TO EVERYTHING There Is A Season

TO EVERYTHING there is a season, and a time for every matter or purpose under heaven: A time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to pluck up what is planted, A time to kill and a time to heal, a time to break down and a time to build up, A time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, A time to cast away stones and a time to gather stones together, a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing, A time to get and a time to lose, a time to keep and a time to cast away, A time to rend and a time to sew, a time to keep silence and a time to speak, A time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace. (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8)

Yesterday while we were at morning service my husband received a text message that our friend Frankie went on to be with the Lord at 7:40 that morning. We knew that this time would come. Frankie had slipped into a coma after 3 major surgeries within a 72 hour period. My husband showed me the text and immediately Frankie and his wife Jill’s faces flashed in the big screen of my mind. Both my husband and I were moved with emotion and sadness but we had hope all at the same time. Hope that we will see our brother in heaven one day. We are comforted knowing that He is with the cloud of witnesses to the life of faith. (Hebrews 12:1) However, my heart ached for my friend and sister in the Lord Jill. My heart ached at the thought of losing my own husband so suddenly. I remembered how much it hurt to lose my mother to a car accident when I was just sixteen.

Often times we don’t know why things happen the way they do. Why our Lord allows certain tragedies. Why can’t all the suffering end already? When will our Lord come and free us from this sinful world and our sinful bodies? When my mind starts with all the ‘Why Lord?’ questions I just have to stop myself right there and say, “Lord I trust you even though I don’t understand why? Even though this hurts I know that you are in control. Your ways are not my own. Your thoughts and way are so much higher than mine are.”

Our friend Frankie was a living testimony of God’s grace, mercy, and transforming power. He was a captive set free. He loved the Lord. He loved his church family and he adored his wife Jill with all of his heart. He was always willing to help and serve others and he did it with a smile and lots of jokes. There was never a dull moment with him. He will be greatly missed by everyone who knew him.

Please remember his wife Jill in your prayers. She has been remarkably strong throughout all of this. I truly see the hand of God and the prayers of her loving church family holding her up.

Tonight I pray that the Lord would touch each person’s heart who reads this and allow them to realize that there is a season for everything. A time to be born and a time to die. A time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance. You never know when your time is up. You never know when someone you love will suddenly be taken from you. Enjoy your life and your family, serve the Lord with a sincere heart, and count your many blessings. Don’t take the ones you love for granted. Let them know you love them every day. Don’t just say it show it.

Blessings to you all in Christ Jesus name.

In Memory of Frankie Colon