During my (2nd) Senior year of college at LCU, I had to fulfill an internship for my Family Studies degree. Knowing my calling was to youth ministry,  I was blessed to get to carry that out by interning in the youth ministry at Broadway Church of Christ in Lubbock, Texas. It was a 100 hour internship that turned into 3 years I fell in love with the kids, their parents, the ministers, and the family I discovered at Broadway.

During the summer of 2002 I was hired as a full time intern (the rest of the time was unpaid) and therefore was at the office every day and a part of the overall staff. We would attend some of the all staff meetings. Rodney Plunket was the preacher at the time, and I’ll never forget at one of the first meetings where he was addressing everyone by name and asking them if they had any more business to discuss and when he got to me he went blank. I gave him a hard time later saying that I had been at Broadway for a year and was now on staff, the least he could do was remember my name. Ha.

Rodney is a very fit, very energetic, young at heart type of  guy. He loves going to camp with the youth, and so that summer he came and taught at our camp in New Mexico called Rockcleft.  Rodney and I decided on the first day that we would start at the beginning of the alphabet and come up with some of the most absurd names for each other we could think of, and every time we saw each other we would create a new one until we got to the end of the alphabet.

Well, on Wednesday we came to the letter O.  I came up with the name Oglethorpe for him and he dubbed me Olga.  I wish I could explain how he sounded when he would say, “Ollllga!”, but let your imagination run wild.  These names stuck.  We loved them! This solidified our relationship.

I don’t think we ever finished the alphabet.  These would forever be our names.  I loved it when he would yell out “Olga” down the aisle at church and people would think, “Who the heck is Olga?” and of course I would holler back “Oglethorpe” with a bit of a grumble…again, use your imagination.

I’ve never seen a man with such an extensive library and on top of that-he has actually read almost all of the books in that library! He has let me use some of those books as I worked on my Master’s degree, and helped me wrestle with a paper on women’s roles based on 1 Corinthians 11.  He gave me such great insight, and has always affirmed and encouraged me in my calling and ministry.

He also has a Doctorate degree and is one of the most intelligent people I have ever known…and this is incredibly evident in his preaching…but not in an arrogant manner. He has studied so hard so that the message is more effective.  He gently teaches the message, yet in a very passionate manner.  He’s not afraid of the Gospel or what people think about his beliefs.  He has even been known to get emotional during his sermons! The knowledge he has enhances his lessons where the Biblical message comes across in a beautiful way.  He is very humble,  yet outspoken; and it is obvious he is in love with God and loves people.  He is your friend the instant he smiles at you. Genuine.

I ended up leaving Lubbock in 2004 when I headed to Juneau, Alaska to do another internship. While I was away, Rodney announced he would be leaving Lubbock to preach in Memphis. I already knew…before he or anyone ever told me. I love our connection.

He has been one of my constants here.  When I send out an e-mail update, he is usually the first one to respond saying he has just stopped to pray for me and to send a few words of encouragement.  That is like gold here! He has also set it up so that he Skypes or calls me EVERY week to check in, so he can learn what to pray for and give me words of encouragement. What a gift! He sincerely cares and wants to be involved.

He is a prayer warrior, a wonderful friend, an awesome preacher, and a blessing. He has encouraged, affirmed, challenged, prayed and loved me this whole journey. I am so incredibly thankful for and love my Oglethorpe.  He is a blessing from our Father who placed him in my life at just the right time, and continues to bless me all these years later. I know our friendship will last into eternity.

Olga and Oglethorpe are passing the torch…