I have been reading all of the new posts daily at our Motions online community, and some posts have really moved me. But one has stuck out, and remained in my thoughts recently. It's the story of Ryan Mcafee, an 18 yr. old kid from Oklahoma who tragically lost his life in a car accident. Not long before that accident, Ryan had posted the lyrics to "the Motions" on his Facebook page, saying he wanted to live his life with a passion for God that the song talks about. "The Motions” was played at Ryan's funeral, and I was told that so many people were so moved by Ryan's life and love for God, that 15 people made a new commitment to Christ right there at his memorial. Here Is Ryan's story from his older brother, Lance. -mw
Where do I begin? How about our God is an awesome God! Why? Well there are an infinite amount of reasons, but let me tell you a story about one of them. It’s a story about my brother, Ryan Allen McAfee. My brother lived his life based on a couple of well-known statements, Love the Lord with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength (Mark 12:30) and Love your neighbor as yourself (Mark 21:31). You see, there was nobody too low or too high that my brother didn’t love or become friends with. Everyone loved Ryan, I never heard a bad word uttered about him, nor did I ever hear him say anything bad about anyone else. Ryan lived like Christ, and was an awesome example of what a Christian in today’s society should look like. Ryan obeyed the Word of Almighty God, he wasn’t perfect, but he strived to be. Even in his last days, he felt the conviction of wanting to do more for Christ, he told of his dreams and how he wanted to change the entertainment industry by letting Christ use him in the films he wanted to make. My brother never cursed, drank, or smoked – he wanted to live in a way that would be honoring to God, his body was a temple.
On Friday, February 27th he wrote the chorus to the song “The Motions” by Matthew West on his Facebook wall:
I don't want to go through the motions
I don't want to go one more day
Without your all consuming passion inside of me
I don't want to spend my whole life asking
What if I had given everything
Instead of going through the motions
Apparently he was telling his friends to keep him accountable to make sure he was living how he was supposed to live. He always wanted to do more, always pushing to serve. A day and a half later on the morning of Monday, March 2nd – he passed away. He did not get the chance to live his earthly dreams; however he did realize his ultimate dream. He is now with the Lord, he died as a sacrifice, and that is the way he lived his life.
I say that because of what transpired after his passing. At the funeral there were approximately 2,000-2,500 people in attendance, and during it we played Matthew’s song the “The Motions” and the crowd was in awe. Now previously to Ryan’s death I had never heard the song, but when I heard it, I told my mother we had to put it in the funeral; that action was totally God inspired.
Needless to say, God is amazing! At Ryan’s funeral, 15-20 people were saved! Can you imagine? God does indeed work in mysterious ways, it was perfect. If Ryan could have known that even just one person would be touched by the Lord by himself dying, he would have done it in a heartbeat. God has been escalated things ever since then, a news crew has done a story about Ryan, Matthew told his story on KLOVE*, and other amazing things have happened. Little did he know that the world would hear about Christ through his passing. God’s will is certainly being done.
I miss Ryan, but I know he would not want to come back, he is seeing amazing things, and God is still using him here, I'm proud to be called his brother. I look up to him, as I always have; this is just a small story of why God is awesome!
Just remember that God will use you if you are willing; people are watching. When you are gone what will people say? Will they say that you lived a good life or that you gave Christ everything you had? I ask myself this question everyday. Let us show people love, let us give our all to Christ, and let us not go through the Motions!
God Bless,
Lance McAfee
May.16.2009
**Listen to Matthew and Lance's conversation on KLOVE in the myspace player.
Wow. Thank you for sharing Ryan’s story. We certainly do serve an amazing God.
Praise God! What a wonderful legacy Ryan has left, better than most Christians could leave in a lifetime. May God bless you Lance, and your family. May you all be filled with joy over your brother’s memory, and his work and passion while here and here after.
Sheri
I only HOPE to touch lives as much. Remember we are all in this no matter the sacrifice!
This story as well as the song has very much touched my heart. I am a youth leader at a pentecostal church in Mansfield,Louisiana. Since hearing this story did I not only publish got all of my youth to read it but did an youth service sermon centered around the song “Motions” We have begun a summer contest with the youth called “summer of fire” where our young people bring friends/family members with them to church and earn points for each time they come. At the end of the summer whomever has the most points wins a $100 visa gift card. Before begining this contest I printed out and let each one of them sign it that said “FROM THIS DAY FOURTH I WILL NOT JUST GO THROUGH THE MOTIONS, I WILL NOT GO ONE MORE DAY WITHOUT HIS ALL CONSUMEING PASSION INSIDE OF ME BECUASE I DON’T WANT TO SPEND MY WHOLE LIFE ASKING ‘WHAT IF I HAD GIVEN EVERYTHING” INSTEAD OF GOING THROUGH THE MOTIONS” It is posted in big red letters at the very back of our church just as you walk in so everyone see it! My youth group has added 3 more brand new young people in just the past 2 weeks since doing this. Keep you your good work!
Ryan, may you be at peace wherever you may lie.
Wow………. This is just so touching to think that one sng can encourage such a wonderful thing…….. Ryan sounds like he was/is an mazing guy……. From now on I don’t want to go through the motions i don’t want to go one more day without God’s all consuming love………..
This song has touched so many lives………
Mari Anne xoxo
You’re right Ryan was an amazing guy. I wasn’t like best friends with him but just the little bit I knew him I could tell he loved God with everything he had. At least we know he’s in a better place now and was able to lead so many others to Christ.
what an honor God has given me to be blessed to be ryan and lances momma….love you both with all my heart…
RYAN WAS A TRULY AMAZING PERSON. HE DID NOT HAVE TO SAY A WORD BUT YOU KNEW HE WAS A CHRISTIAN JUST BY BEING AROUND HIM. HIS SMILE COULD LIGHT UP ANY PLACE. HE WAS LOVED BY EVERYONE AROUND HIM. HE IS STILL A PRESENCE IN OUR SCHOOL AND WE MISS HIM EVERYDAY, BUT WE KNOW HE IS IN A MUCH BETTER PLACE AND STILL IS AN EXAMPLE FOR ALL OF US. WE KEEP HIM AND HIS FAMILY CLOSE TO US IN PRAYER AND IN OUR THOUGHTS.
MS. PAULETTE
I just love hearing how GOD works through tragedies.The Lord works in mysterious
ways.
This is really an amazing story of God’s work. Our God works in many ways and I can’t even dream of the plans he has for me in my future. Our God is AMAZING. great story of love for our Christ. God Bless
I just heard Ryan’s story as Matthew told it this morning on KLOVE. Matthew’s song had already been an inspiration to me and now to hear about Ryan I’m even more blessed. It’s not just young people who need to hear and heed the message. I’m 68 and beginning to wear down. As we age we get tired more easily, begin to have physical problems and the temptation is there to cut back a bit, ease off, and just go through the motions. But I want to die having given my all, crawl into Heaven exhausted, if necessary, knowing that I have given everything. I just needed the reminder.
I only heard the end of the story this morning on KLOVE and had to go to the website to find the rest of the story. I hadn’t really seen all the lyrics to the song until today – having only heard the music. What an inspiring message and wonderful story! Thank you.
Heard the story on KLOVE this AM. Called my brother in OK. to take his daughter to the Motions Tour concert. Thank you to the McAfee family for sharing all this love and Matthew for sharing in your talents and love for God. I also posted on facebook and want to share in the example for Jesus.
Awesome story of a life well lived. Thank God for servants like Ryan who knew that Jesus Christ is to be our greatest passion in life and now because of his commitment to Christ his life and legacy live on. (Phil. 1:20-21)
This is an amazing God story. He works in so many mysterious ways! Ryan sounded like he led a life like Christ and even if he didn’t know it, he led others to Christ and helped a lot of people be saved, and most likely people will be saved just by listening to his story. he sounds like an amazing person and an example of Christ; how we should be living our lives. Philemon 1:6, Matthew 5:11-12
I had the honor of knowing and spending time with the Mcafee’s. My kids went to school with Ryan and Lance and Linda was their teacher. Linda, you are an amazing mother. Tell Lance he is doing exactly what Ryan would have wanted him to do. May God Bless you all.
Brett and Amber Whinery and JJ Benjamin’s mom,
Michelle
I am truly thankful for the impact that Ryan McAfee had on my life. When there was no one on the bus that would sit with me, Ryan would always bring his cheerful self over n sit with me. On the way to contests and field trips we would talk about what God was doing in our lives. He once asked me if I knew Jesus. Being a Christian, of course I said “Yes.” But then he said do you really really really know Jesus Christ. I felt some conviction that I was not as close to Him as I thought. I was going through the motions, just an everyday “Christian.” Ryan challenged me to be more than that and I am so thankful he did. So will you take the challenge and not go through the motions? Ryan, I miss you so much and can’t wait to see you again at our final destination.
i just can´t stop saying how wonderful is our God. this story and Mathew West song have trully change my life.