ENCOURAGE EACH OTHER I Thessalonians 5:18 "Therefore encourage each other with these words."           I have been getting phone calls and e-mails...from those in total disbelief that our friend is now gone. A lot of people had made plans to meet her someday. I lot of people only knew her as the voice on the other end of the line who was always willing and ready to answer any questions they asked. A lot of people are hurt that they will not see her on this earth. So they carry the memories of a voice, a gentle voice of one who was eager to admit she did not know it all but was willing to research or ask those who knew the answer in order to make sure their answers were met. So we seek to look for closure of a person who was placed before us as a servant sent to us by God the Creator. A servant who God knew we needed and whose wisdom and understanding of who we are as Lipan Apaches was deep.           For me, I will just miss that friendly voice on the other side of the phone each time I needed advice or prayer or direction. I met with her many times and am grateful for being able to know her so well. So I stand between her death and those who are seeking for some kind of comfort or word of encouragement. I guess as I talked today I couldn't help but think of a verse given by Paul. He wrote, "Therefore encourage each other with these words." What words did Paul want us to encourage each other with? They were of our faith. For he said, "We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him." Paul assured us that if our faith is in Christ, we will see our loved ones and friends one more time; that death is not the end of life, but the beginning of life where we will spend an eternity with Him forever. Robert Soto Lipan Apache and pastor