The Gift of Life — Thoughts about Life, Death, and the In-between

Barry and I were eagerly awaiting the birth of our granddaughter, a new life, and great joy being added to the family. Thankfully, she was born and we all celebrated that she entered safely into the world, healthy and sweet

Two days after the celebration of our granddaughter's birth, we received a message from the nursing home where Barry's mother was living. They told us that her breathing was irregular. Only ten minutes later they informed us that she passed away peacefully in her sleep at the age of 95. A strong feeling of great loss took place in our hearts.

Everything happened so quickly. In an instant, we went from rejoicing to mourning. God gave a life and God took a life.

It reminded me of when I lost my mother 16 years ago. It happened so quickly, and my first thought was that I didn't have time to sit down with her for long conversations to hear all of her wisdom about life. I wished I would have had more time to do things together with her and to tell her how much I appreciate all her hard work, cooking, and providing for us in the best way she could all those years. Indeed, this feeling of not being able to express our heart's appreciation to those who we love so much and who are no longer with us is very burdening.

When Derek Prince was on his deathbed he asked us, "Have I done enough in my life to serve God?" Barry answered him and said, "Of course, you did what you could. You traveled the world and taught from the scriptures. Hundreds of thousands of people were blessed by your fruitful teaching." Derek replied, "I feel I didn't do enough"...

For none of us lives for himself, and none dies for himself. For if we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. So whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. For this reason Messiah died and lived again, so that He might be Lord of both the dead and the living. — Romans 14:7-9

Life can be a non-stop race of action and activity without limits. Therefore, we are not able to make a report of all our achievements throughout our lifetime. God examines our hearts and sees all of our actions.

The cycle of life begins as a newborn baby and continues over the years in the bosom of a family. This stage of life is preparation for starting life on our own as mature and responsible people. We celebrate important events in our lives, learn and grow, overcome challenges and hardships, and eventually grow old and come to the end of our lives on this earth.

The life we have on earth is short, so the way we choose to live it holds great importance. It is necessary to listen to the ones who have gone before us to gain wisdom on how to live this life God has given us. Barry and I were both blessed with parents who believed in values that were rooted in the word of God and faith. Therefore, we are honored to pass their legacy on to future generations.

As you take a moment to reflect on the importance of life, let me ask you a few questions: What is the content you have poured into your life? What is your purpose and meaning in this life? Many of us walk around feeling like we missed out on something. Just like Derek Prince, we feel like we have not done enough.

We have to remember we are not all called to do everything, but we are all called to do the things God has asked us to do.

Dear reader, now is the time to live out the legacy that God has for your life here on this earth! You were born for such a time as this, and God has a mighty purpose for your life. We encourage you to ask God, “What are you calling me to do right now? What is the legacy you want me to leave behind?” Take time to listen to Him. When God speaks, get ready to step into action. Your simple act of obedience to Him could greatly impact future generations!

If you feel led to support VFI in any way, then please visit our website to discover the ways you can give and serve the Jewish people today! Also, if you would like to learn more about VFI’s legacy giving, click HERE.