When God Took My Friend & the Trials, Tribulations, and Triumph of Sparkie Bottoms

By Larry D. Hunter

The Essence of this Book
This book is about losing that very very special loved one in your life! Sometimes its more that one person you have lost to the monster of death. However, as Christians we are promised victory over death, even as our forerunner Jesus Christ having conquered death through his all powerful resurrection, which assures us of victory over death as well.
Knowing this gives us hope as we look upon the frail body of the one we love so dear, as they venture through the pathway to deaths awaiting arms. We are comforted in the fact that Jesus takes away the sting of death for all His children, though to us it looks excruciatingly painful, ugly, gross, and so very unlovely.
The great monstrosity death with a all that it has brought to us in life as Christians shall be swallowed up in victory! And we all shall shout even as our LORD! O grave where is thy victory! O death! Where is thy sting? But thanks be to God Who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 15.51-58). This book reveals the happiness and joy you can have even though sickness, pain, heartache, lonely nights, suffering, loss of a dear loved one in this life, yet, in spite of it all you can live the victorious life because you are in the everlasting hand and arms of your loving savior Jesus Christ. (John 10.28 & 29, Deut. 33.27).
Friend, God is our dwelling place and underneath us are His everlasting arms of love, even in our trouble and trials that strength and love remains. I saw that in losing two wives one to Lupus, and one to breast cancer. Yet their joy and victory stayed intact and remained. Both were awesome women of God in this 21st century.
Read on and be immensely blessed by their lives and their circumstances as they eventually faced what many are facing throughout America, the world, and perhaps in your family the monstrosity called death. God gives victory, joy, peace, care, and love, amidst the pain and sorrow we face. He is a loving God. He is a caring God. He is the omnipotent God, from all our births until we all reach immortality at His coming through His Son Jesus Christ!
The author, L.D. Hunter

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Nov 30, 2012
• ISBN: 9781477289464

Larry D. Hunter

L.D. HUNTER, is widowed and lives in Cary, N.C. just outside of Raleigh. He is the father of three children all grown up. Dennis Ray, of Fort Sill Army Base Lawton, Oklahoma; Cynthia Harville, Willow Springs, N.C., and Patricia Rayford of Greenville, N.C. He is the very proud grandfather of 7 grandchildren, and one great-grandchild. L.D. Hunter was born to the late Mr. & Mrs. Robert Green of Sharpsburg, N.C. He attended the Elm City High School, Elm City, N.C. and is a graduate of the Edgecombe Technical College of Rocky Mount, N.C. 1985. L.D. (Larry) Hunter is also a 1980 graduate of the Manna Bible College of Wilson, N.C. a four year school. Born and raised on a four horse farm between Sharpsburg N.C. and Elm City, N.C; along with 18 brothers and sisters, of which they all learned the meaning of sharing in a blended family there on the then called Barnhill Farm. Here they all learned the meaning of hard work, as they harvested tobacco, corn, cotton, watermelons, cucumbers, beans, and provided nearly all their vegetables and meals from the family garden, and obtaining their suntan with no shades, umbrellas, or sun blockers to protect them from the sun. O’ there were lots of fun as well at fishing, baseball, basketball, barbecues, and delicious family dinners and celebrations at Harvest Time, 4th of July, Christmas, mule back riding and playing in the sand, climbing apple trees, peach trees, pecan trees, and playing with each other day after day on the farm as children and teenagers. The author’s prayer is that you will be encouraged, strengthened, inspired, invigorated, blessed, and live in the joy of the Lord “knowing” Jesus has the backs of all His children, yes, the lowest and the highest of us we travel this rugged, sometimes twisting, yet narrow road God Himself has designed for each of us. So, friend you are not alone. We have thousands of travelers! Remember Israel? God has designed your path and He is with you, yes, even today, and though that path may lead to the “shadow of death” at times. It will not hurt us, though some will be frightened by the shadow. However, we must remember that even in this darkened path for a little season it’s just the “shadow” of death. Death must pass on even as it passed on in Israel during the very first Passover, and yet what happened? God’ people still prevailed and rejoiced in all the blessings of God’s abundant grace, love, and provisions, yes, even in the very presence of death.

Book preview

When G 26173.jpg D

Took

My Friend

& The Trials, Tribulations, And

Triumph Of

Sparkie Bottoms

(A short story)

. . . a threefold cord is NOT easily broken (Ecclesiastes 4.12)

L.D. Hunter

US%26UKLogoB%26Wnew.ai

AuthorHouse™

1663 Liberty Drive

Bloomington, IN 47403

www.authorhouse.com

Phone: [phone]

© 2012 by L.D. Hunter. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse 11/21/2012

ISBN: 978-1-4772-8945-7 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4772-8944-0 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-4772-8946-4 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2012921317

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

This book is printed on acid-free paper.

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Contents

Foreword

The Essence Of This Book

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

About The Author

Thanks

Foreword

WE HAVE ALL EXPERIENCED some type of loss in our lives. Loss of a job, a friend, a relationship, or someone very close. Loss can be unexpected, painful, tragic, and dark. Sometimes there are no words that can express the agony, pain, and hurt that we feel.

My brother, the author of this book, has experienced such a loss. He has been through all the gambits of the emotion called grief. He has felt the dark nights of the soul, but he has also experienced walking . . . out of the darkness into his marvelous light (1 Peter 2:9) that Jesus Christ can give.

It is my sincere desire that the pages of this book will lead you out of any dark days of gloom, despair, or depression into the love and hope that is in Christ alone.

2nd Corinthians 1 3-4

Psalm 46: 1-2

Lucian Green

Lucian Green, and his wife Joyce, reside in Clayton, N.C. and have four children, Lucian Jr., Caleb, Tracey, and Jackie. Lucian Green is also a graduate of the Manna Bible College, a four year bible school in Wilson, N.C. Lucian is also a retired carpenter. He is also an ordained minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and a lover of men, women, boys, and girls everywhere. He also sings songs of great inspiration. His album, Rose of Sharon can be found all over the world as you google search Lucian Green. Lucian Green is one of L.D. Hunter’s younger brothers.

The Essence of this Book

THIS BOOK IS ABOUT losing that very very special loved one in your life! Sometimes it’s more than one person you have lost to the monster of death. However, as Christians we are promised victory over death, even as our forerunner Jesus Christ—having conquered death through his all powerful resurrection, which assures us of victory over death as well.

Knowing this gives us hope as we look upon the frail body of the one we love so dear, as they venture through the pathway to death’s awaiting arms. We are comforted in the fact that Jesus takes away the sting of death for all His children, though to us it looks excruciatingly painful, ugly, gross, and so very unlovely.

The great monstrosity death with all that it has brought to us in life as Christians shall be swallowed up in victory! And we all shall shout even as our LORD! O grave where is thy victory! O’ death! Where is thy sting? But thanks be to God Who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 15.51-58). This book reveals the happiness and joy you can have even though sickness, pain, heartache, lonely nights, suffering, loss of a dear loved one in this life, yet, in spite of it all you can live the victorious life because you are in the everlasting hand and arms of your loving savior Jesus Christ. (John 10.28 & 29, Deut. 33.27).

Friend, God is our dwelling place and underneath us are His everlasting arms of love, even in our trouble and trials that strength and love remains. I saw that in losing two wives one to Lupus, and one to breast cancer. Yet their joy and victory stayed intact and remained. Both were awesome women of God in this 21st century.

Read on and be immensely blessed by their lives and their circumstances as they eventually faced what many are facing throughout America, the world, and perhaps in your family . . . the monstrosity called death. God gives victory, joy, peace, care, and love, amidst the pain and sorrow we face. He is a loving God. He is a caring God. He is the omnipotent God, from all our births until we all reach immortality at His coming through His Son Jesus Christ!

The author, L.D. Hunter

When God Took My Friend

By L.D. Hunter

Why? And it’s so strange. What a void! I remember the joy to be in their presence, and the joy of seeing them at their best enjoying life! All went far too soon for me, and those who loved, and was as fortunate as I was to have known them, talked with them, laughed with them, cried with them, cut the fool with them, and above all loved them. I’m thankful to God daily for their life, love, professions, character, smiles, and eternality. We shall meet again! May God give you strength and patience till we all understand?

Lost a loved one, or think you may lose a loved one? Well, you’ve got the right book. All about the One you loved.

Photo_1.jpg

L.D. Hunter with his wife Sheila Adams Hunter.

Why are we so happy?

God allowed us to meet our soul mate and best friend,

That would be each other!

CHAPTER 1

My Friend

The Big Halle Berry Smile!

MY FRIEND WAS LOVING. My friend was humorous! My friend loved big houses and nice things in life. Before my friend got really sick we used to ride out and look for a larger place to stay. We decided on a ranch style home, one with everything on the first floor, the master bedroom, kitchen, bath, living room, and outside screened in porch with sliding doors.

You see, my friend was a cancer patient, and could get tired quickly using the stairs so much. We found that out with our condo. What I love most about my friend was her humor and the big Halle Berry Smile she gave to everyone! She loved going to movies, and theatrical plays, and her favorite restaurants here in Raleigh, The Bahama Breeze, and the Red Lobster of which we frequented often when she was strong and vibrant, and her cancer treatments and radiation treatments didn’t cause her a flare up, or to become very weak.

Her love for the God who made her really let me know I had the true jewel in a marriage partner. She often talked of the goodness of Jesus, and His love and power, and though weak on occasions would praise God in her holy dance, or get excited when I would praise Him as well. I loved her. She made me happy everyday! She made my day! I remember our very first date. We met at Buffalo Brothers restaurant, Capitol Blvd Raleigh, N.C. She stood there in what looked like 5 inch heel boots, and the biggest Halle Berry Smile you’ve ever seen, and truthfully we fell in love at first sight!