…Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen (Heb 11:1 KJV). When my father was dying, I struggled with not wanting to say goodbye. I snuck down the stairs quietly to catch my flight early that morning. Since his bedroom was at the bottom of the stairway, I was hoping not to disturb him. He heard me and called me in for a parting acknowledgement and hug. A short time later my husband and I were flying back when his condition deteriorated. I called home at the connecting flight and found out that he had already passed on to a better place. He asked about me before he died and where I was. My sister told him that I was with Mike (my husband). He had faith that I would be cared for since I was with my husband and more importantly he had faith that he was securely accepted with God based on his relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ for all eternity!- Teresa #wegrieveasthosewhohavehope

 Matthew 21: 18-22 (ESV)

18 In the morning, as he was returning to the city, he became hungry. 19 And seeing a fig tree by the wayside, he went to it and found nothing on it but only leaves. And he said to it, “May no fruit ever come from you again!” And the fig tree withered at once.

20 When the disciples saw it, they marveled, saying, “How did the fig tree wither at once?” 21 And Jesus answered them, “Truly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ it will happen. 22 And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.”