Dear Brittney,
I did not know you in a personal way like a lot of people at church knew you. In fact, we have gone to church together for years and I will honestly say I know more about you than you personally. Until just a few days ago.
You read my blog.
You asked to be part of my challenge group in a few weeks. You wanted some accountability to get healthy. You asked for a few execptions and I said sure. I was excited. I heard your heart and wanted to help spur you on.
I began praying for you the minute you emailed me. daily. In fact, my last email with you was yesterday.
So the news of you suddenly meeting Jesus today struck me in a way I never saw coming. The brevity of life just slapped me in the face tangibly through our brief correspondence over the last few days and because of that, your life has forever impacted mine and I will never ever forget you.
You see, I have walked into church and sat beside many people for years. Never fully grasping that the person sitting beside me, the church staff member who is always there, the person I casually say hi too or send a smile their direction. We are all the same. We run through life thinking this is how it will be forever. But we are wrong.
Britney dear sister, you just won the ultimate challenge group. You are dancing before the throne of God with a whole and perfect body. One that does not get tired. One that does not break. No past baggage of emotions to deal with. You are free. Completely fully strong and whole and wonderful. And me? I am left this side of heaven working my butt off for little gains daily. And that makes me jealous. And it makes me long for heaven in a new way.
I longed to see Jesus with you today in a way that we all should on a daily basis. Thank you for that reminder. Our brief one week of emails after years of attending the same church together has now made a lasting impression on my life that I will always carry close to my heart.
So yeah, sister, you did it. You made it. You ran the race well and you left behind many who are so so sad that you are not here anymore. Many who knew you in deep and intimate ways I did not. You were woven into so many peoples lives. You left such a mark in just a few short twenty something years you were here. You left an impact.
You have left me longing for heaven. Longing for that complete wholeness.
Just know that for awhile, when I push play on my at home workout video I really will think of you. You sweet girl will push me now when I thought I was going to get to spur you on. You make me want to live this life fuller and better and stronger. Making the most of my days because I don't know if it will be my last.
So go dance with Jesus. Eat at that banqueting table of non caloric food. Rejoice. You have completed the challenge group. And you won.
