published in light & life magazine
DESCRIPTION
I contributed to this piece.TRANSCRIPT
L IFENOTES
B Y D E N N Y K E I T Z M A N
A S TO L D TO S U E TO R N A I
Life changed for my wife, Dee, and me
when we moved to Adrian, Mich., in the
early 1970s. It started when Willis and
Marilyn Kilbourn came from across the
street to welcome us to the neighborhood.
L IFENOTES
Our daughter, Desteni, and their
daughter, Cheryl, became constant
companions. !"#$%&"#'(#")*+,)"#")(#-./0*+%1&#'(%(#2#/.""/(#"**#&"%2.,)"#3*%#+&4#0+"#'(#5)*&(#"*#%(&6(5"#")(78#9)(.%#5*1&.&"(1"/:#/*;.1,#2""."+<(#21<#25".*1&#.76%(&&(<#7(#")(#7*&"8#9)(:#<.<1="#>+<,(#7(#21<#7:#327./:#3*%#*+%#).66:#/.3(&":/(#*%#2//?1.,)"#62%".(&4#0+"#*33(%(<#)(/6.1,#)21<&#')(1#@((#21<#A#1((<(<#")(78#9)(:#(;(1#"**B#52%(#*3#@(&"(1.#')(1#@((#21<#A#'*%B(<#2"#*+%#&"*%(#<*'1"*'18#C.//.<#D2%./:1#1(;(%#5*1<(71(<#+*%#')*#'(#'(%(#*%#')2"#'(#<.<8#9)(:#&.76/:#/*;(<#+&8!/")*+,)#")(:#2""(1<(<#5)+%5)#
>+&"#20*+"#(;(%:#".7(#")(#<**%&#'(%(#*6(14#")(:#'(%(1="#2"#2//#6%(25):#*%#):6*5%.".52/8#E2<#A#*0&(%;(<#21:#.15*1&.&"(15.(&#.1#")(.%#0(/.(3&#*%#25".*1&4#A#'*+/<#)2;(#'%.""(1#")(7#*338#F1(#").1,#A#/(2%1(<#3%*7#")(7#.&#"*#/.;(#7:#/.3(4#72B.1,#&+%(#7:#25".*1,%((#'.")#')2"#A#&2:#21<#0(/.(;(8!3"(%#'(#/.;(<#.1#")(#1(.,)0*%)**<#
2#')./(4#C.//.<#D2%./:1#.1;."(<#+&#"*#,*#'.")#2#,%*+6#3%*7#")(.%#5)+%5)#"*#@("%*."#"*#)(2%#G.//:#H%2)278#A#)2<#1*#<(&.%(#"*#,*4#0+"#'21"(<#"*#)*1*%#")(7#0:#&2:.1,#:(&8#9)(#"%.6#&((7(<#/.B(#&*7(").1,#*+"#*3#2#7*;.(8#!#"2//4#&B.11:#721#&"**<#2"#")(#3%*1"#*3#21#*/<#&5)**/#0+<#/(<#&.1,.1,#3*%#")(#(1".%(#IJ?7./(#"%.68#9)(#&.1,.1,#"+%1(<#7(#*33K#A#'*+/<#)2;(#6%(3(%%(<#")2"#&*7(#*3#")(#6(*6/(#+&(#")(#".7(#"*#,("#"*#B1*'#7(8F+"#*3#266%(5.2".*1#3*%#2//#")(#
-./0*+%1&#<.<#3*%#+&4#@((#21<#A#2""(1<(<#L2&"(%#M+1<2:#&(%;.5(#2"#")(.%#&72//#
N%((#D(")*<.&"#5)+%5)8#9)(#(O6(%.(15(#%(7.1<(<#7(#*3#,%*'.1,#+6#.1#2#P)%.&".21#)*7(#21<#52+&(<#7(#"*#").1B#)*'#32%#2'2:#3%*7#H*<#A#)2<#'21<(%(<8#@((#21<#A#B(6"#2""(1<.1,#5)+%5)#")(%(4#0+"#*+%#&.13+/#'2:&#$12//:#52+,)"#+6#'.")#+&89)(#6*/.5(#527(#"*#*+%#&"*%(#21<#
2%%(&"(<#0*")#*3#+*%#<(/.;(%:#*3#72%.>+2128#@((#52//(<#D2%./:18#QR/(2&(#52//#@(11:=*7#21<#<2<#21<#)2;(#")(7#5*7(#21<#,("#@(&"(1.#.77(<.2"(/:8#C(#)2;(#"*#,("#)(%#*+"#*3#")(#&"2"(#S#1*'TU#D:#62%(1"&#/.;(<#1(2%#9*/(<*4#F).*4#21<4#
The words “follow the manufacturer’s instructions” popped into my head.
“When the house across the street became vacant, we prayed for God to send us a family we could reach
out to with His love. The Keitzmans were the answer to that prayer.” —Willis and Marilyn Kilbourn (above)
L IFENOTES
3*%"+12"(/:4#'(%(#)*7(#')(1#D2%./:1#52//(<8#A=7#,/2<#")(:#527(#%.,)"#2'2:4#0(52+&(#A#5*+/<1="#0(2%#")(#")*+,)"#*3#@(&"(1.#.1#&"2"(#5+&"*<:8#D:#02./#'2&#<(1.(<4#0+"#@((=&#'2&#,%21"(<#0(52+&(#*3#*+%#<2+,)"(%8#A#'2&#%(/(2&(<#")(#1(O"#<2:4#21<#2#"%.2/#<2"(#'2&#&("8!#'((B#23"(%#*+%#2%%(&"&4#A#%*<(#
7:#0.B(#.1"*#")(#5*+1"%:#'.")#*1/:#2#&21<'.5)#21<#2#G.0/(#.1#7:#025B625B8#F1#2#62"5)#*3#,%2&&#+1<(%#21#*2B#"%((#.1#2#32%7(%=&#$(/<4#A#&6(1"#")(#<2:#5%:.1,#*+"#"*#H*<8#A#<.<1="#/.B(#7:#/.3(#21:7*%(4#0+"#)2<#1*#5/+(#')2"#
"*#<*#1(O"8#9)(#'*%<&#Q3*//*'#")(#721+325"+%(%=&#.1&"%+5".*1&U#6*66(<#.1"*#7:#)(2<4#21<#A#'*1<(%(<#'):#")*&(#62%".5+/2%#'*%<&8#9)(14#&.15(#A#<.<1="#B1*'#')(%(#"*#&"2%"4#A#*6(1(<#7:#G.0/(#"*#")(#5(1"(%8#9)(#$%&"#").1,#A#%(2<#'2&4#QM)*'#7(#:*+%#'2:&4#F#V*%<4#"(25)#7(#:*+%#62")&K#,+.<(#7(#.1#:*+%#"%+")#21<#"(25)#7(4#3*%#:*+#2%(#H*<#7:#M2;.*%U#WR&2/7#XYZ[?Y\8#Yes, Lord, this is what I want4#A#6%2:(<8#I want to live for You. A#'2&1="#&+%(#)*'#@((#'*+/<#255(6"#
')2"#A#)2<#"*#&2:4#0+"#A#"*/<#)(%#20*+"#7:#<2:4#20*+"#5%:.1,#*+"#"*#H*<#21<#20*+"#")(#M5%.6"+%(#;(%&(8#QA#)2;(#<(5.<(<#"*#/.;(#3*%#P)%.&"4U#A#&2.<8#9(2%&#&"%(27(<#<*'1#)(%#325(8#Q9)2"=&#')2"#A#'21"#"**4U#&)(#5%.(<8#C(#B1(/"#"*,(")(%#.1#*+%#/.;.1,#%**74#5*13(&&(<#*+%#&.1<#2&B(<#H*<#"*#"2B(#*;(%#*+%#/.;(<#72%%.2,(8@((#21<#A#72%;(/(<#)*'#*+%#5)+%5)#
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5)+%5)#527(#"*#7:#"%.2/4#"(&".$(<#*1#7:#0()2/3#21<#6%2:(<#3*%#7(8#A#'.//#2/'2:&#%(7(70(%#")(#/.""/(#*/<#/2<.(&#'.")#")(.%#)2.%#.1#0+1&#&."".1,#.1#")(#025B#*3#")(#5*+%"%**74#6%2:.1,#3*%#7(8#A#&(%;(<#]J#<2:&#.1#>2./#3*%#2#3*+%?
:(2%?"(%7#3(/*1:8#D:#/*;(#3*%#H*<#,%('#
The words “follow the manufacturer’s instructions” popped into my head.
“When the house across the street became vacant, we prayed for God to send us a family we could reach
out to with His love. The Keitzmans were the answer to that prayer.” —Willis and Marilyn Kilbourn (above)
0(:*1<#7:#'./<(&"#.72,.12".*18#A#B1('#H*<#)2<#7(#")(%(#3*%#2#%(2&*14#&*#A#0(,21#G.0/(#&"+<.(&#.1#")(#>2./=*77*1#2%(28#M)*%"/:#23"(%#7:#%(/(2&(4#H*<#+&(<#7:#'."1(&&Z#D:#6%*02".*1#*3$5(%#255(6"(<#P)%.&"#21<#&"2%"(<#5*7.1,#"*#*+%#5)+%5)8D:#$%&"#>*0#23"(%#5*76/(".1,#
7:#>2./#"(%7#'2#>21."*%#.1#")(#5*+1":=&#&6(5.2/#(<#&5)**/8#A#2/&*#'*%B(<#'.")#2#/*52/#%2<.*#&"2".*14#&"2%".1,#2#M+1<2:#(;(1.1,#6%*,%27#*3#P)%.&".21#7+&.58#V2"(%#A#"%2;(/(<#'.")#<5#92/B#3*%#^]#:(2%&4#2&#")(.%#%*2<#7212,(%K#&.15(#^_`Y4#A=;(#&(%;(<#2&#")(#&"2,(#7212,(%#3*%#A5)")+&4#2#&6%.1,#
3(&".;2/#2"#!&0+%:#a1.;(%&.":8#9*<2:#A#*'1#M"%2.,)"#H2"(#R%*<+5".*1&4#').5)#6%*;.<(&#,%*+1<'*%B#3*%#,*&6(/#3(&".;2/<#5*15(%"(%3*%7(<#2%*+1<#")(#'*%/<4#21<#A#27#")(#"*+%#7212,(%#3*%#P2&".1,#P%*'1&8A#<*1="#").1B#A#'*+/<#0(#/.;.1,#3*%
P)%.&"#"*<2:#'.")*+"#")(#)(/6#21<#6%2:(%&#*3#C.//.<#D2%./:1#-./0*+%18#9)(:#'(%(1="#6%(25):#*%#):6*5%.".52/8#9)(:#&.76/:#/*;(<#7(8#
If yo
u’d lik
e som
eone
to ta
lk to,
I’m
avail
able
...
Name
: ___
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Telep
hone
/cell p
hone
: ___
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i s brought to you by
L IFENOTES
!""#$%&'()*&+#,*-)./-01#.&+#).2+0#3&-4#)5+#6+7#80)+&0./-0."#9+&1'-0#*0"+11#-)5+&7'1+#'0:'%.)+:; SEPT/OCT 2010
Perhaps someone you know has been kind and caring
toward you, so much so that you wonder what’s up.
Perhaps you’ve also been invited to a special event or
a church service, or to join a mom’s group or a church
baseball team. Don’t let preconceived notions about pushy
religious people color your response this time. Think about
the hand of friendship that’s been extended, and reach
out with one of your own. This could be the beginning of
something very special. So go for it.
Dear Lord,Thanks for caring about me and sending [say your Christian
acquaintance’s name] into my life. I know [person’s name] isn’t judging me or avoiding me, and that’s pretty amazing. It feels nice. Help me return the kindness I’ve been shown. Should I say yes to this latest invitation? Maybe if I do, I can finally discover what’s been missing in my life, that elusive peace I’m always seeking. If You are there, God, and You really do care about me, please show me exactly what I need to do.
“Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world
gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let
it be afraid.” — John 14:27 (New King James Version)
As the Kilbourns did for him, Keitzman
is building relationships and loving
people like Christ would. As he says,
“I want my life to have value.”
You can also see this
<'3+6-)+#'0#=':+-# format at ReelFM.tv.
Spring Arbor University graduate Amber
>""17-&)5#%-0)&'?*)+:#)-#)5'1#<'3+6-)+;