At Thanksgiving and Christmas I am always reminded of those missing from the table. I remember the ideas, hopes, and dreams that I once held in my heart that were lost sooner than expected. I love the minds of my children and the questions they have asked as they process the loss of someone dear to us. When my step-brother passed away, they asked me questions like, “Why is he gone? Can he come back? Why did he make choices that weren’t good for him?Jesus could bring him back I think.” We talked about heaven and how we want to know Jesus and believe in him so that we know that heaven is waiting for us. We talk about how we need to make good choices in this life, take care of ourselves, our bodies. We talk about how life is short and we all have a certain amount of time. We talk about sadness and how it is okay to feel sad. We talk about how it is okay to miss people.
Having these conversations isn’t easy, but it helps me remember.
- God is good. Even when the world isn’t.
- Heaven is real. We get a choice.
- Jesus is everything. The only way.
We don’t have any guarantees in this life. The good news is that this life is SO SHORT compared to eternity. I look in the eyes of my children, smile at them and tell them about a Father who loves them more than we can fathom and has a place for us more beautiful than anything this world can show us. I tell them that pain will disappear and one day we will be with Jesus. They laugh and ask me if Jesus likes blowing bubbles, if he has to go potty, and what his favorite book is. I tell them I don’t know, but I have a feeling that blowing bubbles with them would give Jesus great joy.
If you are struggling in a difficult season friend, welcome. We know your heart hurts and we are here to encourage you, providing music and words that can soothe your soul. Thank you for joining us. You are welcome just as you are. We’ll walk together.
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