Endless Hope

We live in a world where hope is not welcome. Life in and of itself has an end and many people live with a hopeless end to it. They do not have any light at the end, they only have darkness. These past 8 months have been very difficult as many loved ones have passed on to Heaven. On Friday night I found out about another one of my close friends, who passed. He was an amazing Man, Husband and Father and one of the best musicians in the industry. However, for most of us it was his servant heart that most people recognized when they met him. This was a shocker and completely unexpected because he was strong and healthy and he was doing what he loved. When I heard the news, shock took over and then it was the question of WHY?? He is gone, he was not ready to go, he had so much more life to live and so on. Then I realized on my walk this morning I was thinking from a “hopeless end” mindset.

I know and love Jesus and I know that my friend loved him and served him well. He is no longer with us and the pain of that loss will be heavy, but we have a light to turn to. Jesus gives us the peace of knowing that Jim is alive and well, but just not with us. Our mindset needs to be of and Endless HOPE. We must know and trust Jesus and turn our hope to seeing Jim one day again. As I was walking a long the beach and listening to Billy Graham and he is the one that said ” As believers we have an Endless Hope!” I want to hold onto that as I mourn the loss of my dear friend. He is someone I did camps with and we were attached at the hip during all those years. We had so many amazing conversations about life and to know those won’t happen anymore really hurts!! I think this is the time that I need to take a step into his servant heart. I want to keep his passion for learning about Jesus and sharing it with other men, who are living this life here on Earth.

My friends in the last 8 months I have lost 4 people who were very significant during different seasons of my life. It reminds me more and more how important it is to share and live as Christ has called us to do so. I believe I need to make a change in my life and I have felt so for a while. I mostly get lost to the thought of change because I just let everyday living consume me. When I think about my friend, he was always and I mean ALWAYS trying to help someone or see how someone was doing. He was genuine and as the saying goes, We lost a Great one, it is true. However, Heaven gained another beautiful Beloved son. Grief is hard and it is not something we were designed to experience, but because of the fall of Adam, we do.

Remember God’s big picture is filled with ups and downs, but our faith needs to be solid and secure. When we can hold onto Faith that is the size of a mustard seed, we can experience the Endless Hope mindset. We need it as believers because this world is dark and many of our loved ones will pass away because everyone dies! For us, believers, death is not the end it is the Beginning of our eternal life. I will miss my friend Jim dearly as will so many others. My prayers go out to his wife and son and daughter as they deal with this tragic and sudden unexplainable loss. I pray the Jesus will pour his peace and ENDLESS HOPE on their hearts. RIP my dear friend Jim…

One Love, One King, All Christ!

The Heaviness of Loss of Life

This year 2023 has been a terrible, horrible and sad beginning of any year that I could remember over my last 46 years. When we lose someone close to us we feel the grief deep within our soul because there are soul connections between us. When we lose someone that is family, but haven’t talked to in years, we feel the regret of not reaching out and having a relationship with them. I cannot even imagine a parent losing a child and what that pain and heaviness feels like. However, in all of this darkness there is always light for those who trust Jesus as their Lord and Savior. That we will one day see them again!

My heart today is heavy with the unsureness if the person that passed knew Jesus. I found out today one of my former students and wrestlers passed away from and overdose last week, he was a Senior. I do not know if he knew Jesus and I believe shock is still setting in, but I feel a stronger pull towards dread in that he wasn’t a believer. I really do not what else to write because I am looking at myself and wondering did I DO my part when he was in my class and on my wrestling team. I remember talking with him about life and choices but it still hurts because of the haziness of the memories of Did I Share Jesus With HIM!!! Pray today that you share Christ with those that God puts in your path. Do not be ashamed of the Gospel or what people will think . Eternity in Heaven is worth someone thinking you are crazy. There is no reason to not at least give someone the option of getting out of Hell!!

When I think of how young he was and that he probably just turned 18 recently. It is sad to know all the experiences he missed out on because of a quick fix. A numbness to the reality of the world and because there is no consequence to some of the things these young people do from the world and in the end the final consequence is what you get, Death! I pray that Jesus continues to cover this world and intervene in the lives of all and pray that the Holy Spirit in us will be ALIVE and AWAKE to guide us to be warriors for Jesus! STEP BOLDLY INTO YOUR FAITH!! I say this to you as well as for myself!! Selah!

One Love, One King, All Christ!!

The Power of Shame

As I was reading this morning I came across a quote by C.S Lewis that hit me very hard. He said in his book “A Grief Observed” that ” I sometimes think that shame, mere awkward, senseless shame does as much towards preventing good acts and straightforward happiness as any of our vices can do.” This quote for me is right on point when I think of those moments in my life. A lot of times we are reminded of our shame when we want to do better but then the lie that says you can’t fix that comes and how many times have we listened to that. Whenever I am stirred in my heart to follow after Jesus or to step into a place that shows change and discomfort, my shame and pride have won. It is a powerful manipulator, especially when you are loving God from routine and headiness. Our LOVE for Jesus should be that IN LOVE from the heart and soul of us, all the time.

I was listening to a sermon that hits home on this and reminded me if I was to look at my relationship with Jesus here on Earth as one of my friendships there would not be much intimacy shown or even that we hang out a lot and that is scary. I know Jesus but I want to fall back in Love with Him and the only way to do that is to fight through the fear, shame and pain and realizing that the grief I feel for losing my very close friend should trigger why people in my life need to know Jesus. As I have been driving, walking and looking around over this past day, I see each person and realize that all of us will have a last earthly breath but how many of us know that we have a never-ending eternal beautiful breath. I know it but I want to KNOW IT! We have to place ourself into a church community and as I get older I realize the importance of being around people who believe the same things as you do.

A foundation in Christ is set on His Love for us and in that Love we must be obedient to His call on our life. When we do not truly surrender but leave room to fall back into the old self, that battle is lost! Every time we choose our vice over God our flesh wins and we feel that much more away from the God who loves us. I want to have the boldness that my mom had in talking about Jesus to anyone and to share that love. I want to have a heart the size of my friend David’s and share that kindness with people. I pray that the power of shame will diminish and the Power of the Holy Spirit in my life will come down like a roaring flood of fire that is unstoppable. I pray to feel the warmth of His embrace and I pray that I spend my days getting to know Him.

My friends we will all lose people we care about and that knot in your stomach and the pressure in your chest and the heaviness of your head is what comes with grief. We must find comfort in knowing that when we lose a loved one and they go to heaven they are alive and well. We must change how we think and stop thinking that they are gone and change that to they just are not here! My sister and dad live in Trinidad, so I do not talk to them everyday nor do I see them everyday but I know they are alive and well, they just simply are not here!! Now I want to do a better job of being in contact with all those I love but I think you get what I am saying. It will not take away the knots and the pain but in moments you can feel the comfort of knowing you will see them again. Do not give shame the power over your thoughts, feelings and soul rather turn to God and allow his Love, Grace and Mercy to cover you and live from that place.

One Love, One King, All Christ