Sunday, August 24, 2014

Thoughts of my friend Bonnie; and Heaven





This week another member of our church family left us to begin her joyous life in Heaven. 

I take comfort in knowing that when I go to Heaven, she will be one of the many smiling, loving faces waiting to greet me as I enter.

My friend Bonnie was so many things, but one thing that she cherished and shared, and never faltering in sharing, was her love of Jesus. 

He was her Rock and her Savior.

She was spunky and straight forward and never hesitated to remind someone that Jesus had it handled, no matter what it was. She prayed me through some of the most difficult times in my life and when she noticed I was better and feeling more myself, she would remind me that the "thing" was over, and how she always knew things would turn out the way that they did, with a glorious smile on her face the whole time. 

She was good at that, and I will miss her insight and the comfort that smile and her reassurance gave me.

In her pain and her difficulties, and in her adventures in her life, some to crazy for most to believe were true, she was a genuine, solid Christian and always found any opportunity to share HIS good news.

So today as our church family remembered her, the pastor asked, "Does Heaven feel more real to you now, now that Bonnie and R.J. and Ken and other's have left us?"

 And my answer is Yes. 

Yes - Heaven is more real and more of a yearning in my heart than ever before. And to get there is so simple, you just believe and accept Jesus into your heart. 

Asking him into my heart at 15 was the best decision I have ever made in my life, hands down. And now, 34 years later, life is still not perfect, but Jesus and his love is. He took away the sin and the past and the pain being carried by me and replaced it with His peace beyond my earthly understanding. Life become a new life with him, here on earth, and though I still have difficulties, they are never as bad as they could be without Jesus. Without him there is no hope; but having the Hope of the world in my corner, how can I or anyone possibly loose?

And so today as I sat in my seat next to my best friend I felt in my heart what Heaven will be for all of us who believe and I shared it with her, and now with all of you.

To me, it felt that Heaven will be a place where I will be changed in the blink of an eye; the pain and troubles of my life will be gone and myself and everyone else who believes in Jesus will experience the glorified life he promises us in his Word, once and for all.

All of our burden's and worries and sicknesses and diseases, will be gone, instantly. Our minds will be free of a million thoughts and weekly responsibilities and appointments and people and places and "To Do" lists. We won't be plagued with insomnia or arthritis or breathing problems or the anxieties of everyday life. We won't have to remember to feed the cat or take the dog out or make our beds or make sure dinner is ready and that the alarm is set so we get up for work on time tomorrow. Our only responsibility will be to praise the Lord, to embrace him and those waiting for us and our NEW life forever, unburdened. 

I physically felt while I sat there a weightlessness we will have in Heaven, because everything this life on earth gives us will finally be gone. 

It will be a completely new life. There will be nothing to weigh us down, not physically, mentally or otherwise.

We will get to love each other forever ... in complete Freedom. 

We will be free to love Jesus. Free to be near God again. Free to be with our family members and friends. Free to be who we were created to be, to our fullest potential. 

Free in Jesus.

To live in His promise of Heaven is something that I am truly longing for now. And that is so worth sharing. 

There's one more thing I need to say. I know Bonnie is not sad to be with Jesus; And myself and her family and our church family should not be sad either. She is rejoicing to be where she is, she is in the presence of Jesus, I still cannot fathom her joy. 

She was such a special person and being part of her life was a gift from God and I will forever be changed because of her.

She has received the best promotion any Christ loving Christian could ever ask for and that is to finally be at home and in the presence of OUR LORD.

I am looking forward to joining Bonnie and my mom and so many other's there when my time is finally here. Our days are never promised, and the day we wake with is the day we should live in. So if I am gone tomorrow, rest assured where I am. I will be with Bonnie and Jesus, waiting to greet you as you enter.

I hope my readers decided to want to know Jesus too, (if you don't), and join me there when its time. 

I will be looking for you. Until then, may God bless each and everyone of you. 


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