Gone too soon

Today was a difficult one. My brother and I were Paul bearers at my cousin's funeral.

Two weeks ago my cousin Montenae (Mon-tuh-nay) passed away very suddenly, just a week after attending a funeral of someone close herself.

The terrible news shocked the entire family, she was only 16 :(

She was born December '98 just 3 months after the passing of our grandfather. She never got to meet him.

In about a week from now she was to become an auntie, her older sister is 9 months pregnant and she was able to name her nephew before she passed.

When I first heard the news in was sad, and to be honest I wasn't able to fully grasp the situation, until this morning.

As we approached her and peered into the casket, it hit me all at once. She's actually gone. And for the first time since her death, I cried almost uncontrollably.

It made me think about things, in my life and otherwise. I regret the time I couldn't spend with her, and the memories I did have of her while happy ones, still brought tears to my eyes.

People: family and friends, bless us in different ways. Whenever possible we should at one point or another make time for them, visit them, smile with them, laugh with them, joke with them, take pictures with them, make memories with them.

Because no matter how young or how old our friends and family are-ourselves included, none of us are invincible.

The title of this entry however isn't correct. In our eyes from our human perspective she's gone too soon, but only the Lord knows why she was only to be here 16 years.

There's a song by Matthew West called "Something to say" and part of the lyrics say: "Listen up I've got a question here, will anybody miss you if you disappear? For you life is the song that you sing, and the whole wide world is listening"

We're all here for a purpose, and we're to touch others lives in one way or another, even if we don't see it. In fact just last night a good friend of mine helped me to realize that myself.

There's always a reason to keep going, there is a purpose in your life.

No matter the struggle God is there with you. Your sorrow may last for a night, and that "night" that season of sadness may be more than a night, it may be weeks, months, years. God is there. "For when I am weak, your grace and your peace is perfect, completely all I need"


There's a song by Brandon Heath that I really like called wait and see, and the chorus goes: "There is hope for me yet. Because God won't forget. All the plans He's made for me. I have to wait and see. He's not finished with me yet."


"Siblings side-by-side or miles apart, we are siblings connected by the heart."
 R.I.P. 
Montenae Hicks.
We love you and miss you! ❤❤