same way she had it going on before, but in a different way–a better way even–in a way that only comes when one has been exposed to and mastered some of life’s hardest lessons. But it didn’t turn out as I had hoped.

So some may ask, “Is this it then? Did the forces of darkness and evil win in the life of Whitney?”

I’ve read all kinds of speculations concerning Whitney’s death. Some seem bizarre, though not completely outside the realm of possibility, I suppose. Could a few fleeting  moments of earthly fame and fortune hold such value and meaning to Whitney that she would knowingly trade her very soul to obtain such things, as some suggest? Hopefully not!

I am beginning to grasp the complexity of Whitney’s life though, as the days go by. Although her music, her beauty, her charm, her smile almost made us feel like we knew her (for a while at least), we have to realize now we probably didn’t know her like we thought. We thought of her as God’s shining gift to the world–a princess, a shining star, a songbird extraordinaire, and I think we can always think of her in those ways.

The love and honor Whitney expressed for her mother, and the love and honor she expressed for the Lord Jesus seemed genuine, so we naturally made certain assumptions about where she was in life.

Her life was obviously complex though; I can see that now. My sincere hope is that at some point before her time on this earth had expired, she did seize the opportunity to repent and confess her desire to spend eternity with the Lord, so that her soul was truly saved.

Whitney is gone now so she cannot change anything. She can’t change her mind or change directions; she can’t watch; she can’t pray; she can’t express gratitude to God for the gifts He gave to her; she can’t think about it; she can’t talk about it. But we can still do all of those things concerning our own lives, starting right now at this very moment.

Speaking for myself now, as I consider Whitney’s life–the beauty, the pain, the struggles, the love, the victories, the losses, the beautiful music–I plan to be more mindful of the need for vigilance in my own life; to do better; to think better; to be more careful so as not to to take life for granted.

And Whitney…we will always love you.