no guarantee.

hello, all. :)
I just want to share what God's been speaking to me about lately. So here we go. :)

Here lately, there has been a lot of death around my family and friends. It's like everywhere we turn, someone has died or knows of someone who's died. It's really sad. Jordyn's friend from college committed suicide last thursday, another girl from the UA committed suicide last week, a guy (who is Jordyn's age) with whom we used to be friends with when Jordyn and I were little died in a one-car car wreck last week, and a girl in my youth group's grandmother died last Thursday too. I mean it's crazy! It's a weird feeling to be surrounded by so much death.
Like, no more life. Like, you literally cannot speak or see someone until eternity, and that's only if they were believers.
And I'm not 100% sure any of them were.

That's were God comes in and says, "Shelby, no one is guaranteed tomorrow."
Wow. Never has that truth packed so much 'punch' as it has in the past week.
So much 'punch' in fact, that God made me picture everyone of my immediate family members in my head, and accept the fact that this could be my last day with them. Week with them. Month with them. Year with them.
The last time I might see them until eternity.

I know, it's a depressing thought, and if you've even read to this point, you're probably thinking about closing the browser and forgetting all about the fact that God does not guarantee tomorrow for you kids, your spouse, your mom. or you dad.
But sometimes it's very important to realize this. Because if not, you do not realize the value of life.
If you do not accept the reality that life is so short, than you will never learn to live it to the fullest. To live life like it's your last day, and the world needed to hear about God.
They need to know about the Savior.
They have to know.

We have to tell them

Because we may never get another chance.
I'm reading a book right now, called Crossing Oceans. Right now, it's about a mother who is dying, and she's leaving behind her 6 year old daughter. This excerpt talks about not waiting until you're dying to do the things you want to do before you die:

"A gnat flew laps around Craig's head. He swatted it away. 'If I knew I only had a few months to live, I think I'd try to cram in everything I've ever wanted to do.'
'For instance?'
'For starters I'd watch a Brave's game from behind home plate while eating a big pile of gooey nachos.'
'Don't wait until you're dying.' The intensity of my tone surprised me."

Now, don't misunderstand me. This isn't a revelation of mine that's going to make me go sky-diving and tour Europe in 5 days, or something else weird like that. :)
It's the opposite.
He's teaching me to trust him not matter what he does, no matter what he says, no matter who he takes.

And he is teaching me the value and brevity of life, so that I can make the most out of every single minute.
Because, like God told me a few months back, I'm running out of time.We all are.


Anyway, I hope you are all having a great Tuesday! Can you believe it's only tuesday?!?! :(
I'm so ready for the weekend. The formal's on Saturday and I get to party like there's no tomorrow! (no pun intended...)

I love you all!
Happy tuesday!
:)