[4everfsu]

Not sure where to put this, here or chapel. I wanted people to see this and pray for the family. Sad, so young.

http://www.liberty.edu/index.cfm?PID=18495&MID=113039

[JK37]

All too often, the burdens and responsiblities of leadership marginalize the impact of those men and women in such positions. For Josh Allen, in my experience with him as my leader for two years, this was never the case.

Dorm 7 was my home. Not because it was where I lived, but because of the atmosphere Josh helped to create and protect among 50+ guys living and going to college together. Josh had a way of causing one to pause and ponder if that one disagreed with him. He didn't honor rules for the rules' sake; rather, he honored them for their intent and shaped them to positively affect the lives of the men under his purview. He did his job as a leader and mentor, not because it was his job, but because he loved those young men.

He loved me. I knew it then; I know it even more now. As I've lived more life and learned what love is on a deeper level, I am empowered to look back upon the actions of Josh Allen and recognize that one immutable fact - he loved me. Through the football, through the dorm meetings, through the reps (only a few), through the Bible studies, through the laughs, through the few times we disagreed, and even through a few tears - Josh Allen loved me - just the same as he loved every young man blessed enough to be living in his dorm.

And in love, he made that dorm a home for us young men. In my current pursuits as a leader in my own right, wittingly or not, I have pursued the example of Josh Allen. Simply put, I am a better man because of Josh Allen.

Now Heaven is his home. And the world feels just a little bit empty.

[alabama24]

Thanks for sharing JK. What floor was he on? I lived in 7... Many moons earlier. I have heard many good things about him. Prayers for his family and church.

[JK37]

7-1 when I was with him. I think he may have moved to 7-2 after I moved on.

[thepostman]

I was never in 7, but I do remember seeing him around. So sad and with a young child. I can't imagine what his family must be going through and all because some idiot was probably drunk and driving on the wrong side of the road. Prayers going out to his family and friends during this time.

[Cider Jim]

Well said, JK37: thanks for sharing. Praying for the Allen family.

[JK37]

I had a pretty good teacher of the written word in college.

[BJWilliams]

The tragicness of this also underscores the importance of things like life insurance and making sure your family is provided for should something happen to you

[adam42381]

The tragicness of this also underscores the importance of things like life insurance and making sure your family is provided for should something happen to you

[BJWilliams]

Tragedy...tragicness...yeah I made it up but your missing the real point

[SuperJon]

Why would you even bring up life insurance right now?

[JK37]

Because its been repeated over and over on his Facebook page that he didn't have it.

[SuperJon]

That makes more sense now.

[thepostman]

Context is important.

Regardless this should be a place to remember him, not have the normal kind of petty debates.

[4everfsu]

What BJ pointed is spot on, especially for young guys with families. Protect those you love as well as you can financially. It seems to me many in the ministry are not prepared to take care of their families.

[BJWilliams]

I never got to live on The Circle but if I ever did, Josh would have been a guy I would have wanted as my RA. To a lot of students making their first foray away from home, the RA (or whoever is in leadership depending on the university) becomes sort of a secondary father figure. Josh sounds like the kind of guy who, as JK noted, loved his guys and cared for their needs in all three areas: physical, emotional and spiritual and made them better for having been on that hall if they ever either moved to another dorm or moved off campus. I think my best man was on leadership on Dorm 7 at one point so I will see if he was with Josh or not.

Also, I wasn't mentioning life insurance to derail the discussion, but to underscore the importance of making sure that your family is taken care of. you have a lot of guys on here who are right in that age range who are married (myself, SJ, GMTM, postman, I believe FF30 as well come to mind) and its so important to have that sort of support available for your loved ones.

[ATrain]

So sad to hear of another loss of life connected with Liberty.

And BJ is right...life insurance is an important thing to have.