It is the first day of 2012 and in just a few hours I will be attending the funeral service of a very dear friend of mine. I would never have thought this was how I was going to start off the New Year. But alas, such is life…

I will never get the chance to ask him to be a groomsman in my future wedding. He and I will not have the opportunities to minister together in the future, as I believe we had both expected. I will miss our occasional early morning conversations that were full of deep honesty, spiritual wisdom and just plain craziness (mostly on his part lol). I was looking forward to more opportunities to show up unannounced at the antique shop where he worked so I could heckle him. No more of Larry Tilly reserving a table at a restaurant under some ridiculous, made-up last name lol. That was just one of the numerous antics that he would pull, and all I could do was smile, shaking my head. I admit that tears are beginning to well up as I am typing… The death of close relatives and friends is something that I have been fortunate to not have experienced much. The last person I was really close to passed away back in 2007 so I am still learning how to cope with these types of situations.

I met Larry back in the fall of 2009 and we seemingly became instantaneous friends. It’s funny how God places the most unlikely people in our lives and it’s almost as if you already knew them. As different as he and I were, we still had much in common in the spirit realm. It wasn’t too long before I got the chance to work with him in ministry at the church where he was attending. I got a chance to experience the unique, creative anointing of this man. He was so committed to the healing and transformation of others! What amazes me about him was how selfless he was! He was willing to go penniless (and he often was) just to help somebody else and I must say that he taught me by example. Larry ministered to anyone who crossed his path in some way, but he really enjoyed reaching out to those who are considered undesirable. He loved those who most people wouldn’t even want to touch or be seen with. This was truly a man who walked in the compassion of Christ.       

The last time I saw Larry was in late August/early September and we had had lunch. I hadn’t seen him in quite a while because he was going through a transitional phase in his life. It was nice catching up with him and we had vowed to keep in closer contact. As I got in my car and began to drive off, I had some fleeting thoughts that this was the last time I was going to see him. I didn’t know why I had these thoughts running through my head, but I quickly dismissed them. Over the next few months, I was unable to contact him. No returned voicemails, no text messages, and I had no address for him. I began to get concerned about him, but I also knew that he tended to be a private person and I imagined that he was likely just dealing with some things. However, within the past few weeks I had began to feel that something was seriously wrong and I suspected that it was his health. Well, on Monday night, December 26^th I got my confirmation. The next night he was gone…    

I know now that heaven has a new comedian. I can already imagine Larry cracking jokes with the angels or even the Lord Himself! LOL! I imagine that his mansion is probably HUMUNGOUS, considering all the people he touched in a relatively short period of time. This is a man who made one of the most amazing transformations I’ve ever known! For most of his life, he was in bondage to various vices and sins. He hit rock bottom and came to the end of himself and became instantaneously obedient to the Lord. I understand that people do overcome the type of life Larry lived, but I’m just not so sure that hardly any of them become SOLD OUT to the gospel the way that he was. Also, he walked in a freedom that I have still yet to obtain. He could care less what people knew about his past because he became a SON of the Most High in the truest sense. He knew who he was in Christ and found his found his affirmation at the foot of the cross. I know that some of his boldness rubbed off on me. He would always emphasize to me that the most important thing in my life needs to be my relationship with the Father. That was all that mattered to him…

I will forever treasure the legacy that Larry left on the earth and I pray that his family, friends and I can mourn him but more importantly, CELEBRATE the fact that he is home with the Father. He would want it that way. I’m glad that he doesn’t have to suffer any more pain in this life. Thank You Heavenly Father for the gift of fellowship and brotherhood with Larry.

To learn more about more about Larry Tilly, go to YouTube and type in “Redemption of Larry Tilly.” His testimony is in two parts. I will also share the videos on my Facebook page. I pray blessings over you all as we start the New Year.