Today, I heard some upsetting news about a very good friend's sister who had passed away last night. I knew the sister as we met a couple of times, and I knew that recently she had been struggling with alcohol abuse. I don't know the details of her death, although I fear that it might be overdose related.
This death, unlike death of family members (those are the only ones that I know of), is haunting me very differently as she was my age. She had three beautiful children and a loving family. However, in the past couple of months, she seemed to be lost, unhappy... unsettled. It was like she was searching for something to fill her up, and the only thing that made her feel was alcohol.
All day, I have been thinking about my friend and wondering how she must be feeling. I've written to her, and she has thanked me for her support. I don't want to overcrowd her as I know she has family coming in from out of town today. All of this has reminded me of how thankful I am for my life and the lives that surround me.
Even though some of you that read this are not Christians or even "religious," I hope you don't get offended with what I am about to say next. I have joy in my heart even in times of sadness because I know that my God loves me. He completes me. My delight is in the Lord. I don't have to search for other sources of joy, fulfillment, direction... even though the Lord has blessed me with a loving husband, a wonderful son, and a supportive family. I try not to take anything for granted, and today, I am reminded that life is a gift. I struggle every day to be positive, to find the gospel in everything that I do, and it's only through God's grace that I have been able to find peace in my life. My only hope is that my son and other unsaved family members and friends will one day find this same love for my Lord as I have.
I pray that my life is a living example of how great of an impact the Lord can be in one's life. I've always felt a little shy about sharing, but as I am reminded of today, time is of the essence, and we do not know when we are called out of this world. Don't you want to be sure you know the right message when you leave it? Just some thoughts for today...
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