well as we do." I had never heard it put that way before. I was convicted! Jeff is not a theologian or a philosopher...this man is a disciple of Jesus Christ.

He was making a healthy living and could have stored up a bundle for his family but he decided to invest. No he didn't invest in Wall Street for his family's sake. He invested in the one stock that always multiplies and never loses its value...Love. He did it for Christ's sake and for the sake of his community. If you're looking for a man to look up to or a cause to support, consider Vision Onward .