BETTER IS A FRIEND NEARBY

Valerie has passed on to her eternal state. I trust that her crossing paths with us has improved her standing with the Lord. To be sure, she was closer to Christ than she had been a year before. Whether that mysterious line was crossed or not is only known by God Himself.

So, why was she brought to us? Ellen is writing her perspective, and it is rich and beautiful. As for me, my thoughts are mostly that thanks to her connection with our Christian family, Valerie did not die alone. She had friends and family around her as she died. Seven months ago she was very alone.

One of the phrases I have reflected on much in the last year is the Proverb: "Better is a friend nearby than a brother far away." Valerie had two brothers who were far away, though they lived in the same city. She also had a son who lives in Northern Kentucky, but they had not seen each other in over four years. Because the Lord had brought us together, she was reconciled to her family. And because the Lord had brought us together, she had friends who became her family.

Just in time. Thanks be to God.
-ker