She touched our lives!

I had an interesting week this week, and I know many of you have experienced weeks like this too.

Last Thursday we found out that one of our students from here at church died in her sleep while away at college.  As far as we know there is no explanation for her death.  She just died in her sleep.

Emotions have run high in our community as families and friends try to sort though all the emotion and confusion that we have during a time of loss.

This made me think of this young girls life in depth.  I found myself thinking of the time that I knew her.  I knew she was deeply involved in church, but more importantly she had an amazing relationship with Jesus.  She was not afraid to tell others about this.

This amazing young girl let people see her love for Jesus in everything she did.  She was not ready to conform to how others thought she should act.  She was not comfortable just being like everybody else.  She stood out.  Everywhere she went she let her light shine!

I thought back to the time she was growing up in the church, and I can’t help but think about her mom teaching Sunday school. When she got older and moved into Junior High Ministry I can visualize her wanting to make sure everybody had the joy that she had in knowing Jesus.

Her smile could brighten up the gloomiest of days.

I must say that I am very confident of this young ladies place for eternity in heaven, and that brings me to realize again the urgency of the work we do.

I am reminded that we have no guarantees for tomorrow.  I promise you that her preacher and youth minister never dreamed that she was being prepared to leave this earth at such a young age.  Her parents didn’t plan this, and her friends couldn’t even imagine such a tragedy was even possible.

This morning we shared in the celebration of her life.  She will not be quickly or easily forgotten.

I pray that the work we do with our students and our families will help them to come to a relationship with Jesus like this young girl had.

I want to share with you what she tweeted that night before she went to sleep.

“It still amazes me how the God who created this universe is my God who loves me unconditionally!”

Thank you for letting your light shine in our lives Miley!  I know that you are now smiling with God in heaven today.

(Miley Reed – Born: Dec. 2, 1990 Died: March 14, 2013)