Heather

This is the post I have been dreading to write. A week ago today I attended the funeral of my dear friend, Heather. She was killed instantly in a car accident on November 30th. Her two little boys miraculously survived unharmed. For that I praise God. Life has been tough since hearing of her accident. I grieve my own loss, yet know that it pales in comparison to the loss her husband, Dustin, and little boys, Charlie and Brennan feel. Their little boys are just 27 months old and 5 months old. Too little to remember their Mommy when they are older. I think that is what breaks my heart the most. I will never understand why this had to happen, but trust that God is in control. I do feel definite peace in knowing that Heather is in heaven right now. I have confidence in this, not because she was a "good" person but because she had a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and lived each day to glorify him. Here are some verses from the bible that testify to the confidence I have.

• "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God--not by works, so that no one can boast." Ephesians 2:8-9
• "Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands." 2 Corinthians 5:1
• "We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God" 2 Corinthians 5:20
• "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives." 1 John 1:9-10
• "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" Romans 6:23
• "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!" 2 Corinthians 5:17

As funerals go, Heather's was one of the neatest ones I have been to. Although she was only 32 years old, she lived a full life without many regrets. It was neat hearing how she used her life to impact those in her community. I have so many great memories with Heather. I feel so blessed to have just seen her a few weeks ago at my 10 year reunion. As I continue to mourn the loss of my dear friend, please pray with me that Heather's death will not be for nothing and that others will come to know Christ personally through her death. Pray also for peace, strength, comfort, and the financial needs of Dustin, Charlie and Brennan as they attempt to get back into their daily lives without Heather and their Mommy.