It seems like no one is immune to tragedy. Regardless of your race, gender, socioeconomic status, we all will be plagued with tragic events in this life. How we handle them is what makes us who we are.

Recently I woke up to the voice of a dear friend telling me her husband passed away tragically in the middle of the night. They had just gotten married and moved into a center that his family runs to provide care and rehabilitation to survivors of trafficking. He had minor heart surgery that month and was recovering well… I just wept with her on the phone and realized how permanent death is…in this life.

After I got off the phone I had this wave of righteous anger come over me. “This was not his time… he’s so young… he had such a calling on his life… I don’t understand…”

Then I felt the love of Father God rush over me saying, “​But he ran hard​.”

Everyday, he released the presence of God and loved well. He didn’t waste a single day of his life, he was one of the most humble laid down lovers of God that fought for others freedom daily. He ran the race that was marked out for him keeping his eyes on the prize: Jesus. He took his life seriously, loving God and loving others setting the captives free and bringing sons and daughters home to Jesus.

My prayer is this: that we would realize that this life is not about us. It isn’t about our jobs, our dreams, our marriages, our kids… it’s all about Him. All of these things are a gift and a conduit for His love and life to be released through us, but there’s a reality that if we had none of it and still had Him…we’d have the best life. I hope that someday when I meet Jesus he will say​, “Well done good and faithful daughter, you loved Me and others well.”​ What I don’t want Him to say is, “Emily, you spent your time on earth focused on you and your life instead of the Kingdom of God that I put inside of you.” Let’s spend our lives investing in things that really matter seeking first His Kingdom and righteousness sowing into eternity. Things of this world will fade away but He never will.

He is enough. He is our goal. He is our destination.​ Nothing compares to the weight of knowing Him and leading others to know Him. My caution is that we would not be people who get caught up in our lives, but that we step into the one that God has for us, living everyday for Him like our friend did. He lived a life worthy of the call.