Death and Life

This entry was written by my beloved brother. I am so proud and blessed to walk through life with him. He asked me to post this testimony, written in his words. So here they are...5 years to the day of the origin of this story; this pivotal time.

Philippians 1:21-“…to live is Christ and to die is gain.”

In life, there is only one certainty.

We don’t know if we will be rich or poor. We are indecisive about where to live. We have no idea what tomorrow holds, let alone the next moment. There are so many uncertainties in life; it would take pages to write each one of them.

But there is one certainty: death.

At some point, each of us will embrace this death. We will be buried underground and, depending on what you believe in, will be in heaven or elsewhere.

Unfortunately, death hits us all in various personal ways. We lose a family member, or a friend, and our entire demeanor is altered by the event. We remember them in all we do, doing things to expand their legacy. Some people do not know death while others are all too familiar with it.

Unfortunately, I lost a best friend due to a car crash.

It rocked my whole world. I went into depression, contemplated suicide, and felt as if there was nothing to live for. I lost someone I truly cared for and who had shared life with me.

What was I to do?

Then, something happened that changed my life.

I talked with my family about it. I went to a Lecrae concert. Suddenly, through these two actions, the comfort of God swept over my life. I felt…different. Life did not seem so sad. I decided to not kill myself (after a long time debating whether to or not). I thought to myself, “You know what, God? I thought I believed in you my whole life, but I have not. I want a do-over; start from the beginning. I believe in your grace, your goodness, and I need that.”

God is great about re-do’s.

I called mulligan. I wanted another shot. I decided, due to the death of my friend, I would live for something more under the Creator of the Universe. I would do His will, attempting to live for Him and what He stood for.

It was the best decision I ever made. I am doing the will of God via law school, and I finally feel complete. I really miss my friend, but I know he is in Heaven watching over me. He would have told me to live life to the fullest, and I am trying my best to do so.

To anyone who has experienced death-you are not alone. Talk to family, attend counseling (that helped me immensely), allow others to see your pain, and pray.

Side note: Counseling is a sign of strength, not weakness. It shows you are willing to confront issues head on and deal with them accordingly.

There are so many options in how to deal with death, and I found many. By far, finding Jesus was the best. He came to me in my weakness and said, “Let me take over. I got this.”

As I accepted Jesus into my heart, head to the ground crying, I found peace for the first time in a long time. I found someone who came to me in my weakness, provided help, and an answer I was long in seeking. Death changed me. But, I did not let death create more death. Like a phoenix from the ashes of my old life, I have found a new one in Jesus. And I know that is what Tyler would have wanted.

Psalm 37:4-“Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.”

Dan Olsen

DTI