HE WASNT SO LUCKY

I HAVE KNOWN THE SUBJECT OF MY "NOTE" EVER SINCE I WOKE UP THIS MORNING.  I WAS AWAKENED BY A PHONE CALL IN WHICH MY COUSIN INFORMED ME OF A SUDDEN, SOMEWHAT UNEXPECTED DEATH OF A REAL CLOSE FRIEND.  WHEN I CHECKED MY PHONE, I HAD RECEIVED SEVERAL TXTS DURING THE NIGHT REGARDING THIS SAD OCCURANCE.  I HAVE PUT OFF WRITING THIS "NOTE" ALL DAY, SIMPLY BECAUSE I AM FINDING IT DIFFICULT TO EXPRESS MY THOUGHTS AND THE WAY I FEEL.  WE LIVE IN A SMALL TOWN, SO AN ENEXPECTED DEATH CAN BE QUITE DEVESTATNG TO THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY.   THE DEATH OF MY FRIEND COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED.  IT WAS A SENSELESS END TO WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN SUCH A PROMISING LIFE.  HE HAD SO MUCH GOING FOR HIM.  HE HAD A LOVING FAMILY AND A HANDSOME 4 YEAR OLD SON. 
  
WITHOUT GOING INTO DETAILS, BRANDON HAD FACED PROBLEMS FOR YEARS.  HE WAS IN FACT, HIS OWN WORST ENEMY.  HE HAD A HEART OF GOLD, MANY FRIENDS AND WAS GENERALLY WELL LIKED.  BY ALL OUTWARD APPEARANCES, BRANDON HAD EVERYTHING GOING FOR HIM.  BUT DEEP INSIDE HIS SOUL, BOBO FOUGHT COUNTLESS DEMONS.  I CAN COMPLETELY IDENTIFY WITH THE PROBLEMS BRANDON FACED,   HE TRULY LOVED THE LORD, BUT AT TIMES, HIS WEAKNESSES GOT THE BEST OF HIM.  MY DEMONS AND ADDICTIONS THREATENED MY LIFE MANY TIMES.  I FOUND MYSLEF KNOKING ON DEATH'S DOOR MORE THAN ONCE.   SOMEHOW, THROUGH THE GRACE OF GOD, I LIVED THROUGH EACH CLOSE ENCOUNTER WITH DEATH.  LAST NIGHT, MY FRIEND BRANDON WASNT SO LUCKY.
  
TODAY AT THE CHURCH WHERE HIS WAKE IS BEING HELD, HIS MOTHER WAS INCONSOLABLE.  SO WAS HIS BROTHER AND TWO LITTLE SISTERS.  AS I SAT BACK AND GRIEVED FOR THESE FRIENDS OF MINE, I COULDNT HELP BUT THINK OF HOW MANY TIMES THE SITUATION COULD HAVE INVOLVED ME AND MINE.  IT WAS HARD FOR ME TO SIT THERE WITHOUT IMAGINING MY MOTHER, FATHER, BROTHER OR MY TWO CHILDREN GOING THROUGH SUCH GRIEF.  IT MADE ME THANKFUL THAT THE LORD HAD SPARED MY SOUL AND HAD BLESSED ME WITH MORE THAN ONE CHANCE.  THE MISERY OF TODAY REFILLED MY RESOLVE TO DO WHATEVER IT TAKES TO CONTINUE TO LIVE FOR THE LORD.  MY LIFE, MY HAPPINESS, MY FUTURE AND MY MANY BLESSINGS ARE AT STAKE. 
  
THE EVENTS OF TODAY HAVE FUELED A FIRE WITHIN MY SOUL.  TODAY, MORE THAN EVER I WANT TO REACH OUT TO OTHERS LIKE MY FRIEND BRANDON WHO KEEP GETTING LURED IN BY THEIR ADDICTIONS.  I HAVE A BURDEN IN MY SOUL TO DO WHATEVER IT TAKES IN ORDER TO HELP PREVENT SUCH FUTURE TRAGEDIES.  IT TAKES A SURVIVOR TO ENCOURAGE SOMEONE ELSE TO SURVIVE.  THIS HAS BECOME MY GOAL.  TO SPEAK TO THE BROKEN HEARTED, TO ENCOURAGE THE DISCOURAGED AND TO SHARE THE WORD OF GOD WITH THOSE WHO NEED IT MOST.  LIFE IS HARD, WE ALL NEED ENCOURAGEMENT.  NONE OF US SHOULD FIGHT THIS FIGHT CALLED LIFE ALONE. 

PLEASE HELP AND ENCOURAGE OTHERS.  I AM SO THANKFUL FOR THOSE WHO TOOK THE TIME TO SHOW ME A BETTER WAY.  NO ONE SHOULD DIE IN VAIN.  WE NEED ONE ANOTHER.

RIP BRANDON LUKE STALSBY...YOU WILL SURELY BE MISSED BY MANY!