Today I received the sad news that my mom's sister Marlene died. She has been struggling the past several years with health issues. Sadly, yesterday that struggle ended and we lost another member of my mom's family.
As I prepared for the news this week, I knew it was coming, I was reminded of a letter I wrote to Marlene just after my husband Jim died. I wanted her to know the truth, I wanted to be sure it was crystal clear. I don't know today if the message got to her heart and what she did with it. I do know I did what God wanted me to do in telling her this message.
I want to share this letter here, so that I will never be accountable for not giving the message to all who will listen. If you read this letter and get to the end wondering where you stand, please contact me. I will help you find the path.
If there was one thing I ever wanted my mom to be proud of me for, it would be that she would be proud that I shared Jesus and especially to her family.
Here is the letter:
"Dear Marlene,
As I think about the shortness of life in the aftermath of Jim’s death, I feel a strong sense of urgency to explain what our life is really all about. I know that in 1959 your sister had a life changing experience and that was probably met with some confusion and skepticism that has lasted many years. I would like to take one more opportunity to explain exactly what took place in Mom and Dad’s lives so many years ago.
When Babe was killed, Mom realized life is but a vapor. Time is short and there is something beyond the grave. What Mom and Dad did at that time was ask Jesus to become the center of their lives, forgive their sins, and reward them with eternal life in Heaven. God did that. They became new creations at the moment they prayed that prayer. They didn’t become perfect, by any means, they only became forgiven followers of Jesus. They lived with hope of a new home when this one was done.
I cannot continue in my life without telling the story of redemption and forgiveness. It was easy for me to follow the path to Christ because I had parents to direct me that way. However, God has no grandchildren. I cannot get to Heaven based on what Mom and Dad did. My relationship with Jesus is mine alone. No one else could make that decision for me, and although I look like a good person and haven’t really lived a life of question, I came to Christ as a filthy rotten sinner who needed Him to forgive my sin and give me the promise of life with Him.
Jim made that decision in 1989, he came as a filthy rotten sinner, and asked Jesus to forgive him of his sin and be his Savior. Because of that decision, he lived a life as a new creation in Jesus. I didn’t know him much before he made that change, but people that did tell me of a man who was completely changed, unrecognizable at times. Jesus is the reason Jim had the change.
So, I wanted to tell you this without it coming from my mouth so that I wouldn’t stumble over words and so that in the quietness of your time here, you can reflect on what I am saying. I would be remiss to not share the message as clearly as I can.
When God created the earth, it was perfect. In Genesis 3, Eve listened to the lie of Satan and ate of the forbidden fruit. That is the start of the story of Jesus. It was now necessary for life to be sacrificed to cover the sin. It began there with animals to cover their nakedness and continued until Jesus became the perfect sacrifice by living a life without sin and sacrificing His life on the cross. He took upon Himself our sin in order that we could enter into a relationship with God the Father, that is the one and only way that we will find salvation.
The Bible states that all of us have sinned and we fall short, we miss the mark. The payment for that sin is death, not physical, but spiritual. But the gift that God gives us is eternal life through Jesus. Even while we continue to live a life of sin, Jesus died for us.
It is a simple and free gift. All that one needs to do is ask Jesus to come and be Lord and Savior of their life and forgive their sin. It is just that simple.
Please take this letter in love, I hope you make that decision to ask the Lord in, you will never regret it.
Lovingly,
Christine"
