Carla was an amazing servant. In ministry, she’d do anything I’d ask. But when I asked her to give her testimony on a spring break trip…she looked at me like she wanted to strangle me. But she gave her testimony and it was powerful because through the ups and downs, the highs and lows of her life, she gave it all to Christ.

This picture above is from a mission trip to Appalachia in the summer of 2014. From left to right is Graycen, Maggie, Me, Hallie, Clayton, and Carla. We were getting this run-down house ready for an older widow to move into. On this mission trip there were a lot of people doing many projects. This was our project and this was our crew. During this project, me and Carla convinced our crew that Winnie The Pooh was an allegory for purgatory. “The 100-acre wood…think about it.” Such fun memories.

This picture symbolizes how faithful of a servant Carla was. Just another group photo on some mission trip. One of so many. I went on a number youth trips with her and saw her in the trenches of ministry a lot. Not only did she love it, she was awesome at it. I truly believe that when this picture was taken that if Carla knew in three years she would be killed in a biking accident…I don’t think she’d had lived those next three years any differently.

I want to share a passage that has helped me as I mourn the loss of my friend…maybe it’ll help you too.

1 Thessalonians 4:13-14
“13 But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. 14 For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep.”

In this passage, Paul is telling us a few things that has not only comforted me, but continues to shape my worldview, my faith, and the way I am grieving and processing Carla’s death.

First, when Paul says “those who are asleep,” he is talking about those Christians who have passed on and gone to heaven. To say it plainly, those who have died. He’s not inferring any sort of ‘soul sleep’ where the deceased are unaware of what is happening or are oblivious to the state of their soul. Let me be clear: Carla is, right now, experiencing with full knowledge the full glory of her faith! She is walking with and worshipping her Savior, face-to-face. Not only should this give us peace, this should give us joy. Carla is not regretting being with Jesus, she is rejoicing over this!

Second, “that you may not grieve as others who do not have hope.” Yes, we will grieve the fact that we don’t get to see, sit with, and talk to Carla anymore until we go to eternity. But in our grief, we have hope! And Christian hope is not wishful thinking – it is confident assurance in the promises of God. We do not think Carla is with Jesus, we know she is! We do not mourn as those who have no hope. Our tears are not of empty sorrow, but are reminders of eternal splendor that Carla now has, and the rest of us will have.

Next, “we believe that Jesus died and rose again.” The gospel. Our hope. Caral’s life message. Our life message. If Christ didn’t rise from the dead, then we are to be pitied most among all people, all religions. But he did, and so we live – and live with mission!

Lastly “God will bring with [Jesus] those who have fallen asleep.” Do you know what this means? We will see Carla again – and not only Carla, but Carla with Jesus. But until that moment when we see Jesus for ourselves, we are to live out our mission. It’s hard to believe, but Carla has finished her mission. But one thing I know about Carla is that she ran the race of faith, she lived her mission every moment of her life. Whether that was the mission of being a faithful wife, a godly mother, a biblical friend, a passionate youth leader, or a bold witness, Carla served Jesus and lived on mission. I know Carla right now would be like, “What are you doing? Quit crying and go tell people about Jesus.”

This is a portion of an email Carla sent to me after the trip to London that she helped me lead. She was sharing what God had done in her heart and life coming out of that trip…

“I have never been in a place before where I so badly wanted to scream the message of Christ crucified from the rooftops. The last three years have been years of tremendous spiritual growth for me. I have been freed from chains I thought I was always going to have to carry and because of this I am no longer satisfied with that which I have always been satisfied with in the past. In the past I have been okay staying in the shadows, letting others take over because they could do it so much better than I – they were cuter or funnier or more liked etc. Scary as it is, I have heard God whispering in my heart over the last 2 years, “I have saved you, redeemed you, done too much in your life for you to remain quiet.” 

Death will not keep Carla quiet. Her powerful testimony continues. All glory be to Christ.