The holidays are coming. For some of you, this is a hard time of year. Family members aren’t here. There’s an empty chair. One less person on the Christmas list.
Death and loss are hard. Time does not heal anything. We all know death is just part of life and we all experience it. Still doesn’t make it any easier does it?
What do you do when you miss a loved one that has already gone to Heaven?
It’s been almost two whole years since a very dear lady that I loved, respected, and admired went to Heaven. She was like my grandma. I spent a lot of time taking care of her in her home. My kids loved her. She and her husband are family. As you can imagine, that was a hard loss for us all. So, what do I do when emotions take over and all I have are pictures, memories, and a single voicemail?
1- I value those memories. I look at those photos. I listen to that voicemail. As I’m sure you do as well. And that’s okay. It’s okay to miss them.
2- She was a godly woman with a wonderful testimony. I reflect on what she taught me. She taught me to trust the Lord. Always. Especially when we don’t understand what He is doing. He’s never wrong. She taught me that complaining doesn’t do much good. She showed me that even when we can’t physically serve the Lord like we want, there is still much we can accomplish. She was a prayer warrior. She taught me to look forward to Heaven.
The holidays are harder. I can’t wish her a merry Christmas. I can’t get a birthday card for her in October. I can’t pick up her favorite candy for no reason. But I know “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.” Psalms 116:15 KJV. Did you catch that? Even in death, He gives a promise and comfort to those of us still here. Wow. How good is our God?!
I know I will see her again, one day.
I know there’s no place she’d rather be.
I know she is with the Saviour she trusted and served for so long.
I know she’s reached her reward.
I want to be like that. I am thankful God gave her to me and He allowed me to have her as an example in my life.
When the emotions come and I miss her more than normal, I just reflect. This turns into praising the Lord. You can never go wrong praising Him. So let the emotions come, reflect on the memories, and praise the Lord for the gift of those relationships and the promise of Heaven.
Love those around you while you have them. Make time. Make the trip. Make the call.
With Hope in His Service,
Heather.
Proverbs_31Life 
I’m a bit confused by what you said about the people that have “past or dead” being in heaven….so if we die and go straight to heaven, why will the Lord return if everyone is in heaven? Who will he return for??
My Bible says in John 3:13 And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the son of man which is in heaven.
Why are you saying something that’s not true?? If you find a verse in the bible that teaches that one goes to heaven after death please send it to me.
The bible says In 1 Thessalonians 4:15-16-17 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the Trump of God: and the (dead) in Christ shall rise first: then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
May God give you wisdom and knowledge to understand and teach the truth, God bless🙏
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He returns because not everyone will be dead. He will return for those still alive and remain to be brought to heaven with Him which ends this part of history. And begins the tribulation and then the millennial reign. The dead in Christ shall rise first. Their physical bodies. Their spirit is in heaven now. If they’re saved. I assure you I’m not teaching anything that’s incorrect or contrary to scripture.
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Nabisha, I think possibly you may not be reading the full context of the verse you’re referring to in John 3:13. This is where Jesus is talking to Nicodemus, a Jewish teacher or Pharisee, who had come to Jesus at night with questions about the Kingdom of God. The emphasis was on Jesus having the authority to teach on eternal life because He alone had come down from heaven to earth.
13 And no one hath ascended into heaven, but he that descended out of heaven, even the Son of man, who is in heaven. [Nicodemus is here informed that Christ alone can teach concerning heavenly things. Jesus can so teach, for He did not begin on earth and ascend to heaven, but He came from heaven to earth, and returned thence (afterwards) to heaven.
Jesus explains that a person who won’t believe earthly claims won’t believe heavenly ones, either. If Nicodemus, or anyone else, rejects what Jesus says about heaven, there isn’t any other source to which they can go. No one on Earth has the experience and knowledge that Jesus has, especially on the topic of heaven.
Also another verse to consider:
“For we know that when this earthly tent we live in is taken down (that is, when we die and leave this earthly body), we will have a house in heaven, an eternal body made for us by God himself and not by human hands.”
2 Corinthians 5:1 NLT
In love,
Krystal K.
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