Kay,
Thank you so much for your letter as it brings to the forefront that which is troubling so many of us.  On the one hand, and most principal, is our longing for The Lords soon return for his Bride. Yet at the same time we grieve inwardly for our loved ones who may not be where we are in our faith that His return is indeed at the very door.

In my case, I have a 28 year old son, who is beset by a powerful addiction to prescription pain pills given him when he broke his collarbone in an accident a few years ago. Subsequently he had an encounter with the brother of an old schoolmate who is very proficient in forging prescriptions and then used my son as his ‘mule’ to get them filled, paying my son with just enough pills to keep his addiction fueled.  My son is now in prison, with felonies that will follow him always. The ’friend’ is as free as a bird, though little does he know that his bondage is even greater than my son’s even though he is not the one behind bars.

I write my son daily, and many times include letters and articles from you precious Doves.  I brought him up in the church and tried my best to lead him but try as we may our children have thoughts and ways of their own.  As you said about your 20’s and 30’s, I too lived rebelliously as a youth/young adult.  It wasn’t until my son was about 10 yrs. old that I was truly born again and began living for the Lord and even then I have had seasons when my walk was not as close as it should have been.  When my son was transferred from the county jail to a processing prison a couple of weeks ago they mailed home a package of his belongings.  I found a letter that he had written but not mailed, expressing despair over the way I keep telling him the Lord’s return is so near.  He said, Mom as long as I can remember you have been saying that Jesus is returning and I just think that I would rather not know “like the Bible says no one knows the day or the hour”, that it just happens when it happens. I wrote him and included all of the verses where we are commanded to WATCH and told him that I just want him to be ready spiritually, it matters not where he is physically.  I know that he is saved, but up to the present time I could not call him a wise virgin.

My husband is from Mexico and if I could coin a phase he is a blood born Catholic who will not forsake “the church” for anything.  I have witnessed to him since we married 11 yrs. ago to no avail other than to create arguments and stony silences.  I should have listened more carefully to the Lord’s admonition not to yoke ourselves with unbelievers.  Unfortunately I did not know things about the Catholic Church that I know now.  I have pretty much resigned myself to the fact that I must leave him to Holy Spirit to convict, I have done all that I can except keep praying for him. 
 
I guess we all have those whom we fear will be left behind or as someone else so aptly put it today, choose to stay, unwittingly as it may be because they have been blinded by this world.  We do not cease to pray for them and grieve for them, and hope that they see the Truth before the Door is shut, but when the time comes and Jesus calls us, there will be no looking back.  My eyes and heart and soul…all of me longs for Him, my Bridegroom.  I have a tag on the front of my truck that says-Jesus Christ is The Answer and my license plate is 22:20-REV…I had to reverse it to meet the numbering requirements for NC.  My hope is that over the years that I have had these in place that I have in some way reached a soul or two out there.  It seems so much harder to reach the ones we love than to reach a total stranger sometimes.  I keep telling my son that as much as I love him, Jesus loves him more.  Of that much I have no doubt.  John, thank you for the scripture reference today, that is the one I will include in my son’s letter today.  If any Dove feels led to pray for him, his name is Jason.
Maranatha!
Looking forward to meeting you sooo soon!
Cathy Matamoros
PS. Reva, I hope you don't mind that I have shared your signature, it's too wonderful not to! Kinda like my license plate.
--
Titus 2
13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
The rapture is a blessed hope to the Christian. Watching for and expecting the rapture is a blessed hope that encourages a person to stay close to the Lord. A person watching daily for the rapture will go on with life but be constantly looking for the return of the Lord each day. This blessed hope also has a purifying effect. A person will not get caught up in worldliness or wrong things if he thinks His Lord could come back at any moment. ~ Alan Yusko
Ditto: Cathy Matamoros