在我於文章中述說自己失去女兒的哀痛後，一位悲傷的父親寄了一封電郵給我。他在車禍中失去了大學三年級的女兒艾莉莎，他需要和一個能理解他錐心之痛的人談談。

在交換了近三百封電郵的四年後，我們終於能夠見面了。他因工作的緣故來到我附近的城市，所以在那個星期天我們一起參加教會的主日聚會，共進午餐，並分享我們各自對女兒的懷念。梅麗莎跟艾莉莎，這兩個女孩都帶給人歡笑，喜歡排球，愛耶穌，卻因車禍而無辜失去了生命。

我們那天談話的重點是什麼？我們述說自己的悲傷，也一同流淚，但我們更多談到盼望。那真實可靠的盼望是建立在上帝的應許上。在帖撒羅尼迦前書使徒保羅說：「論到睡了的人，我們不願意弟兄們不知道，恐怕你們憂傷，像那些沒有指望的人一樣。我們若信耶穌死而復活了，那已經在耶穌裡睡了的人，上帝也必將他們與耶穌一同帶來」（4章13-14節）。對信耶穌的人而言，墳墓的另一邊就是生命──永恆的生命。

在結束會面之前，我們一起禱告並感謝上帝，因我們各自的女兒都已安穩地在上帝慈愛的懷中。耶穌的愛將我們的心聯繫在一起，也讓我們在原本無望之中看見盼望。

It began with an email a grieving father sent to me. He had lost his daughter Alyssa—a college junior—in a car accident, and he needed to hear from someone who understood his wrenching pain.

Nearly three hundred emails and four years later, Craig and I were finally able to meet in person. His job had taken him to a nearby city, so on a Sunday we shared a church service, lunch, and memories of our daughters: Melissa and Alyssa—two girls who’d made other people happy, enjoyed volleyball, loved Jesus, and innocently lost their lives in car accidents.  

What was the essence of our conversation that day? We discussed our sadness. And we cried. But mostly we spoke of hope. True, authentic hope based on God’s promises. “We do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope,” the apostle Paul explained. “For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and . . . God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him” (1 Thessalonians 4:13-14). For the believer, beyond the grave is life—life eternal.

Craig and I ended the day by praying and thanking God that our daughters are secure in His loving arms. The shared love of Jesus binds hearts and gives hope in otherwise hopeless situations.