Grieving...

My heart is so very heavy after a phone call which I received today. My cousin's husband died Saturday, very unexpectedly from a heart attack. The funeral will be Wednesday. Now, what is especially grievious to me is that a few years ago my Aunt informed my Mom that her daughter and husband had joined the mormon church. After living here for twenty years you can imagine my shock and horror when I heard that news! I grieved and mourned for days, weeks. I began praying immediately for believers to come across their path, that they would see the errors in the mormon theology. I also called and talked with my sister. There was a time when my sister
was able to stop and visit briefly with them on one of their travels. They hadn't seen each other in years. Of course, that visit was covered heavily in prayer, however, there wasn't any opportunities to speak of spiritual things. I have been to many LDS funerals and they are so cold, lifeless and hopeless. Oh, they talk about what a great person he was, and what fun, etc. They list all the good things that person has accomplished and tell stories about his life. They honor the person. But how different a believing Christian's funeral is! We have assurance of where our loved one is. We know that we will be united again with them in heaven. Not some heaven where one can become a "god and have their own planet with their spirit wives to procreate their own little world." No, we will be united with God Almighty, our Lord and Savior, the God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps His covenants, the Lord who created EVERYTHING, heaven, the earth, the billions of galaxies, mankind, and our tears. My sister and I talked tonight about how to reach out in love. Distance is such a terrible thing during a time like this. However, I will write and share about finding comfort in the arms of God, sharing biblical verses that meant a lot to me when my own father died so unexpectedly 3 years ago. Then I will pray that the Holy Spirit will take what I share and use it to bring her to Him, not the false god of mormonism. Everyday I am reminded more and more how important prayer is and how I fall short. I would call myself a praying woman and others have called me that too. But, when I really examine God's Word, the truth truly shines back at me and I see clearly my need for improvement.

It's like I always believed in sharing my faith with others that they may know the Lord but it didn't really hit home how fragile life was until my brother was killed in 1988. I looked at his body and thought how a short while before, 30 years of age seemed old, and I was 34 at the time. But, when I looked at his body I realized that 30 years wasn't any time at all....it was a mere speck in light of eternity. It was at that exact point that I realized how important it was to find out where people stood for eternity. And, if there was any way that I could be used of God to help bring them into His kingdom, then praise the Lord!!! Now you have to understand that I am a very shy and reserved person. So, when I speak out for the Lord, I know it isn't me but the Holy Spirit that is leading, guiding and directing. Sometimes I am so surprised what comes out of my mouth. But, you know, that brings immense comfort to me because I don't have to worry about what to say, or how to say it. I know that the Lord is in control of all of that. Meanwhile, I turn to my Bible..."He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty" Psalm 91:1.