GERMANTOWN — Brandon Miller could have died that day, that awful Dec. 17, 2005 day when he wrecked a pickup truck with his younger brother in the passenger seat.
Not died as in stopped breathing, but died as in stopped living, buried under six feet of guilt.
Nearly four years after wrecking the truck, and killing his 13-year-old brother, Chad, Brandon Miller, now 21 and a senior accounting major at Miami University, is making the greatest comeback this side of Lance Armstrong.
After falling asleep behind the wheel, and causing an accident that killed his brother, Brandon had two choices: Shut out the rest of the world, or tighten his connection with Christ.
He used his godly GPS.
“The Lord has given him the strength and grace to make it through a hardship,” said the Rev. Duane Harney, pastor at Community Harvest Church in Germantown, which the Millers attend. “His faith gives us all hope.”
Brandon said he was filled with more questions than answers after the accident.
“What are you doing here, God?” he asked. “We just have to trust him, and hopefully all questions work out. God blessed us with strength and peace. I don’t know how people do it without the Lord.”
Added Brandon’s mother, Marsha: “The Lord leads him. There is no other way he could get through this ... one of the hardest things a person could face. But he chose to stay on course, to move forward and hopefully lead the youth.”
Which brings us to the church’s newest addition, the 180 Cafe named in memory of Chad Miller. The 5,000-square-foot youth center was recently dedicated, and guess who the church named as its youth pastor?
Brandon Miller, that’s who.
“For all of this to happen,” Harney said, “it must be a God-thing. How else can you explain it? God had his hands in this, that’s for sure.”
Brandon agreed. “The timing was perfect. It’s hard to explain, really. It wasn’t like I ever thought about being youth pastor, but one day, it hit me.”
Brandon is on a roll. Next month, he’ll marry Brittany Bowermaster, 20. When asked what he thinks will be harder — youth pastor or husband — Brandon paused, then answered: “Man, that’s a hard one. You better ask me that one later.”
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