Everyone who knows me for more than a day knows I love taking pictures. I love that they capture joyous moments in life that we will never live again. I appreciate that they capture painful moments in history that can serve as reminders of times and days we hope we never experience again.

These past weeks I have been working to compile senior albums for PTM’s graduating class. Each senior is given an album at the Annual Senior Banquet filled with pictures of the times and years spent in programs and activities at PTM. These albums have become a tradition and I have enjoyed being a part of putting them together each year.

I came across this picture of PTM high school senior Jabez Jordan while gathering pics this year. Jabez was the recipient of PTM’s top award given for the PTM Legacy Scholarship fund this year being awarded $3,000 and a new laptop as he heads off to Western Kentucky University this fall. In addition, he was awarded the David L. Smith Legacy scholarship award of $2,000 from Steve Ward & Associates who has been a wonderful PTM business partner. Jabez is smart, driven, works hard, cares about others and has exhibited a wonderful attitude of gratitude for even the smallest of kind gestures shown to him.

But what is striking to me in this picture is the symbolism of his being surrounded by four strong examples of  Godly, caring, fun-to- be- around young men –  “surrounded” in spirit, influence, love  and in physical proximity, which given our current COVID-times, brings to mind how times have changed. We are currently longing to be surrounded in both spirit and physical proximity by those we love, right?

I love the diversity shown here- that Jabez was able to experience love and Jesus through both white and black young men who cared for him.

This picture also serves as a reminder that PTM serves as a catalyst for connecting young people like Jabez who have dreams for their life but need some help with resource connections and some encouragement to make them happen.

I am thankful for these four young men who were influencers in Jabez’s life, for Jabez and his dream pursuit, to PTM for bringing them all together and to whoever took this picture that captured this moment in time that represents something meaningful and good  that happened in this world.