Christian Book Notes

This is Part 2 of a two-part interview (read part 1) held with Drake and Christina Levasheff.

CBN:  In her journal entry dated July 31, Christina said that she “has been challenged by your faith.” Drake, could you share how you were able to lead your family during this time?

Drake: By the middle of July, we knew that Judson had Krabbe disease and therefore knew that there was nothing that the doctors could do to help him. The only thing that they could do was to provide care to make his slow death more manageable. But as I prayed and searched the Scriptures, I became convicted that the doctors didn’t have the final word—God did. So I pressed in to Him all the more, fasting and entreating him to heal Judson. And I urged our family and friends to as well.

I was and am very moved by God’s power and compassion as demonstrated by Jesus’ ministry. What I prayed, said, and did during that season was an outflow of that…combined with my desperation to care for and keep my son. In this case, standing in desperate, shameless faith and hoping in God for Judson’s healing seemed to provide an example and encouragement to our family.

Christina: Drake didn’t just lead our family during the season of Judson’s suffering, he was actually leading our Christian community, challenging and exhorting many through his own questions and convictions. While experiencing the unimaginable, Drake recklessly abandoned himself to God, risking possible criticism from others, but in turn, freshly inviting people, including me, into deeper faith.

I would describe him as a bulwark during this affliction; as he wholly threw himself into the arms of God through prayer, fasting, worship, and scouring the Word, he not only modeled steadfast trust but his example proved to be an invitation for others to do the same. Drake was leading a spiritual battle for the life of his son, and many were compelled to fight alongside him. Furthermore, I continue to be challenged by his faith—as do others!

CBN: For me, the entry from September 9 was the turning point of the entire ordeal. It was this entry that seemed to open your minds to the hope that the way God was going to release Judson from Krabbe was through death and glorification. Can you explain your thoughts as this became more of a reality for you?

Drake: Even at this point, we were pleading and trusting and hoping for Judson’s healing…we were still at this point unprepared for Jud’s death as a way of deliverance. In a way, this reflected our defiant response to everyone who was telling us that we should just accept that he was going to die and that God doesn’t do those sorts of miracles in our day.

It is ironic that for me, trusting/pursuing God in that way prepared me to accept Jud’s death when He did die. A lot of people were worried about me, worried about us when Judson did die…what would it do to my faith because I trusted and hoped for healing right to the end? For me, trusting God for Jud’s restoration here on earth actually prepared me to accept His decision to bring and heal Judson with Him.

Christina: This entry actually sprung from the multitude of reactions we were receiving from people who were concerned about us stepping out with such faith for such a colossal request; concerned for us, and even more so, concerned that God might look impotent if Judson died. At the time I wrote this, we still believed very strongly that God was going to restore Judson to health, but I felt the need to address the unease we seemed to keep rubbing up against as we risked believing God for such.

I guess this journal entry stemmed from my desire to address all the issues at hand while acknowledging that we did not ultimately know how God intended to glorify Himself through our circumstance, but we were being intentional, not haphazard, as we risked faith.

CBN:  Christina, you wrote in your journal entry on September 16 “Drake listened.” Those two words seemed to be two of the most important words regarding your marriage during this time. Can you share the importance of “Drake listened?”

Christina: You are absolutely correct! Drake’s willingness to listen to me has been essential for our marriage, especially during that season and it continues to be vital in our grief as well. I think we are all desperate to be heard and understood. And as Drake and I were experiencing the reality of Judson’s suffering so differently, it was even more crucial that we give one another the space to feel whatever was stirring inside without asserting our own judgments or trying to curtail the emotion. Having the freedom to voice our fears, frustrations, questions, and anger is critical to surviving hardship, and Drake has done well at offering me this type of freedom.

CBN:  Saturday, October 27, in a journal entry entitled Deep, Lasting Mark, you ask the following question: “What will be the deep, lasting mark left by this pain?” Can you answer this question now?

Drake: The deep lasting mark for me is the understanding that we live between the times. The remnants of the old world are still very much here, with disease, sorrow, and death. It’s a harsh reality that we all have been touched with! But the new world has dawned through the death and resurrection of Messiah, and we have experienced grace and comfort through the presence and the people of God. All of this makes me want to extend the same grace that I have received to those who suffer and to live more fully for the kingdom.

Christina: I feel like there are a thousand ways I could answer this question while there is also still so much yet to be understood. I believe God wants to awaken us in our pain; he wants to alert us to our dire need for him; my pain and anguish have taken my functional-faith and turned it into a desperate, yet life-giving, clinging to Jesus, the only real hope in my suffering.

CBN:  Can you describe how God has used Judson’s life in your life? What about your family and friends?

Drake: As I think of Judson, I’m reminded of what an extravagant, loving Father we have. His ways are beyond me…and have wounded me deeply…but I am grateful that He gave me such a precious, remarkable boy to be my son and has been present with us through the darkest of times.
Our family and friends have said many things. One of the things we heard again and again from friends and acquaintances was that praying for Judson actually brought them in deeper toward the heart of God. As they petitioned Him for Jud’s healing and for our endurance, they found themselves in deeper relationship with him. Another thing we had many people say was that God used Judson to encourage them to trust Him as One who answers prayer…including big ones that only He can answer. (Craig and Kelly Hill’s words in the memorial service [236-37] express one perspective on this.)

Christina: To tell you truth, this question brings me to tears because I cannot even begin to describe the depth of what God has done in my life through our son. The gift of Judson’s life has shaped me, the anguish over his suffering and death has reshaped me, and every subsequent breath is bound to him. Because of Judson I look at the world with new eyes, and I hope and pray they are Eyes that See.

I reviewed Eyes that See yesterday. It is definitely a book worth owning. As I read it, I found myself greatly moved both emotionally and spiritually. I also had some questions for Christina and Drake–Judson’s mom and dad. What follows is part one of an email interview. Part two will run on Thursday. Drake’s answers are in red while Christina’s are in blue (think Lightning McQueen and Sally).

Christian Book Notes (CBN) Could you please share your testimony of how you came to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ as both Lord and Savior?

Drake: I’m blessed to have a very simple testimony. My mom came to Christ when I was about three years old. From then on, she prayed for me and took me to church. I professed faith in Jesus and was baptized when I was eight years old.

Christina: God clearly had his hand on my life through the influence of my parents who modeled a love for Jesus and raised me in the church. And although I can recall various points in my youth where I expressed my need for Jesus, I would venture to say that God was gradually calling me into an abiding faith as the truth of his Word took hold of my heart.

CBN: Could you share a little about your life together as a married couple?

Drake and I met as students at Biola University and were married in January, 1996. Since then, both of us have worked in higher education.

Drake currently works at Vanguard University overseeing enrollment for the graduate programs. He is also finishing up his dissertation to complete his PhD in Early Christian History from UCLA. Drake periodically blogs at STORYofJUDSON.com/drake.

Prior to having children I served as a college administrator and instructor, specializing in student development and learning enrichment iniatives. I now stay home to care for our daughter Jessie, and to write and speak publicly about our journey, specifically sharing Judson’s Legacy. You can follow my (Christina’s) regularly updated blog at STORYofJUDSON.com/christina.

Together we enjoy spending time with our Jessie-Girl, grabbing a cup of coffee, catching a movie, or playing games.

CBN: Your son was diagnosed with Krabbe Disease shortly after the onset of his symptoms.  Could you please explain what Krabbe disease is?

Christina: Krabbe disease is a rare, genetic, incurable, terminal disorder. It is one of several known leukodystrophies: genetic diseases that progressively destroy the white matter of the brain. Krabbe affects approximately 1 out of every 100,000-200,000 people worldwide, but 90% of these cases are early-infantile Krabbe in which symptoms begin between 3-6 months of age. However, Judson had late-onset Krabbe; this rare form of the disease affects 1 in every couple million children. He experienced completely normal development for the first years of his life, then just before age 2 ½ the toxic build-up in his system triggered the onset of symptoms.

Note:  You can read about Judson’s specific case at the website.  Stay tuned Thursday for part 2.  Trust me, you will not want to miss the second half of the interview.

I recently reviewed Holy Subversion written by Trevin Wax. Trevin has been so kind as to allow me to interview him regarding his book.

Christian Book Notes (CBN): Please share with our readers how you came to faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. 

Trevin Wax: I first placed my trust in Christ when I was very young. I remember speaking with my mom and asking her about salvation, and then calling my pastor, excited about the news. For those of us who were saved at young ages, it is often difficult to think of a “before” and “after” with regard to our conversion. So I like to think in terms of trajectory. What would my life look like today had I not trusted in Christ at that time? That’s when I’m overwhelmed by the grace of God, not only that he saved me, but that he saved me so early!

CBN: Please tell us a little about yourself regarding your family, where God has you serving in ministry, and where you can be found on the Internet.

Trevin Wax: I am 28 years old. My wife’s name is Corina. We have two children: Timothy (5) and Julia (1). I serve as Associate Pastor at First Baptist Church in Shelbyville, TN. I’ve been blogging at Kingdom People since October 2006.

CBN:What was the origin of Holy Subversion?

Trevin Wax: From 2000-2005, I did mission work in Romania, where evangelicals are a distinct minority. The evangelical witness was powerful because there were few of them and because they took seriously the call to be different from the world.

Coming back to serve in the Bible belt alerted me to ways in which evangelicals in America look very much like the world around us. So Holy Subversion is an attempt to call the church back to a life of costly discipleship that stands out for the glory of God.

CBN: Subversive is defined as “a systematic attempt to overthrow or undermine a government or political system by persons working secretly from within.” That has some fairly negative connotation to it. Why use that word and what exactly do you mean by it?

Trevin Wax: Subversion is often understood in the political sense mentioned above. Yet to “subvert” something can also mean to “undermine” in a more general sense; in other words, undermining in the sense of “putting something in its place.”I’m using the word “subvert” in the second sense. The only way subversion can be holy is if we are identifying the prevailing idolatries of our culture and then subverting those idolatries by putting them under the feet of the crucified and risen King Jesus.

CBN:Why did you choose the term Caesar to describe practically everything in the world today?

Trevin Wax: In the book, I begin by showing how the early Christians were subversive of the Caesar-worship of their day. They subverted Caesar, not by plotting a revolution, but by living the Christian life that declares there is another king, a greater king – Jesus. By using the witness of the early Christians as the launching pad, I then am able to point out several “Caesars” that are worshiped in our day and age, Caesars that need to be subverted, i.e. “put back in their proper place.” Money, Sex, Power, Self, Leisure, Success, Tolerance – these are the primary Caesars today that are vying for our allegiance.

CBN: Can we look forward to anything else from you in the future?

Trevin Wax: I’m working on a couple of proposals right now, both of which I’m very excited about. For the time being; however, I am glad to be spreading the word about Holy Subversion. I hope Christians and churches will take hold of the message of this book and then dive into a life of serious discipleship.