Friendships Lost
My last post was a very saddening one. While I apologize for its informational and impersonal nature, I was unable at the time to personally explain what had happened to my dear friend.
I have been encouraged by those that counsel me to write about those I've lost and what they meant to me. Perhaps this may be an encouragement to you if you have lost someone dear. Perhaps this may encourage you to live for today and seek to honor the great cloud of witnesses that surround us.
I first met an extremely talented actor named Eddie Rector as a sophomore in high school. We saw each other in plays, knew each other through drama activities, and a friendship was forged. Eddie began to ask questions, and we talked about the Lord and his quest for faith. Over time, conversation, and the Spirit working in his heart, Eddie came to a passionate relationship with God. I cherished his friendship, inspiration, and never-ending search for truth. He constantly laughed, gave hugs freely, and never met a person he didn't like.
Eddie Rector was killed two weeks ago in a violent, evil crime. My precious friend's life was taken by robbers who stole only two computers. To imagine that Eddie's life was exchanged for two machines worth no more than a few hundred dollars...stunning. He was training in South Africa to be involved in a drama ministry team that reaches out to the poor and destitute. Eddie always spoke of his biggest dream being such a ministry. The times I saw him in recent years, he never failed to mention his desire to use his immense gifts to spread the gospel of Christ. He was living his lifelong dream.
Eddie isn't the first treasured friend I have lost in years past. In the future, I hope to write about others- their inspiring story of obedience to Christ in all they did.
How do we honor those that have gone before us? We allow their life and death to work its full purpose within us, forging a deeper passion and determination to use every day to glorify God himself. If we do not know Him, we open our hearts to the One they lived and died for. If we do know Him, we seek ever more deeply to know and have intimacy with He who called them home. We further their dreams of taking His message to the world in need.
If you have lost someone such as I have, honor them by allowing your life to be changed for the kingdom. If you have been spared such a loss, do not wait until you lose a beloved friend to be changed.
posted by Gina @ 7:46 PM
2 Comments:
Than you for your excellent description of Eddie. He was a dear friend of mine and my husbands(Brandon McCormick) whom we worked on movies together. We love him very much and we have to trust that God can still make beautiful things happen from what Eddie has left behind...and he left behind alot didn't he? You are in my prayers, contact me if you need anything..curlyfries20@msn.com
Love,
Kim McCormick
i had no idea... lucy tried to contact me and i was "too busy to call her"... i saw your blog on shane's and thought i'd read to see how you were doing. eddie made me happy to be myself and more willing to share that with the world. i don't know if i ever told him that but i bet i didn't need to. thank you for making such a wonderful ode to him and his work with the Lord.
-Lisa Manglass
starry@uga.edu
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