God's Transformation of Lives

Romans 12:2 (NLT)

2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

Conversion and sanctification are the renewing of the mind, a change not of the substance, but of the qualities of the soul. It is the same with making a new heart and a new spirit-new dispositions and inclinations, new sympathies and antipathies; the understanding enlightened, the conscience softened, the thoughts rectified; the will bowed to the will of God, and the affections made spiritual and heavenly: so that the man is not what he was-old things are passed away, all things are become new; he acts from new principles, by new rules, with new designs. [Matthew Henry Commentary]

Based on the book by Nicholas Sparks, the movie A Walk to Remember illustrates how one person's life and death positively impacts an entire community. Jamie Sullivan (played by Mandy Moore) is the high school daughter of a widowed minister in the small town of Beaufort, North Carolina. Though she is ridiculed by the "in crowd" for her conservative appearance and values, Jamie resolves to be her own person. The high school yearbook calls attention to her primary ambition in life: "To witness a miracle."

Jamie is dying of leukemia. When Jamie befriends Landon Carter, one of those who mock her, her father and Landon's friends are concerned. But Jamie pours her life into Landon, helping him study, rallying him to memorize his lines for a school play, and introducing him to the wonder of astronomy. During this period, Landon falls in love with Jamie.

Eventually they marry. After a mere three months, Jamie dies. In honor of Jamie, Landon decides to attend college, where he distinguishes himself as a capable student. After graduation, he returns home to Beaufort. The first person he wants to see is Jamie's father.

As the two sit down, Landon announces he's been accepted into medical school.

Landon reaches into his backpack and pulls out a book of poetry and quotes that had originally belonged to Jamie's mom, but which Jamie had given to Landon when she had been sick.

"I want you to have it," Landon says to Reverend Sullivan, handing him the dog-eared volume.

Landon says, "I'm sorry she never got her miracle."

The minister looks straight at Landon. "She did. It was you." [A Walk to Remember (Warner Brothers, 2002), rated PG, written by Nicholas Sparks and Karen Janszen, directed by Adam Shankman]