In Memory of Matt

A year ago today my world was rocked.  One of my great friends, Matt Miller, was tragically killed at 25 in a freak hunting accident.

It's been over a year since his chat window popped up on my Facebook.  It's been over a year since I last answered the phone to: "Christy, this is God speaking."  It's been over a year since we've argued over Auburn/Alabama football.  It's been over a year since I laughed at his writings.  It's been a year of missing my friend.

I first met Matt when I was 10.  I had the biggest crush on him for about 2 years; one of those doodle his name everywhere crushes, lol.  Matt was always the guy I could go to for everything; and I do mean everything.  After my husband, he knew all my secrets.  He could have an entire room doubled over in laughter or hollering out Amen.  He was (is) a role model to me and so many more people.

We stood in line for almost 2 hours at his visitation.  There were so many people at his funeral they streamed it into the gym at church after the sanctuary filled up.  I think I heard the number somewhere in the 3,000's, but I can't really remember.

The night after he passed away, I dreamed about him.  I dreamed about the accident in striking details that I did not find out where true until days later.  When I woke, I woke with a feeling of peace.  I know he is in Heaven.  I know good will come of his short life.  I know his legacy will live on, and it starts with a couple of sentences he had as his 'about me' on Facebook.

"I strive to live life different.  When I die I want people to say that I had a positive impact on the lives of people that I came into contact with because I was willing to do things, say things, and give things others only dreamed about, and I want to have fun while I do it"
-Matt Miller

He was a pastor at the Methodist church in Millport, Alabama.  In his honor they named a food pantry after him:

 look at the inscription under the quote:  'spent a lifetime giving hope to the hopeless, feeding the unfed and loving the unlovable'

Today for every comment left on this post I vow to donate to the Matt T. Miller Food Pantry.  The average price for a can of food is about 60 cents, so for every comment I will donate 60 cents towards the Food Pantry.  In full disclosure, I can't send it till the end of the month, but I will send it in then, I give my word.

So ... tell me:
Is there someone who has giving you hope when you were hopeless?
Is there someone who has feed you when you were unfed?
Is there someone who has loved you when you were unlovable?

or tell me a way you want to live your life differently this year ...

Tweet this; share this; make me literally pay for this post :-)

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