It's Been 5 Years

Today marks 5 years since Natalie Sitton passed away.

Natalie was one of my friends who was killed in a car accident our junior year in high school. I'm not sure if September 21 will ever pass again without memories of the night that she died. It was horrible.

It's crazy to me how, 5 years later, my senior year in college, when I'm thinking about my career and such, that this day still affects me.

Although she wasn't one of my closest friends, I was utterly devastated, as was my entire class. She was a friend who I talked to at school and when I saw her at the mall (which seemed to be about once or twice a week), but we didn't hang out a ton out of school. It's amazing how much her life rocked my world as a high school junior.

Anyways, I think that that day--September 21, 2005-- was the first time that I truly realized how short life can be. "You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes" (James 4:14).  We're not guaranteed any amount of time on this earth. We better do things that truly matter now, because there is no telling how long we're going to have.

So, what truly matters? I would dare say, only the things that are bringing God glory, advancing the Kingdom, showing His love to all who are around me, growing deeper in my relationship with Him. Those things are the only things that are going to count if I look back on my life here on earth. What an awful feeling it would be to look back and wish that I'd done things differently!

Although I don't think about Natalie very much anymore, her life taught me a lesson that stuck with me. I don't always spend my time wisely. I don't always bring God glory. But, ever since that day, I think I have had a thought in the back of my mind that creeps up every now and then and reminds me, I'm just a mist. My time here is short--no matter if it is 17 years or 71 years--it's all short!

I was reminded of that lesson again today, and I thank the All Sufficient One, El Shaddai for that reminder. He has blessed me by reminding me of the things that matter.

I'm not sure that I could list off many good things that came from her death at age 17, but  I do know that it was good because our Sovereign God, El Elyon, allowed it to happen. I find comfort in remembering that El Elyon had complete control over that entire situation, and that His will was brought about through that.

I pray that I won't forget this lesson. Life is short, and more than that, it's important to do what is going to matter in eternity.