Abraham Lincoln once said, “And in the end it’s not the years in your life that count. It’s the life in your years.”
And Bruce Gilley made the most of his life in his short 14 years.
Bruce was a young man full of love and faith with wisdom beyond his age. Bruce had an immense passion for his God, his church, his friends, his family, rock music, running, writing, and playing guitar. He did all things in life with a sense of humor and enduring compassion. Bruce’s life is not about how it came to an abrupt end, but it is about how it was lived and lived well.
As in 2 Timothy 4:7: “He fought the good fight, He finished the race, and He kept the faith.”
The thing people remember most about Bruce was… the way he loved.
“Love, wow it’s awesome. It is the one thing that never seems to fail… Love is the purist thing you can ever feel… It is what made the Savior of us all die in the most inhumane and humiliating way possible. Love, like I said, it’s just awesome.” – Bruce (February 2004)
How did Bruce have the heart that he did? When Bruce was ten years old, he gave his heart and life to Jesus Christ. Over the next four years, this commitment would radically change his life and the lives of those who knew him. By August 20, 2004, it was hard to know Bruce and not know what he was most passionate about- his personal walk with Jesus Christ. One of Bruce’s favorite phrases was – “He died for me, I’ll live for Him.”
On August 20, 2004 an undetected heart deformity would cause Bruce to have a fatal heart attack after cross-country practice. More than 4,000 people would attend his memorial services.
While Bruce Gilley would live for only 14 years, the impact he made on earth will last for eternity.
To request additional copies of Bruce’s journal for your friends, church or youth group, contact Gary or Melissa Gilley at (615) 477-4371 or fill out our CONTACT FORM.
LEARN MORE ABOUT BRUCE & THE FOUNDATION IN THE VIDEO BELOW:
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