Not too long ago, I had wondered what losing someone close to you would feel like. Someone my age—still in college with hopes, dreams, and aspirations—suddenly losing their life. How would I handle this?
Until now, I had never known anyone personally who had died an untimely and sudden death. My good friend who I had met through college was a young Christian man. He was well-known for his positive attitude and funny interactions. He was someone you could have any kind of conversation with, from talking about board games and video games to deep, late-night conversations.
One morning, I woke up to a text from our mutual friend, informing me of the tragic news: He had been in a head-on collision with someone who had driven into his lane, and he was killed.
At first it didn’t hit me. Was it a joke? Surely someone our age wouldn’t die in such a way. I had heard about it, but this couldn’t be happening to someone I knew, that I had conversations with. Someone who meant more to me than just a name in the news. But it was, and there was no bringing him back.
Reflection in Mourning
Through the heartbreak and mourning of his friends and family, I have done a lot of reflection. We don’t truly know when God is calling us home, and in an instant, we can be standing on the edge of eternity without warning.
I truly believe that God works in mysterious ways, and through the death of my friend, I want to honor his legacy by living a life I can be proud of. We tend to take so many things for granted and ignore the possibility of our own mortality.
Every day, we should count our blessings and give thanks to God that He allows us to live such a privileged life. We don’t think of our privilege often, but just waking up in your own bed with a roof over your head are three blessings within five seconds of starting your day. Leaving our homes to head off to our jobs and having internet for our phones to access content (such as this) to find comfort in our situations are four more blessings.
We don’t get to decide how or when we will move on, but we do get to decide what we do with our lives leading up to that point.
Finding Purpose After My Friend’s Death
We don’t get to decide how or when we will move on, but we do get to decide what we do with our lives leading up to that point. We get to decide to make choices that honor God, choices that connect those around us with the warmth of His love.
My friend knew many people around campus, and I can’t name a single person who had anything negative to say about him. When I go, I want to have the same impact on others that he had on all of us. And I can do that through living my life to the fullest, welcoming everyone to my table, giving the clothes off of my back, and helping my community. This is not a call to hide your hurt but to transform it into something meaningful, touching the hearts around you with God’s love.
You are not alone when it comes to grief and loss. God is with you at every step through the healing process, and He is with our loved ones who left before us.
As a full-time college student and a military brat, Ava Junker understands how quickly life can become complicated, making it feel as though there isn’t enough time to spare for God or to connect with Godly people. Over the years, she's had her fair share of hills and valleys when it came to building relationships and truly valuing her time with God. College presents many distractions from our faith, often introducing us to experiences and people who pull us away from His intentions for our lives.
Ava's mission is to inspire young women, reminding them that they are not alone in their walk of faith. In today’s world, there is extreme peer pressure to conform to an ungodly society that promotes hookup culture, excessive partying, and harboring hate and judgment in the heart. She wants to encourage others to stand firm in their faith and seek a deeper connection with God, even in the midst of these challenges.
