ONE WORD: LOVE
Those who know Chandler are well aware that he often spoke of Love. Studying all his sayings, songs and journal entries have revealed to me his deep and mature understanding of love. He truly loved his Heavenly Father and transferred that love to those around him. Through this series of posts I would like to share Chandler’s understanding of Love. Below is a speech he gave in 2010 as he was running for office at TeenPact Leadership Schools.
“My slogan is One Word: Love.
I believe that all purpose begins and is carried out in love! Everything good, everything beautiful is rooted in love! All light is rooted in love! All of the other themes and slogans that others are using are(or should be) rooted in this one word: love!
Love is what Christianity is all about! Love is what life is all about!!!!
When I say “Love” I do not mean to be “in love”. For being “in love” is nothing more than a petty, fleeting feeling. Instead, when I say “Love” I mean “to love” with the pure, true, selfless love of Christ! To shine this love on everyone around you! To shine it upon the other Christian brothers and sisters in TeenPact! To shine it upon the world outside of 
TeenPact(this is what it is all about!!!!)!!!!
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.”(Matt.5:8). “…God is love…”(I John.4:7-21). To see God! To see Love!
I believe that if we were to see this pure, true Love, we would naturally shake on the inside with overflowing joy and excitement, desiring to share it with others! Desiring to shine and express that same radiant, living love to all!!
Children of God, Children of Light, and Children of Love, please join me on this journey!!!”
-Jimmy Brazell
Next post: What is Love Part 2: “I Love God Too Much!”
In this post we will look at what Chandler was referring to when he links Matthew 5: 8 with I John 4:7-21. QUESTION: How do YOU link together “the pure in heart shall see God” with “God is love?” Please share your thoughts in the comments section!
Happy Valentines Day!
In His Love,
Chuck Brazell
The pure in heart shall see Love, Grace, personified: Jesus, face to face! Amen!
Jimmy did not love. Jimmy WAS love. Jimmy loved everyone so much that “I” and “Me” disappeared, and “Love” was all that was left.
Right after Jimmy’s funeral, I told my mom, “Jimmy didn’t love people. Jimmy WAS love, and he shared it.”
Sweet Brazell Family — what a fitting subject for this day we celebrate “love” — albeit the Hallmark version in the American culture. Your sweet son will continue to give the card industry a run for their money — because he truly understood what love was and was overflowing with excitement to tell others – praise God!
Chandler has left his fingerprints in so many places and on so many hearts, including our own. Just a few days ago Ellie was sharing ‘about our friend in the waterfall’ with someone…and then she smiled and said “I’m not sad because he is with Jesus!” Oh, out of the mouth of babes! Your sweet babe is now dancing and rejoicing in a way we can only imagine. Yes, come quickly Lord. We continue to keep you in our thoughts and prayers.
Proud to call Chandler our friend,
Linda on behalf of the Seifferth’s
Good question… The pure in hear will see God, and God is love, so…, the pure in hear will see love? So…, in order to truly love and see true love, one has to have a pure heart? What is pure then? selflessness? love one purely or solely for who he/she is, not what he/she has?
Amazing how Chandler had such an insight above and beyond what most people get in a lifetime on the meaning of “Love.” What a privilege to have known him. I miss him so much. He certainly had wisdom beyond his years…we all knew that…but now I know even more how much wisdom he had reading his writings. Thanks Chuck and Rhonda for raising such an incredible son and for sharing him with our family. Also, thank you for sharing the heart of Christ through Chandler’s writings and life. We love you all so dearly!
Sarah asked a question, “What is pure?” Pure is one thing. Totally “one thing.” Like “pure” gold has no other metal in it. It is pure. The one thing that makes us pure is Christ. Let this mind be in you, the mind of Christ. When that “one thing,” that one pure person, lives in you, you will see with eyes of love. God is love. When He rules in your heart, purely, your legs will run, your arms will hold, your heart will proclaim –love. 🙂 Chandler was a good witness to this.
Those who are pure in heart have been purified by the love of God. Only those who have come to know the love of God are pure. We can only love because God first loved us; we see this in Christ and in people like Jimmy. Let us not forget the great cloud of witnesses that have gone before us and keep the faith walking in love. Thanks Jimmy.
1 John 1:7 says, “But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his son, purifies us from all sin.” We are able to truly love others only when we walk in the light of the love of Jesus. We are enabled to live this way only because Jesus himself purified us from sin and gives us power to live obedient lives of love. Although we often fail to walk in the light, by Jesus’ blood we are purified so that even we can see our Lord face-to-face. Thank you for your good testimony of Love, Jimmy. I miss everything about you, especially your smile. 🙂
Jimmy – what a pleasure it was to know you. You attempted to do what we are called to do – walk in a manner that is worthy of our calling. You had a heart for God and a desire to please Him. You had a drive to share the gospel with the unsaved. You had a broken heart over the sin and apathy that abounds. You knew that your life was not about you, but instead that it is about our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. All these attributes demonstrated a man that was not stagnant and content in his condition, but instead it showed a man who was growing in his faith, being sanctified and molded by his Father in heaven. Jimmy, although you seemed to be with us for such a short time, God called you in His perfect timing – This we can also learn from you – to live everyday as if it is our last on this planet. Psalm 39:4-6 says: “Lord, make me to know my end, and what is the measure of my days, That I may know how frail I am. Indeed, the number of my days is small like the size of a hand. And my age is as nothing before You. Certainly every man at his best state is but vapor.” Ps. 90:12 says: “Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom”. I know Jimmy lived with that mindset. He set his mind on eternal things instead of the things of this world. Charles Spurgeon said, “You will not be a very good sea captain if you do not know what port you are sailing for.” We are all sailing for one of two destinations. We have a choice to make – like Jimmy, I choose Christ. What do you choose?
Wow! Love is the most powerful emotion ever felt. Hatred and revenge have nothing on love. That will be proven on the final day when satan makes his last stand. It is the reason we are here. And Jimmy did his very best to make sure that everyone understood that. I can testify that for me at least, he succeeded. I have a far greater appreciation and desire for love ever since I met Jimmy.
Psalm 139:23-34 Search me, Oh God, so that you may know my hear! Try me and know my thoughts. And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!!
Matthew 22:37 – Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ If we do this with our heart, soul, and mind, then we are fully committed to following God’s greatest commandment which will one day allow us to see Him face to face. That will be a blessed day.
Love…love is something that you dont have to think about….its putting others needs before your own..love is blind …love is uncondtional…love is knowing that he is always there through the good and the bad….love is faith…love is God! Im so thankful to have Chandler in my life…what a remarkable young man…thank you for sharing.
Jimmy mentioned the idea of “Image Bearers” of Christ the last night we camped out together. He told me of the responsibility we have as Christians to shine Jesus and in essence “love” to others. Because of Jimmy’s focus on Christ and his desire to have Christ in every action he was able to love others unconditionally. I truly admire this trait about my friend Jimmy Brazell and pray God will give myself and others the grace to accomplish this same character in our lives.
We did he get those shoes and clothes? I know Chuck could have fitted him in newer duds. Chandler was easy to be around and his countenance was incredible. When he was at church the worship was better whether he led or just participated. His fervor for God is unmatched for a 19 yr old. REALLY miss him
1 Corinthians 9:19-23
New International Version (NIV)
Paul’s Use of His Freedom
19 Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. 20 To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. 21 To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law. 22 To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. 23 I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.