I read telling your story sometimes helps. This is my story of how our daughter Courtney Kaylyn Jewell age 23, joined her Heavenly Father three months ago today.
On the morning of Wednesday January 25, 2017, Courtney had a dentist appointment to have a tooth pulled. Her dad was going to drive her because I had just had back surgery the Friday before and couldn't drive. She had stayed at a friends that night. That morning she texted her dad she was on her way home. When she didn't show we tried to call her and didn't get an answer. I called to checked with the dentist in case she went there, but hadn't. I sent Brian by a friends house to see if she was there and she wasn't. I was watching for her to pull up out the window when two Arkansas State Police cars pulled into our drive way. My heart sank! I knew it couldn't be good news, I immediately called Brian to get home and that they had pulled up, he asked me to stay on the phone till he got there but I told him to hurry and hung up, wanting to give them my full attention, praying for the best as they walked my way. As I met them on my porch I said "Our daughter didn't show up to meet us for an appointment and she's not answering is she ok?" They asked if I was Courtney Kaylyn Jewell's parent and as I said "yes" he told me she had an accident and didn't make it. I suddenly felt like it was a dream and I asked "Is this really happening? Is this a dream?" As we walked inside I sat on the couch in shock and asked if they were Christians and they both said yes! Then I ask if they would pray for me, and one of them prayed a very sincere comforting prayer. I asked again if it was really happening, and one of the officers told me that what I was feeling was not uncommon in this situation. Next brother in law Joey who lives up the road came in first, his friend had seen the Troopers cars.
Then Brian came home. The officers stayed until Brian's mom and dad got there so that we had several family members with us. It still didn't seem like it could be true. The house quickly filled with concerned friends and family offering overwhelming support of love, sympathy, help, hugs, prayers and food. Of which we will always be grateful for! We are truly blessed to have the support of such a caring community and family! It helped make our difficult time a little more bearable!
These are some of my personal thoughts; people often say everything happens for a reason. I believe we have free will and make choices. All choices have consequences, some are good and some are bad. Some consequences affect only us, some also affect others. No matter what happens good or bad, God can use it for good. Do I believe God picked that time and place for her accident? No I do not. I do know He knew that it would happen then and there. Do I think he can use it for good in some way? Yes! I know Courtney touched a lot of people's lives while here on earth! I had several tell me they came to know Jesus through her. I am thankful Brother Butch shared the plan of salvation at her funeral. I know seeds where sown there. I may never know the good that came from this, but I believe it did and will.
Courtney ran into the back of a commercial truck that had pulled out into highway 71 ahead of her. She was distracted, she never hit her brakes, she wasn't watching the road enough to realize that it had just pulled out and wasn't up to the speed of 75 mile per hour like she was. She wasn't wearing her seatbelt, she wasn't thrown from her car, so we can only wonder if it would've saved her. She may have been looking at her phone, about to text or call or even looking for a music station, we will never know. Most of us are too distracted these days while driving. Please wear your seatbelt and leave your distractions for a safer time and place. Most importantly no human is immortal, everyone that lives will one day also die. We are here living in the small dash between the day and date we are born and the day and date we die. The believers will join him for eternity in Heaven, the non believers will be cast away for eternity. I know Courtney was a believer, a child of God. I will see her again. That doesn't mean I don't grieve and miss her everyday, but it gives me hope for the future!
If you have never accepted Jesus Christ as your savior, I want to share the ABCs of how to Become a Christian!❤️
A—ADMIT
Admit to God that you are a sinner
(Romans 3:23; Romans 6:23).
Repent, turning away from your sin
(Acts 3:19; 1 John 1:9).
B—BELIEVE
Believe that Jesus is God's Son and accept God's gift of forgiveness from sin
(Romans 5:8; Acts 4:12; John 3:16; John 14:6; Ephesians 2:8-9; John 1:11-13).
C—CONFESS
Confess your faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord
(Romans 10:9-10,13).
