In 1993, at the beginning of the summer leading into my eighth grade year, I moved to Denison, Texas and my journey as a member of Parkside Baptist Church began. I was nervous, as you would expect any soon to be teenager to be upon moving to a new town and preparing to attend yet another new middle school - three in three years. While I was nervous, God was in control and already had His people in place to welcome me with open arms. In the eighth grade, Mike Davis was my Sunday school teacher. From the first time I was greeted by Mike's big, warm, joyful smile, I knew he loved me. Knowing someone loves you, cares for you, and accepts you as you are has a significant impact in the life of a preteen searching for their purpose and their place in life. Throughout the remainder of my time as a student in the student ministry at Parkside, many wonderful memories were shared with Mike and the entire Davis family. From Falls Creek and Mexico mission trips to Disciple Nows and numerous other opportunities when Mike and Kathy served or opened their home to us, I came to love the Davis family that had so warmly welcomed me to a new town and a new church. On Friday afternoon, October 6, 2000, I was driving on highway 75 in Sherman, Texas. As I was driving, I felt a feeling within that I had never felt before and I have not felt since. I felt as if I was in a Stars Wars movie and I was experiencing a disturbance in the force. The feeling within made no sense but I knew something was not right. That weekend several friends and I had planned on going camping. We met at Dan and Heather Daniel's house, but there would be no camping that weekend. My friends, Bryan Daniel and Rick Billingsley, debated which one of them would be the one to break the news that there had been a car accident earlier that afternoon. Mike's oldest daughter, Bethany, along with a friend, had been killed. Bethany was a beautiful young woman in every sense of the word and was and continues to be such a blessing to all who knew her or her family. For a long time after, I questioned God. Why would He take someone like Bethany? Why would He take such a kind, compassionate, gentle spirit? It didn't make sense. I didn't like it. And I certainly didn't agree with it. I was angry. If I had the option I would have taken her place without question. But that wasn't God's plan no matter how hard that may have been for me to accept. As time has passed and I have matured in my relationship with God, my why has transitioned into a why would God bless me with a friend like Bethany? Why would He bless me with the Davis family? I am so undeserving. Many years have passed yet I still miss the moments that have turned into memories. Those memories now serve as a reminder of God's faithfulness and the abundant blessings God has bestowed upon me throughout the years through the many people whose paths I have crossed in my journey as a member of Parkside Baptist Church. Sometime in the following days that October weekend, I received a phone call asking if I would be willing to serve as a pallbearer. What a tremendous honor! With great sorrow, yet with great hope, we celebrated the life of Bethany. Twenty years have passed and Bethany has now spent twenty years in heaven. Though the Bible does provide some imagery of what heaven is like, as the MercyMe song states, I can only imagine. I can only imagine what it has been like for Bethany to experience eternal life in the presence of her Lord and Savior. I can only imagine what it will be like to see her again one day. I have no desire to marry; however, if God has other plans for me, I pray He has someone like Bethany Davis for me. And I pray that, whether it be at church or at school, to at least one student I am a Mike Davis. Because if that is true, that student has no doubt that they are loved and that student sees Jesus in me. I am a better man today because of the impact of Bethany and the entire Davis family. Thank you God for Bethany! I miss you and I love you Bethany.
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