Just Gotta Take Out the "I" Factor


“I’m just an Easter Lilly, Swaying to and Fro, Spreading Joy and Sunshine, Everywhere I go.”

Darrell Washington remembers this little poem he learned for a program from when he was 5 years old. After spending a lifetime of trying to find a lifestyle suited to his own desires, his roller coaster of experiences found him crashed at the bottom of existence.
Not until he stumbled across Impact’s outdoorsman program did Darrell really begin to find something to cling to: Jesus. It was His voice that helped him to, instead, “let go.”
That is what keeps him going. Utter dependence on God. He comes up to Impact all week long to cook and clean in the kitchen. Yes, he’s there to serve, but he claims that he has to be there because he can’t survive on his own. Still haunted by his former life, he wakes up daily thankful for another day, and uses the entire time trying to keep the focus on God, not himself. In fact, he uses that same message to minister to those around him, reminding them to take out the “I” factor and live for God’s purposes. He’s quick to remind you of his constant struggles, but his enthusiasm for prayer and redirecting attention to God speaks powerfully for the way God is working in his heart. Whether it’s a childhood poem or an answered prayer, Darrell gets the message that this life is about glorifying the Father, and he remembers his purpose: “spreading God’s joy and sunshine everywhere he goes.”
That’s what Darrell does for me, at least, every time I see him. I’d thank him, but he’d just say, “No. Thank God!” -Steven Wells