And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.
Revelation 21:4 (NKJV)
Don't Cry For Me
Don't Shed A Tear
The Time I Shared With You Will Always Be
And When I'm Gone, Please Carry On
Don't Cry For Me
No One Is The Blame,
My Death Was Meant To Be
Don't Carry Guilt Nor Shame
The Reason Why I Came Soon You'll See
Don't Shed A Tear
The Time I Shared With You Will Always Be
And When I'm Gone, Please Carry On
Don't Cry For Me
No One Is The Blame,
My Death Was Meant To Be
Don't Carry Guilt Nor Shame
The Reason Why I Came Soon You'll See
Lyrics by Be Be
Winans,
Performed by Ce
Ce Winans
Next month, a remarkable young women, one I’ve
know all her life, will turn 40. She’s going to be a big girl. Recently I took
the opportunity to tell her that I have been and continue to be incredibly
proud of the woman, wife, and mother she’s become. Despite extraordinary
challenges she has faced, she is wise, worshipful and wonderful. Even as my heart
swells with pride, I think of the sister she lost, and I am sad.
It was 1996, and we’d only just returned from a
Christmas vacation with family when we got the call. Suicide is the 3rd
leading cause of death among youths aged 15-24. The hopelessness that adults
face seems not to overwhelm them as it does teens—adult suicide, while alarming,
is the 11th leading cause of death overall. She chose to let go. I
cannot know what pain caused her to take her life, and I make no judgments
about it. Both God and the songwriter remind us that her death was meant to be…I
try to honor her in giving it all, living like it all matters (it does).
Popular author Melodie Beattie gives great advice in Finding Your Way Home,
Quit hanging on to the handrails . . . Let go.
Surrender. Go for the ride of your life. Do it every day.
Surrender. There it is again. That is my
answer. I cannot know why…but I do know that God will wipe all tears, and all
sorrow will be at its end. So as I look wistfully back, I gaze hopefully
forward. I am proud of you, RRCB-well done. Let’s live like it’s the ride of
our lives, because it is. Let’s live it for those we’ve lost knowing we can
share our stories of the journey with them on that Great Getting Up morning.
So, even through our tears we have hope. There is joy. Our rejoicing through
sorry may be the reason she came, and left. We have our memories of her, we
have love. And that love, abiding and everlasting, straight from the
Father’s heart to ours, is an unforgettable reminder that God is still good.
On Mondays, I pray and play with friends here...