Interview with Jeff O'Leary
about "Footprints in Time

Added October 27, 2006

Joyce: In the Library Reviews welcomes Jeff O'Leary!

Why did you decide to write Footprints in Time? Do you believe most Christians fall short of their God given destinies?

Jeff: I believe many believers don't realize that God has such a destiny available and prepared for them to fulfill. The first challenge is to acquaint followers of Christ with the Heavenly plan that is far greater than making ends meet or just getting by. There are incredible numbers of the faithful that are in Heaven cheering us on to complete our God-given destinies. Can you imagine how different the world would be if even ten percent of us completely fulfilled the destiny God wrote for us when He placed the stars in the heavens?

Joyce: I thoroughly enjoyed reading the short biographies of notable people in your book. How did you choose which famous path makers to include?

Jeff: In Footprints in Time and The Centurion Principles I felt a special leading to present models of faith, courage and faithfulness which many people never have the privilege to observe. Models that inspire us are so very important. Isn't it easier to walk on a path that has already been blazed by someone before us? In many ways, we lack adequate numbers of models living today to help us as we follow Christ on the narrow path. I think we need to be such models for those that come after us. Perhaps the figures in this book will help us live such lives that will inspire others a hundred or even five hundred years from now. Wouldn't that be something?

Joyce: What do you consider to be the greatest obstacle that keeps people from living a life worthy of remembrance?

Jeff: I would say that the greatest obstacle is that people don't understand the brevity of their days. If you knew that your life was but a day long, how different would you live it? In reality, our lives go by in a blink. Blink once and you enter the world. Blink twice and your life is over. Compared to Eternity, our lives go by in a blink. In that short space of time, we have the opportunity to put aside what appears to be important, and fulfill what is eternal. The choice is up to each of us.

Joyce: Your writing style is encouraging and your enthusiasm is contagious. What do you want people to do after they read the last page?

Jeff: Perhaps my greatest hope is that they will be willing to go against the grain of our culture--to take the long view of their circumstances and difficulties and know that nothing is wasted in God's kingdom-especially our failures. Most of all, I pray that each reader will look up into the heavens and seek, find and fulfill the great destiny that God is waiting to reveal to them.

Joyce: Your book reminded me of Hebrews, chapter eleven, which is affectionately known as the Hall of Faith chapter. Did that portion of Scripture provide the inspiration for your book?

Jeff: I love this chapter for a very odd reason. I love it because each of these figures was honored by the Lord in spite of very obvious shortcomings, failures and acts of sin. I believe that God uses broken people to demonstrate that His power is best demonstrated in our weakness. If He could accomplish so much through these lives, why can't He do equally remarkable things through ours?

Joyce: Whose footprints are you following?

Jeff: I am the first in my family to follow the Lord, so I don't have a lot of personal path-makers. Yet, I was blessed to work with a Pastor in Romania in the 80's and 90's who had been tortured under the regime of Ceausescu. He taught me a lot about what God expects of us in Holiness and his intimacy with God and prayer-life were so inspirational. He has gone home to be with the Lord now yet I still miss his wisdom and being able to seek His counsel. However, the figures I used in both Footprints in Time and The Centurion Principles are great mentors for me. I admire the integrity of Sir Thomas More, the resolute faith of Joan of Arc, the day by day faithful obedience until death of Janus Korchak among many others I wrote about.

Joyce: Your life is filled with acts of bravery as well as compassion. Yet, is there anything else you want to do in your service to the Lord? Have you achieved your God given destiny?

Jeff: I believe our destiny is revealed to us by God as we walk in faith and obedience, day by day, decision by decision. I will not know until I stand before Him whether I completely fulfilled His dream for my life Right now, my place in God's harvest fields is among orphans in India. There are millions of orphans and all of them are precious to God. One night, I had shared the Gospel with a group where a couple of thousand received the Lord. I was thrilled and silently asked God, "Lord before I die, let me see a hundred thousand come to know you." The Lord answered me immediately in words that were very surprising and stern. He said, "Jeff, your vision is too small." So I said, "OK. Lord, then give me a million." But He didn't answer. Within the first 3 years, we saw more than a hundred thousand receive the Lord. What concerns me more than most is that I don't have a large enough vision to match God's enormous plans. So, I seek Him daily for more faith than I had yesterday and certainly more wisdom.

Joyce: Thank you, Jeff O'Leary, for answering these questions and for writing such a thoughtful book.

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