joshua.
today i received news concerning a friend of mine, josh. i found out from another good friend kyle that josh had passed away. i met josh a few years ago, when i was a much younger Christian. i had known his sister for a while. at that time, josh and his family lived in tennessee. josh had been back and forth between tennessee and california from time to time, but he primarily lived right here in la/orange county for the time that i had known him. we had spent many intimate church trips together. sometimes we would even go a month or so without talking, so we hung out and caught up every once in a while. josh had both asthma and diabetes. i don’t know much about the exact cause of death, but i know that he got sick (it was somehow augmented by the diabetes or vice versa) and before he received medical attention he had passed away. his family knew of his sickness, yet was not able to get a hold of him. knowing this, josh’s uncle went to check on him to discover him dead on the floor. i suppose authorities had estimated that he was dead for a day before his uncle found him.
but why do i write about this? i don’t even know if anyone is reading this, but if anyone is, the purpose for why i write this entry is to share how wonderful josh was and to glorify God with a very brief description of who josh was and still is in heaven.
josh was a humble servant of God to say the least. when anyone dies, people say that crap like, “he was a good man,” etc, but i mean it with all of my heart. i don’t need to say it, josh lived it. josh was one of the most humble people that i have ever met. by humble, i do not mean this shallow, even arrogant, pseudo-humility, which consists of denying whom he really was or always disagreeing with the compliments that other people give him. that is something stupid that i do. it was as if josh had grasped the concept that he had a firm identity, which was founded in Christ, and he was also good at things. and by this, i mean that he was better at certain things than average people, or at least he had a special talent in certain things. he didn't need to put himself down or ignore nice things that people would say to him. in this and many other ways, josh was a very wise person. he was very sincere, witty, humorous, and easy-going brother. i don’t want to reduce josh to the things that i write. no single human should or can be reduced to words. the human, the pinnacle of God’ creation, is a fascinating creature. and even now, josh retains all of these qualities. one day i will be able to experience them again. i don’t know exactly what to think of what I am about to write, but i am very confident that if it was God’s will for josh to live on this earth sixty years more, he would have remained a faithful servant of God, ever growing in his relationship with God, his love, his wisdom, and his righteousness. i feel so confident because this is my experience with josh. now people like this, of this integrity, character, strength, and courage, are exceedingly rare and hard to find in this world. it saddens me that we are one short. i hope and pray that i grow to become like josh.
josh doesn’t have diabetes, asthma, or any other physical ailments anymore. he is not prideful, lustful, or selfish anymore. this is because he sees behind the curtain of reality. he is in heaven with God, the absolutely just and loving creator of the universe, praising Him, and singing, “holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty.” he is exactly where his greatest desires were to be. he is doing what he always wanted to do.
but why do i write about this? i don’t even know if anyone is reading this, but if anyone is, the purpose for why i write this entry is to share how wonderful josh was and to glorify God with a very brief description of who josh was and still is in heaven.
josh was a humble servant of God to say the least. when anyone dies, people say that crap like, “he was a good man,” etc, but i mean it with all of my heart. i don’t need to say it, josh lived it. josh was one of the most humble people that i have ever met. by humble, i do not mean this shallow, even arrogant, pseudo-humility, which consists of denying whom he really was or always disagreeing with the compliments that other people give him. that is something stupid that i do. it was as if josh had grasped the concept that he had a firm identity, which was founded in Christ, and he was also good at things. and by this, i mean that he was better at certain things than average people, or at least he had a special talent in certain things. he didn't need to put himself down or ignore nice things that people would say to him. in this and many other ways, josh was a very wise person. he was very sincere, witty, humorous, and easy-going brother. i don’t want to reduce josh to the things that i write. no single human should or can be reduced to words. the human, the pinnacle of God’ creation, is a fascinating creature. and even now, josh retains all of these qualities. one day i will be able to experience them again. i don’t know exactly what to think of what I am about to write, but i am very confident that if it was God’s will for josh to live on this earth sixty years more, he would have remained a faithful servant of God, ever growing in his relationship with God, his love, his wisdom, and his righteousness. i feel so confident because this is my experience with josh. now people like this, of this integrity, character, strength, and courage, are exceedingly rare and hard to find in this world. it saddens me that we are one short. i hope and pray that i grow to become like josh.
josh doesn’t have diabetes, asthma, or any other physical ailments anymore. he is not prideful, lustful, or selfish anymore. this is because he sees behind the curtain of reality. he is in heaven with God, the absolutely just and loving creator of the universe, praising Him, and singing, “holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty.” he is exactly where his greatest desires were to be. he is doing what he always wanted to do.