Guest blog post by
Ruling Elder, Ramona Williams
Third Presbyterian Church
Member of DRAWP & History Teams
It’s no coincidence that Janice contacted me to write this blog. I’m so thankful that God loves us and knows what we need and sends us what we need when we need it. Thank you, Janice, for being obedient to the Holy Spirit that sent you my way when I needed this the most.
I have recently experienced the loss of two of my brothers within a short period of time. One brother passed away on December 1st and a month later I lost another brother on January 31st. My family didn’t get the chance to process one loss before the other occurred. My emotions have caught up with me. I usually deal with grief by burying myself in work or activities to keep me from having that quiet time of silence to think about it. I don’t have that luxury today. My emotions have caught up with me.
I will miss my brothers for a number of reasons. They were always so joyful and loving. We laughed a lot and I always looked forward to them being home on the holidays because it just wasn’t the same without them.
But what’s most heavy on my heart is, I wonder if I will see my brothers again.
My brothers are thirteen and fifteen years older than me. The age difference didn’t allow me to see if my mother read Scriptures to my brothers or if they prayed with her as she did with me as a child. Conversations with my brothers as we got older would always be about life, but never concerned about the afterlife. I don’t know what their relationship was with our most loving GOD because we rarely talked about it. Our time together always seemed so limited, therefore there was an urgency to “catch up”. With all the other things in life that we talked about, should have been the most urgent talk…our spiritual life. The thought now of possibly never seeing them again…their death as final is so painful. If I could do it again, there would not be one conversation that did not include prayer,
scripture, or testimony, or just talk…talk about how GOD loves us and how He gave us Jesus his only begotten Son; who gave his life to pay our sin debt. That no sin is greater than His love for us and death does not have to be final. What a great show of love. I’m not saying that my brothers did not have a relationship with our most high, I’m just saying we didn’t talk about it. If I had it to do over, I would know…know that they were saved.
Our family will be gathering soon to celebrate the time we had together with our loved ones. While we will be ecstatic to see one another and share stories of life we will definitely have deeper conversations. I will use my time with them wisely because I love them and want to see them again afterlife.
Ramona Williams, Ruling Elder
Third Presbyterian Church
Member of DRAWP & History Teams
7 Comments
Bertha H Larez
Ramona, my sister. I ‘m so sorry for your loss. My prayers are with you and your family as you process your pain. God is Good. All the Time!
Ramona Williams
Thank you 🙏
It has made me realize that we have to make a conscious effort to witness.
Ellen Gurnon
Ramona, I am so sorry for your loss. As you have witnessed here, know that God’s love conquers all our human limitations and failings. May God hold you close and fill you with peace that passes understanding.
Ramona Williams
Thank you Ellen.
James Willock
Be assured, Ramona. You will see your brothers again. God loved them as God loves you, and God’s promise is sure: “For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:38-39) May God wrap you in arms of love, hold you close and light your way through all your days.
Ramona Williams
Thank you 🙏
Diane McCullough
Ramona, prayers are with you and your family as you work through this very sad time. Jim Willock expressed it Scripturally so well. None are left behind. Know that their loving spirits are with you now and forever.