Articles by Edward Thomas

I share these personal notes realizing the risk that I may forget someone or not say enough to a loved one. Perhaps they expected something more personal or lengthy in nature. I do so dearly apologize if that happens. But in some essence, what I say to one of you I say to all of you. So by reading these, you will get a better glimpse of my love for all of you and desire to welcome you when you reach the throne of God and the presence of Jesus. Perhaps I will get the time to prepare more private and personal notes especially to my immediate family. If not, know that I intended to. My love goes out to you deeply as I cherished each moment we had this side of heaven.

Donna-I love you!  I am so grateful for you and the life we lived together.  Was it perfect? No, but no marriage is.  From “pecan goo” to “yeast rolls”, we have had some incredible times together and the Lord really blessed us! We had two wonderful daughters and through us and them, the Lord will bring many more into His kingdom.  What a wonderful reward that will echo throughout all eternity.  Do not hibernate with the rest of your life.  Enjoy the grandkids with joy! Be an example of God’s grace and love toward all of us.  We will have endless days together on the new earth.  What a glorious promise.  Keep your faith strong and believe it!  What a blessing for us to have been born and to have met.  We will cherish it forever!

Rene-I love you!  You are the joy of my life. I am so proud and blessed that you are my daughter. The Lord is working through your life and your family.  And the years of this life are just a wisp, a blink!  We do not have answers to all the “whys” of this life, but the Lord has those answers and we will know them one day! The glories and relationships that await us are beyond imagination. Be strong in the Lord!  We will have wonderful days together on the new earth.  Oh…the places we will visit together and the things we will accomplish!  Can’t wait to see you there!

Josh-I love you! What a blessing that you came into our lives and married Rene. You are a wonderful son-in-law and a great man of God. I know God will bless you richly in the years ahead as you stay faithful to him. Enjoy your family and watch in wonder as He pours out His blessings on them. I look forward to enjoying the new earth with you. Perhaps we will go on camping trips with some excellent hiking and streams full of trout. You could show me how to make a fire by rubbing two sticks together. We will have great times together. This is just the beginning! God is so good. He has won the battle and we will be resurrected into eternal glory. I can’t wait to see you there!

Jenni-I love you!  You are the joy of my life. I am so proud and blessed that you are my daughter.  Never give up hope that the Lord is at work in your life despite the circumstances.  Count it all for joy knowing that we can’t imagine the glories that await us.  Be strong in the Lord!  The trials we face here do not compare to the glories that await us there.  It will be fun exploring the new world with you. We will have so many special moments together! You have beat me to Israel, and so I will have to show you around the New Jerusalem. We will explore it together (all the nooks and crannies) and be amazed by what we see!  Keep that hope alive! It is real sweetie, so hang onto it! Can’t wait to see you there!

Mom-I love you!  If you outlasted me then I know it is sorrowful to see your son die before you.  But Jesus said that if we believe in Him that even though we die yet will we live.  So I am really alive and beat you to heaven!  I am with the Lord.  Thank you for being an example as a Christian and introducing me to Jesus.  And all of your children have come to know the Lord!  What a crown to wear in eternity!  I will see you on your back deck on the new earth and we will enjoy countless days together!  I will find you a good cigar and incredible margarita! Can’t wait to see you there!

Bob-I love you my brother!  I guess it is fitting that I got to go first being the first born!  I look forward to awesome days together on the new earth.  Don’t get discouraged that the Lord is patient.  He is not slack about Him coming, but just that none should perish.  Keep the hope of the rapture alive all the days of your life.  It will happen one day!  We will be there one way or another as either the “dead in Christ” or as those “who are alive and remain.” There will be no sorrow or tears or pain there! Bob, the joy we will share together will be indescribable!  Can’t wait to see you there!

David-I love you my brother!  What a joy to know my brothers and sister believe in the Lord and will spend eternity with Him.  What a joy to know that you believe.  Your faith has been an inspiration to me. Your life is a constant encouragement for my faith.  We have hope because Jesus rose from the dead.  And we have committed our lives to that fact.  I am looking forward to wonderful days together on the new earth as we explore the new heavens together and get to know the Lord better every day!  I hear the fishing could be really good as the jinx might be lifted!  Can’t wait to see you there!

Paul-I love you my brother!  Even though there is no sun in the new Jerusalem, I do think there will be a sun for the new earth to revolve around, as it is evident that days and months continue into eternity.  What a blessing you have been in my life! We will spend endless days enjoying those sunsets together that make the past times we enjoyed them seem like kindergarten!  Can you imagine the prophecy talk we will enjoy then? And the farm life you are enjoying now is just practice!  So practice hard! What awaits us is beyond imagination!  Stay strong in the Lord and continue to be an example to the family that He lives and will come back soon. Can’t wait to see you there!

Kelly-I love you my sister!  You are my only sister and what a blessing you have been!  I plan on continuing our tradition of getting together on our birthdays on the new earth plus countless days after that!  Stay strong in the Lord and continue to proclaim His grace and goodness! I think people will be amazed as they realize that in eternity we will be in physical bodies that can touch, feel and think.  We will work and have projects and gardens and favorite places.  Our relationships will continue to grow throughout eternity and that boggles the mind!  Can’t wait to see you there!

Philip-I love you my brother!  Just like when I went to college, the natural reaction to my death is “will I see him again?”.  Of course you will!  It is a given!  And we both know that “givens” are hard to come by.  But since Jesus died and rose from the dead, we can count on it!  Keep that hope alive brother!  Will Thursday nights continue on the new earth?  Yes indeed!  We will have an eternity of Thursday nights!  We have not even scratched the surface of what we will have together!  And that goes for all my brothers and sister, and wife and mom and daughters and friends and brothers and sisters in Christ.  Be strong Phil and refocus all doubts to the certainty of the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.  And that is why I am certain that I will see you again!  You have been a great joy in my life! Can’t wait to see you there!

Asher-it is always hard to lose a grandfather, but I am not lost…just with the Lord! Be strong and grow in the faith.  You will become a great man of God. Despite the doubts the world will throw in your face as you grow older, do not despair, but trust in the Lord.  Since I didn’t get to be alive for the rapture, perhaps you will.  Study it.  Memorize Revelation 3:10, Phil 3:20-21, John 14:3 and I Thess. 4:13-18.  Study the 33 reasons why the rapture is before the 7 year tribulation.   These verses will give you a hope that not many have.  As the chaos of the world increases, know that the Lord is coming back. Keep that hope alive in you! And keep enjoying those wings and hot sauce.  Eat some for me!  You will always be my wingman! We will enjoy our time together on the new earth.  Count on it!  I love you! Can’t wait to see you there!

Laurel-sorry I will not be there to see you dance and show off all your talents! But I will be watching from heaven!  Be strong and continue to grow in the Lord and become a mighty woman of God.  Study the bible and never turn from the faith.  The Lord will be with you in good times and the hard times.  Enjoy your brothers and sister all the days of your life.  I look forward to spending a lot of time with you on the new earth.  I love you with a big hug! Can’t wait to see you there!

Zachary-may the Lord bless your life on this earth, but a new earth is coming and it will be amazing!  We are told in I Corinthians 13 that now we see in a mirror dimly, but then we will see face to face and will know as we are known.  We will know each other my brother in Christ.  We will get to spend countless days together and enjoy the Lord who will be with us.  I love you!  Can’t wait to see you there!

Corinne-my sweet one!  May the Lord use you in mighty ways all the days of your life.  You will be a great example to many! Always trust Him!  We may not understand why He allows certain things to happen, but He is in control and we will know the answers one day.  Study the scriptures and memorize your favorite ones.  Be strong in the Lord. Always be encouraged!  We will have a great time in heaven together! I love you so much! Can’t wait to see you there!

Roger Peachey-my brother in Christ–the ways of the Lord are as high above our ways as the heavens are above the earth.  I don’t know all the whys of the Lord and wish we could have spent more time together and visited more places on this planet with Donna and Lori.  But we got a taste of it.  Puerto Rico was great and what a blessing! And this is just the beginning!  I am convinced that we will explore and enjoy a number of places impossible to imagine!  I have been blessed to know you and we will continue that journey together on the new earth.  You are a great man of God and I encourage you to continue to be strong and a wonderful example to your wife and sons and to their wives and your grandchildren.  You have been blessed by the Lord! I love you and look forward to some incredible times that we have ahead of us!  I will secure the best pours and top notch cigars! Start planning! Can’t wait to see you there!

Lori Peachey-what a blessing you have been in my life!  Thank you for all you have done for Donna and I.  Continue to be strong and help Donna through the difficult times.  I know you will be there for each other.  Your servant attitude shines through and I know the Lord will honor you for it!  You are a great woman of God!  I know we will share some wonderful times together on the new earth.  Perhaps we can cook up a storm?  And perhaps you will sing to all of us the words, “good morning to you, good morning to you!”.  And it will be a great morning! And the Lord will be there!  And He will be praised!  I love you and can’t wait to see you there!

Ryan Peachey-I love you my brother in Christ.  May the Lord continue to bless you and Jessica all the days of your life.  I know a future heaven seems like a fantasy, but it is a reality.  The scriptures guarantee it.  And if the Lord has been raised from the dead, then it has to be true!  Be strong and a mighty example to Esther and Jessica.  And we will have a great future together on the new earth!  Can’t wait to see you there!

Alan Peachey-I love you my brother in Christ!  I think you are the true explorer of the family and adventurer.  Can you imagine what is in store for you in the new heavens and earth?  Perhaps we can explore new galaxies together.  It will be better than sky diving!  Stay strong in the Lord for Jenea and your kids.  What a blessing you have!  And may the Lord continue to bless you all the days of your life!  I will see you soon, so be ready!  You just might need a wing man to help navigate the eternal waters.  You have seen nothing yet! Can’t wait to see you there!

Kevin Peachey-I love you my brother in Christ! May the Lord continue to richly bless you and Kelsey all the days of your lives.  I am thankful for the times we had together, but also the times we have ahead!  Can we take craft brewery to a new level?  Just imagine the resources we will have at our fingertips!  Be strong in the Lord Kevin and keep the faith!  He is coming back!  I look forward to spending awesome days with you on the new earth!  Don’t go too far as I will track you! Can’t wait to see you there!

Jeff Weaver-I value your friendship and have been blessed by you!  And it was so much more than just making wine together, but developing our friendship.  Some may think I am kidding by such a literal interpretation of the new heavens and earth. Some may think it a fantasy that we will have touchable bodies that can eat and feel. Some may think it preposterous that we will have assignments and projects and work to do!  Some may think it ridiculous that we will eat and drink and fellowship with each other!  But I am not kidding!  There is a biblical precedence for all of it.  The scriptures will be fulfilled…every single word of it. Will we make wine together on the new earth?  Why not?  Jesus said that He would not drink from the fruit of the cup until He comes into His Kingdom.  We will be right there to enjoy it with Him! Stay strong Jeff and continue to be a great man of God and example to Ruth and James!  I will see you on the new earth and we will map out a strategy so that we sit under our own vineyard and fig tree! And the deer will still leave us a bountiful crop! I love you and can’t wait to see you there!

Larry and Linda-you have been great friends and a great inspiration to Donna and I.  Even though we have not been able to get together as often as we wanted, I know there will be no limit of days to do such on the new earth!  Stay strong in the Lord and enjoy your family! Keep hope alive!  The Lord is risen!  I love you and can’t wait to see you there!

Greg-I love you brother in Christ!  Thank you so much for your friendship and partnership in the gospel.  I hope you can do my funeral and emphasize the physical aspect of the eternal state that is on an actual earth.  We will not be floating around as spirits but in actual bodies!  May the Lord bless your retirement as you and Stella stay strong in the Lord all the days of your lives.  What a future we have together!  You are not just a dreamer and it is not all a lie!  We will dwell in the house of the Lord forever! Can’t wait to see you there!

Door Mat Gang-Catching flounder every year and fellow-shipping together with you guys has been a joy that I will never forget. You are all amazing and I know God will continue to use you in mighty ways. I do believe that some seeds planted in this current life will come to harvest in the new heavens and on the new earth. Jesus words to his disciples (Matthew 25:23): “Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; now I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master” is a hint to what is in store for us. Keep reaching out, keep building traditions and keep being an example to others. I do believe we will engage and plan fishing trips together as part of entering the joy of the master. And we will also study the bible and proclaim Jesus to those around us…a growing population that will need to hear the good news! I can’t wait to do that with you!

Friends-it is almost impossible to mention all my friends (I apologize if I did not mention you) who may be reading this. For Dean and Brenda, Sheila, Elaine and Steve, Jose and Nancy, Walt, Ephesus church members, fellow workers at BB&T, nieces, nephews, Greg Burton, Nancy, Toni, Cisco, Wrenn, Julie, Aunts and Uncles: I am so thankful for your presence in my life and your testimony to Jesus Christ. The Lord has used all of you in special ways throughout the years as He has been working all things out for “good”. Eternity is a long time so we will have countless opportunities to get to know each other. Keep the faith and know that Jesus is coming back. He rose from the dead and so He must be who He says He is. Believe it more strongly then ever! And I look so forward to seeing each of you there!