One of my favorite passages is Matthew 7 where Jesus talks about the narrow road and the small gate that leads to life. This picture reminds me of that passage. And tonight, that passage reminds me of Beth James. Beth was a friend who ALWAYS understood that narrow way and was determined to drag as many people as possible along that way with her. Tonight her 11 month battle with pancreatic cancer was ended, yet death is not the victor here; too many lives have been touched and ushered into that narrow way that leads to life through the lives of Beth and David James. They both have always been the biggest examples of the love and joy of Christ of anyone I have EVER know. Even in the face of cancer and even when things got really rough near the end, Dave would have me laughing even in the midst of tears. Go here to read the post Dave posted last weekend and roll in laughter with me at the idea of "biceps the size of briskets." Before I say anything else, I want to point out that you so desperately need Jesus if you don't know Him; please click the verse at the top of my blog to go needhim.org or fire me an email, and we would love to introduce you to Him. He loves you more than you can ever imagine. I will miss Beth and pray heavily for Dave and their kids and family for the next few months/years. But I look forward to the day when I get to see her again. It (and this picture) remind of 1 Corinthians 13:12 which I will close with today:
Now we see things imperfectly as in a cloudy mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely.
I didn't point it out earlier (I debated about it the last hour), but I love the symbolism of the bright light just a little further down the path and out of sight trickling down from up above.