12 Weeks later…
Today, Nov 4, marks 12 weeks since my Pops took his final breath on this temporal place called Earth. It marks the day that he met our Lord and Savior face-to-face for the first time. It marks the beginning of His transition from a world overtaken with compromise, disease, and void to a place of perfection and glory. It marks the beginning of Eternity that he’ll be spending with our Heavenly Father.
The moment after my dad took his last breath, my oldest brother (Chad) smiled and said, “Man, I’d give anything to see what he’s seeing right now!” You see, I am not sad for my dad. I am assured of his salvation and the fact that he is spending Eternity in Heaven. He is a child of the Most High God, whom he loved and served with all of his heart. He’s reaping all of the rewards and blessings that the Lord promised for having been a faithful servant. He was certainly not perfect and he had his flaws, as we all do, but he was a servant. He was faithful. He was obedient. His life was a reflection of his love and devotion to the King.
12 weeks later…Where am I? I’m still not sleeping very much/well (pardon the dark circles and addiction to caffeine). I continue to have anxiety/panic attacks and meltdowns (these tend to happen at the most inopportune times). My heart seems to ache more and more with each passing week.
12 weeks later…What is the Lord doing? He is rocking my world. He is showing me every single day how faithful He is and how much He loves me. He has sent some of the most amazing, Godly people into my life who have been through this very same nightmare. Together, they have provided such comfort and healing. The Lord’s mercies and grace are new each day-He provides exactly what I need at the exact moment that I need it. He’s good like that, ya know? He is preparing me for something huge, something beyond anything that I can fathom. What is it? Simma’ down now…the Lord works in His own timing…I’ll let you know when I do. Ha! He’s really challenging me right now to love on others and serve them although my heart is burdened, overwhelmed and frankly, just not wanting to. His love is unconditional and he shows this to me in every facet of life. I’m learning to release ALL of my concerns and burdens to Him (if you truly know me, you know just how significant and difficult this is for me to do), to share with Him the deepest desires and longings of my heart, and to trust Him with every fiber of my being. I’m gaining further insight into the absolute necessity for growing in relationship and fellowship with him daily, even hourly, as my Heavenly Dad-not just someone or something that I call on for help when I’m in over my head or at my wits end. Rather, to crave intimacy with Him and to make the Lord #1 in my life and in a world that all too often seems to crave and pursue anything but Him.
12 weeks later…What does this mean for YOU? We are not promised the next 5 years. We are not promised our next birthday. We are not promised tomorrow. We are not promised next hour. We are not promised our very next breath. What are you pursuing? What do you spend your time, your talent, and your treasure on? What is its eternal value? When my dad passed away, no one talked about the incredible business that he and my mom built with their own sweat and tears or the countless hours and work that went into making it successful. Yet, everyone talked about the integrity and level of excellence in which they performed as well as how they treated and loved on customers, employees, and everyone they came in contact with. No one talked about their beautiful dream log home on the lake where they had hoped to grow old together. Yet, everyone talked about how they used it as a refuge for anyone and everyone in order to serve them and be a blessing to them. My dad isn’t remembered for what car he drove, what career path he chose, or how many hours he put in at the office. He’s remembered for sowing into the Kingdom and for making an impact in the lives of so many individuals.
My charge to you: “…choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve…“ (Joshua 24:15) It’s a choice, but you aren’t promised another chance to make the right one. The Lord has provided every single thing that you need, just accept it. Choose abundant life and blessings. Don’t settle for mediocrity. Don’t give in to compromise. Pursue excellence.
My dad was driven by Eternity. I am driven by Eternity. What is driving you?
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