Today we believers focus so much on the signs of the times and the imminent return of the Lord; in doing that, we note the deterioration in society and all the really bad things happening in America and throughout the world. But still we must never let our focus stray from God’s heart, the love the Father, the Lord Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit have for us. And on that focus I write this short piece. It is all true and it is from my life. Look how much God loves me and these other people. He loves you the same.
In recent years God has brought to my mind people from my distant past. From several decades ago! Sometimes I find myself thinking about a particular person I knew in high school or in college. The thinking comes with deep sighs of the soul, which is a clear indication the Holy Spirit is arranging all this. These people are both male and female, but here I want to give you a really interesting example that involves three women – actually they were more like girls at the time (names have been changed). One was Ann, a small, energetic, really fun to be around girl that I went out to do fun things with when I was about sixteen. And then there was Julie, an artistic, creative woman who I went on dates with off and on from my being about age 18 to age 21. And then there was my neighbor Sally. She was “the girl next door.” I grew up with her. We played together a few times when we were little. As we grew we did a few things together and even went to the junior-senior prom together twice.
Why Is God bringing all this back to me after so many years? I find as I think about them I am strangely and deeply moved.
So, perhaps amazingly, I have chosen to do more than just think about this. I have taken action. About five years ago at our high school reunion I noticed that Ann was not there. I asked the person who coordinated all that, and she said that Ann worked in a large store nearby. My wife Cathy and I went over to that store the next day. We inquired about Ann, and after a brief description a person realized who we were talking about and pointed us to a woman sitting down looking at her cell phone. We went up to her, and I said Hi Ann. I’m John Newlin. And the conversation took off from there. For a very few minutes we talked about various things. And then she had to get back to work. So she stood up, came over to me, and gave me a hug. I loved that of course. And that was that. I realized in a little bit that now Ann knows how much she meant to me – after decades and while visiting from our home far away, I had taken the time to track her down and talk to her. I felt good about that. In some way there was a closure there.
Five more years passed, and not long ago we went back to my hometown again to another reunion. I was sitting with two old friends that had been part of a group of close friends in high school. Suddenly a woman came up to the other side of the table, laughing and full of energy. She said some things to each of the other two, and they laughed. Then she looked across the table at me and said, “What happened? We had a date and then you were gone. Where did you go?” And she laughed and then went on to another table to sit down.
It was Julie. And I realized, after all these years, all these decades, she still remembered our time together and she has wondered why it ended so! God was orchestrating this encounter! I knew I could not let it end there. So in a few minutes, while a couple we had come with were waiting to leave, I walked over to her table and sat down in the chair next to her. We talked a bit about what she was doing, but I knew that I only had a minute or two more to stay. So suddenly I looked at her and said, “Julie, you were a very special person to me.” And she looked back at me and said “You were special to me too.” And I got up and walked out.
So now Julie knows how much she meant to me. There is no going back to a past of several decades ago. But she knows now she wasn’t just imagining. She had been a real part of my life. And I think closure again.
That brings me to Sally, my girl next door that I watched grow up. Well, there is no way to tell Sally what she meant to me. You see, she died a few years ago. I found that out too at one of those class reunions. So what good is it to me that I think about her? And remember her over the growing up years of my life? Maybe it’s all just a clear lesson not to let times get away from us. A clear lesson that each of us should always tell others what they mean to us. Even after many decades, I got to do that with two of these three.
Don’t let such opportunities get away from you. There is no way you know if you will ever see a person again. Can I repeat that? There is no way you know if you will ever see a person again. Make sure every person close to you and everyone who has made a difference in your life knows that they mean something to you! That you appreciate them.
So I am doing all that now as I can. I am telling people how much I appreciate them, how grateful I am for having known them and how thankful for all they have done for me or contributed to my life.
Tell them!!! Especially older people but really anyone. This is a temporary place we are living, one from which anyone can depart at a moment’s notice. When you say goodbye to someone you do not know if you will ever see them again. You may really be saying farewell. Don’t let them go on without their knowing what they mean to you.
February 2023
Copyright © 2023 by John Newlin
Please email or print and send copies of this article to whomever you would.
And get our book WAKE UP AMERICA! JESUS IS COMING SOON – from AMAZON or our website or by calling the ministry!!!
KEEP
YOUR EYES ON JESUS!
JOHN NEWLIN
MINISTRIES
P O BOX 1038
CARY, NC 27518
https://johnnewlinministries.org
email: john@johnnewlinministries.org
Twitter.com/johnnewlinmin
Blog: johnnewlin.blogspot.com
tel 910 395 1465
No comments:
Post a Comment