It has always been important to me to be a person of love. I strive to be that person who loves because I know that is who God has called me to be. I believe I have been given the gift to love others and embody Christ's love through my own life. I admit, however, I do not always utilize this gift as I should, and I let my heart get hard at times. I'll be completely honest in saying that it is hard to love people at times. For that reason alone, it is important that we do love and live a life of love. God does not always call us to do easy tasks; we are not to settle in a comfortable way of the world. I believe that truly loving others - all people - is hard to do and will often take us out of our comfort zones. Love is shown in many different ways. One of the most impactful forms of love is shown through actions of service to others. I've recently seen the impact that having a heart of love and being a servant of others has on a community. This has inspired me to really focus more on how I live my own life. My eyes were opened to the possibility of all the lives I could touch just by living my life through love and service.

Through all of the grief and anger of my broken heart, I was in awe of the number of people who filled the church in those two days. All these people were experiencing the same grief that was consuming my heart. We were sharing the emotions of the loss of my uncle, Jim Stevens. Many say he was gone too soon, and I agree. It was so hard to say goodbye, and even now it still feels like it was a dream. However, in the process of grieving, I realized that Uncle Jim had fulfilled his purpose here on Earth. God had said, "You have done well, my son, come rest at home in my arms, it is time." Jim had completed his servant duties for the Lord, whom he loved, and was called home to live eternally. However, even in death, Uncle Jim's life was still working in changing the lives of others, mine included. I could not count the number of people that came into that church to mourn the loss and celebrate the life of my uncle in the two days of services. It was amazing to see the impact my uncle had and the lives that he had touched by the way he lived. After the final moments, the last goodbyes, I walked away from this loss with a new perspective and two important life lessons.

The first, is to live life as a servant. A servant of God and a servant to His people. I quickly learned after my uncle's passing that he simply touched others lives just by having a servant's heart. One specific story someone had shared with me gave light to how serving Uncle Jim was. This man was doing some house work and laying a floor in his home. He was having some back trouble and was not sure he could continue to finish the project through the pain. He prayed to God saying, "Lord, I am not sure I can do this." A few moments later, my uncle Jim arrived and told this man he just felt like he needed an extra hand today and proceeded to help him finish this project. My uncle was so in-tune with the Holy Spirit and his servant heart that God placed him where he needed to be and used him to bless others through the use of his helping hands. I overheard many stories like this being shared; stories of complete service and willingness to offer a helping hand wherever there was a need. Not only was my uncle a faithful servant to people through his services, he was also fulfilling his servant duties for God's Kingdom.

Another common phrase I heard through the memories being shared was, "joyfully served," or, "without complaint." My uncle served others and he did so just as God has commanded that we do everything in love and with a joyous heart. Which brings me to my second inspiration point.

To Love. My uncle Jim was only capable of serving as he did because he was filled with God's love and that love was shared through him by his serving, caring, and loving heart. It is so important to be able to understand God's vast love for us and to be so in love with God that it radiates through our life in all ways. If we are living a life of love and walking with Christ, our words, our actions, and how we live should shine that love as a beacon to others. I could tell that my uncle's life impacted so many lives with that exact love. You could hear it in the silence, in the tears falling and the cries of heartache; most of all, you could hear it in the laughter as hugs and stories were shared amongst family and friends. Uncle Jim wouldn't have had it any other way than to have all that love in one building, bringing people together.

At the time of his passing, I couldn't see the good. I was angry and heartbroken, and I know I wasn't alone in these emotions. I could not understand how a disease, such as Cancer, that took his body from us too soon could be good. I could not fathom how the loss of a husband, a father, and a brother from such a close, loving family could have a good purpose. But now that the dust is clearing, I can see that God's ultimate plan is good and that through life and in death, God used my uncle to bring so many people closer to the Kingdom. The good is in all of the lives Jim was able to impact in his lifetime. The good is in the completion of his purpose here on Earth and now lives eternally in Heaven, free from sickness and suffering. The good is in the continual impact his life is having now. The message that Jim's life left behind does not end with his life. It has impacted mine and cause me to strive to live in such a way that touches the lives of others at every opportunity that I have. To have a loving and serving heart that I have been called to have and use my heart and my gifts in a way that honor and serves my God. Now, I get to share that message with you and hope to inspire you as well through my words.

The point I want to make is not to live a life to see how many people you have show up to your funeral. The number of people there at the end is not what is important. It is the way to touch lives from now until then. It is in how you use the life you are given to honor God and demonstrate a love and service to God's people here on Earth. The point is to be inspired to live life as a humble and loving servant. Learning of my uncle's life and how he lived on a daily basis and seeing all the lives he had touched in such a short amount of time has inspired me to be more aware of how I am living my life. To be more aware of where I can be a servant, of opportunities that I might miss where I can be that love that someone needs or that unexpected helping hand, to be a blessing to the least of these, humbly, and lovingly. I can only hope that someday my life would have such an impact and that I will touch the lives of others through all that I do, and all the Christ has called me to do. I want to live a life worthy of the words, "Well done thy good and faithful servant." My uncle's life is a great example of being worthy of those words and has inspired me to have the desire to live my life in such a way.

Whether you are aware of it or not, everything you do in life has an impact. Don't waste it. Choose love, choose to serve. You'd be amazed by the lives you can impact in your lifetime.

To my uncle in Heaven, you are loved and greatly missed. Thank you for everything and having such an impact on my life. Love, your goddaughter.