Ever since she was eight years old, Hannah was terrified of death.  The images of an accident victim dying on the street in front of her house were indelibly etched in her memory.  Then, years later, she experienced the losses of death firsthand.  One by one, within thr... (continued)

Whether our suffering comes from physical affliction, a tragic event such as 911, or another crisis, we all need hope. So in light of all our nation has gone through during recent times and the personal suffering many of you face, we thought it would be important for the next few issues of The Encourager to refocus our attention on heaven, our true hope.

Why is heaven so important? It’s simple. Heaven is our real home. When we lose sight of heaven, we lose sight of our hope.

... (continued)

Honestly facing the fear of our own mortality is one of the hardest things we humans have to do. There’s no question that it is very difficult to think or talk about our mortality. Even when we know how important it is to face it, it is still very hard to go there.

One reason it is difficult is that we view death as a negative. I know I do. Even though I look forward to the positive side of death—of being face to face with Jesus for eternity—I’m still a bit intimidated by it. And cert... (continued)

One person who had a perspective on life and mortality that I really admire is the apostle Paul. He was so confident in his relationship with Jesus that he actually considered it better to be absent from the body—dead—and present with Jesus our Lord.

In Philippians 1:21 he writes, “to live is Christ and to die is gain.” That’s amazing! Paul’s commitment to his relationship with Jesus was so incredibly strong it didn’t matter to him whether he lived or died! How can anyone say such a ... (continued)

Beve knew her time on earth was limited. She also knew that God loved her and that heaven awaited her. Yet she was in turmoil. Here on earth she had the familiar comforts of a wonderful family, scores of faithful friends, a fulfilling career, and roots deeply imbedded in her community. Ahead, in heaven, she would have a life she knew only in terms of images that defied description and promises she had to trust by faith, and she could barely imagine what that life would be like. She could feel... (continued)

In his book, Heaven, author Joseph Bayly describes the conflict many of us feel when we face the imminent reality of death. In an imaginary conversation with God, he writes: “I’m ashamed to admit it, but I’m a little scared” he confessed to God. “I really like this world: the Rocky Mountains, the beach at Cape May, the fields behind our house, the barn through mist on a gray wintry morning. How can I adjust to heaven when it’s so different?”

God answered simply, “That world you like ... (continued)

I may not long for death, but I surely long for heaven.
Joseph Bayly

We picture death as coming to destroy; let us rather picture Christ as coming to save. We think of death as ending; let us rather think of life as beginning, and that more abundantly. We think of losing; let us think of gaining. We think of parting; let us think of meeting. We think of going away; let us think of arriving. And as the voice of death whispers, “You must go from earth;” let us hear the voice of Chris... (continued)

No matter how much we treasure it, our earthly body is a very temporary thing. As a reminder of this truth, the Bible uses the image of a tent to describe our body. It’s not a particularly flattering image. Tents leave a lot to be desired. They leak. They tear. They wear out. Eventually they are cast aside.

The whole image could be discouraging to us, but that’s not how the Bible intends it. The apostle Paul actually found hope in the idea that his body was merely a tent. In 2 Corinth... (continued)

Many of us first come face to face with the reality of our mortality when a friend or loved one does. We of course want to support, comfort, and encourage, but our own feelings of sorrow, fear, and inadequacy can paralyze us into a state of inaction—or worse—withdrawal. The last thing our friend or loved one needs, and the last thing we want to do, is to fail when we are needed most.

While there is no clear roadmap to steer us through the difficult path of being a companion and friend... (continued)

Would-be encouragers walk a fine line between lessening a suffering friend or family member’s burden and doing so much that the individual’s self-esteem is undermined. While the specifics vary from person to person and situation to situation, following these rules of thumb will help:

• Don’t assume that you know how your friend or family member would respond. Provide options and let the individual make the decision.
• When possible, involve your friend or family member in al... (continued)

When mortality slaps us in the face, we often look at life as we never have before. We may go through a period of lamenting past failures, time and resources ill-spent, and misplaced priorities. This is not only normal, it’s healthy.

Such was the case for Roger, who at age sixty-two learned he had an inoperable tumor and would probably live no more than a few weeks. The shocking news caused him to look hard at his life, and he didn’t like what he saw. He had experienced success as wel... (continued)

How has having had cancer and facing your mortality changed how you live?

Prior to having cancer, I felt invincible. I really did. The truth of my own mortality never crossed my mind.

Part of the reason I was so blind is that I had always lived my life way out in front of where I was. I was always looking ahead to the next thing. As a kid I looked forward to being a teenager. Then I couldn’t wait to be 16 so I could drive. Then I wanted to be 21 and officially an adult. After... (continued)