17 Life Changing Things Other People Have Told Me

Over the last few months, a 'list of 25 random things' went around in which the author was to write 25 random things about them and send it on to friends. To be honest, I got a bunch of them, read a couple, but just wasn't a fan so never took the time to fill it out.

However, as I've been working on homework today and thinking about things, I decided that I was curious about putting together a list of things other people have told me that have shaped and continue to shape who I am. So, here goes my attempt at 17 key things others have said to me that have shaped my life:

1. 'Keep the main thing the main thing.' - my youth pastor, Rob Shiflet, told me this. I know he didn't coin it, but it'll always make me think of him. It's been a good reminder for me to focus on what's fundamental about our faith, not what's secondary.

2. 'Give thanks in all circumstances.' - an older brother, Doug Holcomb, of a best friend of mine from 9th grade, Philip Holcomb, told me this one night when I was spending the night with his family and he and I had decided it was too good of an African night to not spend the night on the roof. So we did, and Doug shared with me how he had made the most of moving to Kenya his senior year of high school. It's exactly what I needed before heading back to the US and carried me through a really rough few years adjusting to the US.

3. 'Healthy things become unhealthy in the extreme.' - my dad was heavily influenced by his friendship with Neil Anderson, who put forward this idea that most things are healthy until they're taken to the extreme. This idea of moderation has formed the basis of almost all of my thinking from alcohol to school work.

4. 'Don't doubt in the dark what God's shown you in the light' - my dad didn't coin this, but he's been really good to remind me of it throughout my life.

5. 'Your curiosity will carry you far.' - Uncle Wayne Daniel's told me this once when I was standing at his elbow asking all sorts of questions as he soldered something. It's been a huge encouragement to keep asking questions.

6. 'Jesus stopped and listened to her whole story.' A gentleman named Doug, used to be President of Youth For Christ (maybe it was another organisation), but now works with politicians in DC, told me this in reference to Christ stopping and listening to the women who had been bleeding for 12 years. While I'm not sure it's faithful to the text, it's faithful to who Christ was and continues to be my reminder to try and slow down and listen to people.

7. 'Context, context, context.' - I am forever indebted to Dr. Castleman, Dr. Vila, and Dr. Blankenship for 'pounding' this into our heads in Biblical Studies. It has tremendously shaped the way I understand Scripture and the way I study history.

8. 'Geeze Daniel, I didn't bring my sunglasses today.' - My 7th grade history teacher (who I remember very fondly) and my friends who loved to tease me about my white legs. I wore shorts to school one day and remember a couple of them saying this when I came into history class that day. To this day, you won't see me wear shorts very often, maybe they've saved the world in their own little way. :-)

9. 'Please and Thank You should always be a part of our speech' - Uncle Henri Aoun, an amazing missionary from Lebanon who now lives in Paris with an incredible family (I'm fortunate to call his two kids, John and Lily, good friends), told a group of us on a mission trip this once. I'm not good at following it, but it does continue to always come to mind.

10. 'Sometimes Daniel, I think we should wait for God to give us a red light, rather than a green light. Too often we sit around waiting for God to give us the go ahead, when He's saying "Get going and trust me to stop you!"' - Diana, one of the sweetest lady's I've ever known in my life told me this. She, in fact, was one of the high points of my year in California. She'd been a missionary in France for years with Uncle Henri, so she and I would greet each other in the morning in my poor French - which usually ended after 'how are you', because I didn't know any more. This encouragement has been what has spurred me on to try so many of the different things I've had the opportunity to do (including being here in Northern Ireland).

11. 'Take your pictures, print them out in black and white, and put them up in your house. Then when people come over you can tell them about your trips, and you can remember them.' - the janitors and workers at all of my jobs have always been some of my best friends. My year in California was no different. The African-American gentleman (gosh, I wish I wasn't so bad with names!) who came and cleaned our building would always stop and talk to me, since I often worked late. I loved those conversations. Well, he had put pictures up in his house like this, so he encouraged me to do the same. It's been one of the best things I've ever done to remember what incredible opportunities God's given me.

12. 'Now Daniel, his other two friends have both walked out of his life when he told them this.' - In college, a dear friend of mine told me that he struggled with homosexuality. I remember being given the above warning by some of our mutual friends and it broke my heart. Not that I would ever walk away from a friendship because of this, but it broke my heart. Having been teased in high school because people assumed I was homosexual, this just reaffirmed my conviction to be one who would love at all times.

13. 'Oh man, I was hoping you were going to try out for the play. I was hoping to cast you.' - the theater director at my school in Kenya told me this my freshman year, the same year that I chose to go out for the basketball team, rather than theater, because it was more 'macho' (hey, it was the mind if a nerdy 15 year old :-). After that, I ended up being involved in theater and duet acting in both high school and college.

14. 'I've never had someone come and ask me what he could be doing to practice as much as Daniel. So he get's the [a name I haven't remembered since] award for hard working. At the same time, I've never seen someone say 'I'm sorry' so much on the court, so he also gets the Dr. Kavorkian award.' - this was the end of the year 'awards' party for the JV basketball team I was a part of my freshman year of high school. I've never remembered the compliment, but I've always remembered the Dr. Kavorkian award. I haven't played basketball since.

15. 'Pass Daniel the ball!' - Ms. Bressler, this amazing woman who was my driver's ed teacher and PE teacher in Kenya (as well as my volleyball coach), shouted this from the sidelines at a basketball tournament we were at where she had had girls playing field hockey. I had my hopes up that day because the coach had told me I'd get to play, but I hadn't played all day. Ms. Bressler starts shouting this from the other side of the court and I look at her, through eyes that I'm trying to hold back the tears of dissapointment in, and mouth 'what are you doing? I'm on the bench. They can't throw the ball to me.' To which she's says back, 'I know, that's the whole point. I want the coach to put you in.' Well, needless to say I got to play that game. I've never forgotten Ms. Bressler or her cheering me on that day - it continues to be a moment of great encouragement when I'm blue.

16. 'We're going to do some karaoke and we're going to invite someone up. Daniel Ostendorff, come on up.' - by far, this night at FSM (youth group), was one of the most embarrasing moments of my life when Bobby Girard, the worship pastor and a man I very much respect, called me up, and I tried to sing 'I'm going deeper' - but was so nervous that it was to a whole new tune, rythm, everything. After a few lines, Bobby said, 'Alright, freestyle!' because I was so far off! :-) It has continued to be a funny memory for Justin Adams, Josh Connolly, and all my other friends that I still get to see from FSM.

17. 'The future can be either scary or exciting, just depends on how you look at it.' - a JBU friend, Lauren Raikes, told me this a couple of weeks ago. Not only was it what I needed to hear as I was thinking about what God might have planned, but it's continued to be on my mind since then. It really is a great reminder - if I look at life as God is the one in charge, then it's totally exciting! But, if I'm the one trying to lead the charge, it can get very scary, worrying about what's next. I have no doubt this will be one that will stick with me for years.

There are so many more than this. This is what I was able to come up with tonight, but the reality is that anyone who's reading this has had a significant impact on my life, almost exclusively (with rare exceptions in a few people) for the good. Thanks so much!