Jason Kessler, 1977-2007

Last Tuesday morning I went for a walk, and while I was walking I got a call from my best friend Dave McAllister. He was calling to tell me that our friend Jason Kessler had been killed in action in Iraq. It was quite a shock. I still feel strange about it. I was good friends with Jason during all four years of college at The Master's College. We went to Israel together, were in numerous classes together, and were RA's at the same time. I have not talked to him, however for about six years. Below are some pictures of Jason.

This is Jason and I with Dave when he graduated. Jason is on the left.

This is Jason, Dave, and I in British Columbia, where the three of us once spend a day during Spring Break of my junior year.

Here is Jason in my room (I must have taken the picture). He's there with (left ot right) my roommate Chris Kropf, and our friends Brian Noel and Greg Spangler.

Here is one of my favorite pictures of Jason and I in Israel. As you may have guessed, the picture is completely staged, but I still think it looked cool.

And here we are when we graduated. Jason is on the far right. From left are Quincy Lima, Chris Kropf, me, and then Greg Spangler.

Things I think of when I think of Kessler.

1. Jason and I always used to wrestle in the hallways of Waldock dorm. We would be walking past each other and then spontaneously drop our books and try to take each other down. I would usually win (okay, so we'll call it a draw).
2. Jason was the most adventurous person on our Israel trip. During that semester he climbed out on more ledges than any of us. He really made the profs nervous.
3. Jason was really gifted academically. The hardest class I took in college was Old Testament Archaeology during the Israel semester. Jason was in the class also. On the midterm he got 100%. The prof (Todd Bolen) actually said afterwards, "I must not have made it hard enough." Believe me, Todd, you did. My grade reflected that truth.
4. Jason was an ultimate frisbee pal. He was a good athlete and we played lots of frisbee together.
5. Jason was a deep thinker. He really didn't like the idea of easy answers. He wanted to live by conviction. Actually, this fact about Jason led him into a lot of questions about the Christian faith. I hesitate to write that because I don't want to be negative, and I don't know where Jason was at. I do know that he really began to struggle with the Christian faith (I never saw it coming while we were in college). I hope that he reconciled with Christ, but it is really hard not knowing. I really pray for Jason's family and close friends, and I myself wrestle with God on it. I know that God is righteous, and I know that his timing must be wise somehow. I guess I don't have anything else to say on that.
6. Jason was my friend. I love him and, even though I haven't talked to him for so long, my hurt is in pain over his death. I am thankful to him for giving his life for his country, for us.