Believe

My brother and I share a special relationship. Through many years of ups and downs, we became friends as well as siblings. I admire him. He is fearless. He shared the stories of his life with me – being in the DMZ in Korea, finding love and new challenges in employment, adventures on the rivers and the ocean, friends in his life, swimming with whales and many, many other stories of a life fully lived.

He and our mother spent years kayaking the springs in Florida where gators lurk on any given part. He was a genius- and I am not just saying that because he was my brother . He played Jeopardy with great success from his seat in the living room and won every game of Trivia. He had a photographic memory and recalled information instantly when things prompted him. If I had a million pages, I could fill them all with all the reasons my brother was the greatest person I knew and how deeply I loved him.  He wanted the best for me.  We walked many years together sharing our memories and making new memories each day. I would bet everyone out there in cyber world has someone they love the way I love my brother. Sometimes our conversation drifted to God. He occasionally quoted John 3.16. He said,  “That’s what it’s all about.” I agreed.

Recently, I experienced the saddest day of my life. We lost my brother after many years of illness. Hearts are broken and his is missed. Knowing his struggles are over and he is happy and well now does not always comfort, however, some comfort did come.  When sorting through his belongings, I found a cross stitch I forgot I sewed for him many years ago. The cross stitch was the Bible verse- John 3.16. I believe the message of the Bible is summed up from cover to cover in this one verse.

I personalized the words n the cross stitch- which were “For God so loved (my brother), He gave His Only Son, so (my brother) would never perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3.16. I may have forgotten sewing and sending this little message to him, but he did not. It comforted my heart that it had touched him so that he quoted it occasionally and now the truth of the words has come to him. He is in heaven and with the God I love and believe to be the Creator of the universe and everyone it in. I know my brother wants to see everyone decide to believe Jesus came so they never perish but have everlasting life. God Bless all of you.

If I never see you here, I pray to see you there.

Share your story with us.