Life is a vapor
I was going to post the final installment of our Film Festival trip recap tonight. However, my heart is too full to post what I'd planned to tonight.
I just checked my email and found out that one of the young men we'd met and sat with at our late-night dinner at the end of the Film Festival last week was killed in a tragic car accident yesterday morning.
Life is truly a vapor. As we sat there laughing and talking until the wee hours a week ago Sunday morning little could we have ever dreamed that the 19-year-old energetic guy across the table would have his life snuffed out almost exactly one week later.
Only God knows how long we and others have on this earth. Let us live each day as though it were our last.
No reserves, no retreats, no regrets!
Related:
Sherri Hayden passed along this link to a sermon preached by this young man when he was 17. The title of the sermon, Life is a Vapor, couldn't be more fitting or timely. In the busyness of your life today, please time to listen to it and be reminded to live in light of Eternity.
Michele left the link to her beautiful blog post on a special time of remembrance held for this young man last night.
Doug Phillips posted a very moving tribute to Michael here.
Nathaniel Darnell's post on Michael's last few days on earth and the impact his life had is a must-read.
Caleb posted a touching tribute to his friend and brother in Christ.
I just checked my email and found out that one of the young men we'd met and sat with at our late-night dinner at the end of the Film Festival last week was killed in a tragic car accident yesterday morning.
Life is truly a vapor. As we sat there laughing and talking until the wee hours a week ago Sunday morning little could we have ever dreamed that the 19-year-old energetic guy across the table would have his life snuffed out almost exactly one week later.
Only God knows how long we and others have on this earth. Let us live each day as though it were our last.
No reserves, no retreats, no regrets!
Related:
Sherri Hayden passed along this link to a sermon preached by this young man when he was 17. The title of the sermon, Life is a Vapor, couldn't be more fitting or timely. In the busyness of your life today, please time to listen to it and be reminded to live in light of Eternity.
Michele left the link to her beautiful blog post on a special time of remembrance held for this young man last night.
Doug Phillips posted a very moving tribute to Michael here.
Nathaniel Darnell's post on Michael's last few days on earth and the impact his life had is a must-read.
Caleb posted a touching tribute to his friend and brother in Christ.
posted by Crystal Paine at 9:44 PM
20 Comments:
Dear Crystal,
I have been reading both of your blogs for the last week or so after purchasing Supermarket Savings 101.
I haven't commented much but wanted to say that I am so very sorry!
You are right in saying that life is truly a vapor.
I will pray for this young man's family.
Sincerely,
Stacy
How awful...my heart goes out to his family. My brother was snuffed out by a drunk driver at age 20...I do know what they will be going through!! But we have to keep focusing on where he is now!! None of us has the promise of tomorrow in this life, for sure!
Crystal,
How terrible...I feel like sitting here and crying. I need that reminder daily to live like it is my last one, and pour everything I have in the lives of my little ones throughout the day. To often I do what I want to do, and not enough of what they want to do.
I just pray that the family will find comfort knowing he will go and meet his Maker.
what was the name of this young man so we can lift him in prayer to the lord?
May God comfort and uphold this young man's family! How very sad!
This is so sad to hear.
I am sorry to hear about this Crystal.
I am sure there is a reason why God chose to take him to Glory, but we just can't comprehend it right now.
Well on a positive note, this young man is better off then we are down here, that's for sure.
He is now with the other saints who have gone before us, cheering us on down here on Earth to keep going on for the Lord and not give up.
But, yes, life is just so short. So short...and so little time to reach people for Christ...
The Lord bless thee!
I am so sorry for the loss of your friend. How sad to lose someone so young! Your words about living each day to the fullest are so true.
How heartbreaking for this young man's family. I'll be praying for them. No, we are not promised tomorrow or even the next minute.
I am so very sorry for your loss and so very thankful that you had the opportunity to know the gentleman! You and your family, as well as his family are in my prayers today!
Wow...reading that caused me to tear up, and gave me goosebumps. I'm approaching my 18th birthday (next month!) and it's amazing as I've gotten older to hear of more and more people *my age* dying! We think we have the rest of our lives ahead of us, but only the Lord knows when we'll breathe our last! I am so thankful that He saved my from my sins and granted me repentance at a young age, so I can bring Him glory while I'm here, and even if I die young, I know I will spend eternity in Heaven, thanks to the precious blood of Christ that covers me!http
A timely reminder to treasure each moment! Life is truly a vapor as you said and it's an awful thing for his family and friends to have to go through. My husband was hit by a drunk driver a few years ago and thankfully survived the crash, but it's so sad that many times such things end tragically.
Indeed this is so sad for the young man's family as they are no doubt in the midst of deep grief and sorrow. We aren't promised a minute more than what God has already given us. But oh how joyous!! He, being saved by grace through faith in our Lord and Savior, is standing in the holy presence of God! Is that not what we all ultimately desire? We will pray for the family that they will be comforted in their loss, that the young man's life on this earth will be a witness to the lost world, but also that there be peace in the fact that their son, brother, nephew, grandson is with the Lord.
I was blessed to attend a precious time of rememberance for him at the Phillips home last evening. I blogged a little about it here http://2stepsright.blogspot.com/2007/11/joy-in-midst-of-sorrow.html
I am so sorry to hear this. Just another reminder at how short our time is here on earth. I am glad to know this young man was a believer and has left behind a legacy even at such a young age. God bless you and comfort you and the family of this young man as you mourn.
Dear Jesse and Crystal,
My husband & I will be in prayer.
Carla from maryland
Sorry to hear your news.My heart goe sout for this man's family.
I'm sorry Crystal. That is so sad to hear. His family and friends will be in my prayers.
This is so heartbreaking!Thank you for posting the link to his message; it is incredibly powerful.
I thought I would post the link to this article by Jamie Billings, Michael's sister:
http://visionarydaughters.com/2007/02/the-remarkable-influence-of-sisters-on-brothers
Here is a snippet from the article that gives a bit of insight into the heartbreaking loss this family has just suffered:
"My brother and I are now the best of friends and each the other’s most trusted confidant. As I have watched my brother grow into such a strong and godly young man, and as God has blessed him with wisdom that surpasses his age, it is hard to even think of him as being younger. He has become to me the best of counselors and truest of friends."
Here is also a link to a picture of the Billings in Jamestown this past summer:
http://picasaweb.google.com/doolittleraiders/Jamestown400Trip/photo#5078156584385897170
What a reminder to us all to cherish all our loved ones, as well as to live each day fully for the Lord! May we parents raise our young ones to walk with the Lord from babyhood, so that not a day is wasted; that they too, at 20 years old, could be considered men and women of God!
in Christ,
Jennifer
I cried my way through the tributes and was awed by his sermon. What a wonderful young man who lived with more passion and wisdom then most people do in a long life-time. I look forward to meeting this brother in Christ in Heaven someday.
Thanks for sharing this! Because of his death he has impacted even more people!
I'm just sitting here in shock right now. Crystal, please remember that he is now happier than he's ever been and this, though it may not seem like it, is all just part of His perfect plan. Gain strength from Him, Crystal!! I'm praying for you, his other dear friends, and his family. Lean on Christ during this hard and trying time.
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