I had this friend...

... and she passed away this past December. I didn't have many connections to her family - I had meant her through work about 10 years ago. She was a really neat lady with a real spunky spirit. I always looked forward to her calls. She would start out asking me a "work" related question, and it always ended at least 20 minutes later with us talking about our kids, spouses and late night T.V. We had developed a friendship through our working relationship and I counted it an honor to call her my friend.

When I read the obituary in the newspaper shortly before Christmas, I remember thinking what a tragedy it was - for her husband she left behind, for her kids, for her grandchildren and for the friends whose lives she'd touched. What was the bigger tragedy was not knowing where my friend was spending eternity. I started thinking about all of the "missed" opportunities I had to tell this friend about Jesus. Did she know how much He loved her? Did she know what kind of sacrifice He made for her? Did she know about the gift of salvation and did she have a relationship with Him?

My prayer today is that I don't miss the opportunties to share Christ with those I love. Because it's a matter of LIFE and DEATH. Because Jesus commands it (Mark 16:15 "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation.")

I love the words to this Casting Crowns song, "Here I Go Again"...

Father, hear my prayer
I need the perfect words
Words that he will hear
And know they're straight from you
I don't know what to say
I only know it hurts To see my only friend slowly fade away

So maybe this time I'll speak the words of life
With your fire in my eyes
But that old familiar fear is tearing at my words
What am I so afraid of? 'Cause here I go again

Talkin' 'bout the rain
And mulling over things that won't live past today
And as I dance around the truth
Time is not his friend
This might be my last chance to tell him that you love him
But here I go again, here I go again

Lord, you love him so, you gave your only son
If he will just believe; he will never die
But how then will he know what he has never heard
Lord he has never seen mirrored in my life

This might be my last chance to tell him that you love him
This might be my last chance to tell him that you love him
You love him, you love him
What am I so afraid
What am I so afraid
What am I so afraid of?
How then will he know
What he has never heard