Remembering Dustin

9/27/2012

Do you have a favorite memory of Dustin? Did he impact your life in a special way? Please feel free to leave a comment below and share your thoughts with everyone else. All comments will be approved by Dustin's family before they are published.

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John C.

10/8/2012 12:09:16 pm

For Dustin
By John Cooney

He was the type of friend I think everybody needs, but not everybody has. Definitely one of a kind. All of his motives and actions were in pure regard to the fact he loved people and loved God. Dustin Chamberlain has forever shaped the way I look at life and view people.
I met Dustin my freshman year at Baylor University. He was just that “wide eyed energetic guy” for a while. But that was before I really got to know him. I soon learned Dustin was a lot more than his bright eyes and high level of energy. Dustin was a man who knew who he was and was not afraid to live like it. He knew how to brighten up the room. When Dustin was around, the entire atmosphere around him was changed.
My sophomore year, I lived in an apartment with Dustin and three other guys. All of them are the best men I know. Dustin would get up at 6 AM every morning to run the Bear Trail (a trail surrounding the entire Baylor Campus). He would then proceed to read his Bible and make his eggs for breakfast. If I remember correctly, Dustin made exactly three eggs every morning. He was a man of habit. We are all creatures of habit, but Dustin made sure his habits were to the best use of his time and glorified God to the best of his ability.
Dustin was very devoted to his school work. With dreams of becoming a doctor one day, he would tirelessly study for his exams and quizzes day in and day out. It was admirable to see him work so hard at something he really wanted. I’m being honest when I say I’ve never seen somebody study so hard and with so much intensity. “Intensity” is a word that really comes to mind when I think about Dustin. He lived an intense life for God, more intense than I think I will ever realize or comprehend. Dustin did not care what people thought of him. He just wanted to know Jesus. He wanted to follow Jesus. He wanted to enjoy Jesus for who He is, not for who people claim Him to be. What I mean by that goes back to Dustin’s purity and upright intentions. He did not care what people thought or said. It is clear to me that Dustin loved Jesus because Jesus is Jesus, not because people told him to love Jesus. This inspires me.
There is honestly not a day that goes by where I don’t think about him. Dustin Chamberlain will forever inspire me and will forever remind me that life on earth is so precious and so limited. Dustin lived a life fully devoted to knowing Jesus and developing the skills he had been given. He lived and died with no regrets. Less like a friend and more like a brother, I cannot wait to see him on the day I arrive at the glorious pearly gates.

Stephen Bell

10/10/2012 04:52:40 am

These are all facebook posts I retrieved from over the past year: Dustin, I was so blessed to have lived on the same hall as you for a whole year. Every time I saw you you brought the biggest smile to my face. EVERY TIME! And you always had such streams of gentleness running through you that brought so many so much peace.
.........
Dustin, you were in my dream too. I was trying to find a verse in the Bible that talks about true LIFE - meaning true life with the Father and how abundant it is and how real it is. I was having trouble finding it and you walked up beside me with the most peaceful countenance and we sat down on a bed together with you looking over my shoulder guiding me to the passage. I woke up sobbing. But now you are with the Author of Life.

I cry every time I read this. Even though they are my own words.
........

I will. I don't believe praying for Danae and your family is the least I can do: I believe it is the most I could do because of the Big God that we have. I wrote you a letter a while back, but I never got a mailing address from any of Dustin's friends or Burt Burleson or anyone so it just sat on my shelf for months. I'll share one story from it.
If I remember correctly, during winter of Dustin's freshman year, he brought back the puppy chow dessert from home and had some in his room. Dustin's area of the hall was always so congested because throngs of people would just stand at his door conversing or watching people play video games. Dustin formed so many friendships by just being himself and always extending his kind friendship to anyone he could. I just remember walking by his room and seeing that huge bag of glorious puppy chow and asking if I could have some. I think it was actually Mark who gave me some because Dustin wasn't in the room haha, but he said Dustin would give me some in a second so don't worry about it. The thing is - I know Dustin would have.
Dustin was a man who had streams of gentleness flowing through him. Whenever I was around him I felt peace. Just his very presence was calming. And if one of Jesus' servants, Dustin, could be that peace for others - just imagine what peace it is to be with the living God. Dustin will always be my example for kindness and gentleness - not a forced kindness, but one of genuine integrity. And he is the one I think of when I think of the latter part of Micah 6:8 in which it says "...walk humbly with your God." For as long as I knew him he did that. Now he just gets to do that face to face with our Glorious King.

Love you Dustin. Remembering how short our life is here and awaiting that Great Day.

In Him,
stephen bell

Eric Tiger

10/12/2012 12:13:21 am

As I think of Dustin, I remember him as a great teammate to Tyler. Dustin played on our traveling team when he was younger. His work ethic always amazed me. In practice and during a game he gave all he had, but never compromising his faith. When I look at the FCA's competitors creed, its seems as though it was written to describe Dustin.
Here is on part of the creed: "My attitude on and off the field is above reproach, my conduct beyond criticism. Whether I am preparing, practicing or playing; I submit to God's authority and those he has put over me. I respect my coaches, officials, teammates and competitors out of respect for the Lord."

Dustin, thank you for the impact you had and continue to have. Always supporting your friends and teammates. Always giving your all. "NWA Wildcats"

Miss you buddy.

Eric Tiger

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