On Saturday we buried my husband’s father.

The next day, on Sunday, we made our way to church as usual and while my husband seemed a bit quieter than he might be other times, he didn’t seem too “off” from the stresses of the previous days.  I had no idea that he planned to speak in church.  In fact, I’m not even sure he knew that he would be speaking in church.  But when our pastor gave the members opportunity to share testimonies, songs of praise, etc., my husband raised his hand and asked if he could say a few words.

He started out by saying how much he appreciated that our pastor and his wife had made the time to come to his father’s funeral the previous day.  He went on to say a few words about his father, concluding that he was a “good man,” and then he said this:

“My father was a good man, but based on the “fruits” of his life, I am not sure that he ever asked Christ to be his Lord and Savior.  And so I will live with the uncertainty of where he is for the rest of my life.  I encourage you, I beg you to really think about your relationship with Christ … don’t wait to make the commitment, and don’t leave the ones you love, that love you, wondering if you ever did.”

My heart broke for him, and at the same time, I was so proud that he took this horrible uncertainty that he is living with and used it as an opportunity to entreat people to not make the same mistake, both for their own sakes and the sakes of their loved ones.