“...‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things.Come and share your master’s happiness!’ - a fitting parable, told by Jesus, Matthew 5:23* * * * *"Come Unto Me"Take 6 - Come Unto Me Josie Serving as a Worship Leader at Calvary Chapel.Josie M. Ramirez:Selfless Servant for ChristA Portrait of Christian CharacterWhen I accidently fell upon the information that dear Josie had passed away, and then confirmed it with her church, my concern turned to anguish, and, frankly, I had a good deal of anger for a short while. I cried out in silence,“Why God, why?” This despair I felt inevitably led me to the questions, “Why take this precious person who was earnestly seeking you, Lord? Why take someone that was such a light to the world? Why didn’t You take some other person - like me - with all my faults and shortcomings, and not her?”It was shortly thereafter that I felt I needed to go on a “journey” to resolve this question in my mind, so I could have peace where I initially saw none. This is how this tribute site was born, for in this small way, I could both comfort myself, and share with others, in reviewing the Lord’s own words.And God was faithful, for He has answered this for me. You see, I had forgotten, in the early moments of grief, that only God can truly have a full understanding of the second, eternal life we Christians have waiting for us; I now have faith in God that there was a reason for her to be taken this way, and so quickly; I suppose all will be revealed (or it will be as though it no longer matters) when the Lord reveals all to us in Heaven. In any case, I thank God that Josie was spared of any further suffering here on earth; and I know in my heart that it has freed her to go on to serve Him in person up in Heaven, and, I have no doubt she will take her place singing glorious, angelic psalms to the to the Father and the Son. Once God gave me this peace, I could ask God to start taking away the pain and grief caused by her passing from this physical plane, and begin a more lasting remembrance, not of mourning, but one of praise that speaks to the love and joy Josie had for others, which is far more important to those of us that remain here – that is her spiritual Christian legacy, by using prose, verse, and song.                                                                How did Josie, at first glance, who seemed to be an unassuming woman, short in stature, (such a person could initially be easily overlooked); a wife, mother, and an artist…  How did she manage to triumph in Christ, where others have faltered? It was because Josie was, and still is, a living example to others as to how one should live for the Lord in this world; for Christ was truly her lead, and the Bible, her filter, and, based on these holy standards, she became a true believer, in that everything should withstand a Christian “bottom line” as to whether it was something she would include, or do away with, in her life. Josie was very mentally strong and intelligent woman, and yes, she was very pretty, but I never once saw her use these traits for any worldly advantage; on the contrary, she had accepted that no human life is perfect, including the one she was living, and she desired instead to humbly and continually ask God to help her, especially when the road seemed too difficult to bear at times. Because of that, she could feel peace and assurance in the arms of Christ. With this understanding, she could begin to break down the spiritual and emotional walls in herself rather easily, so she then could be of assistance, using the Lord’s grace and understanding, to others that she observed were not filled with the Spirit. It was this evolving act of submission she was ungoing, I believe, that first caught my curiosity, and eventually, and it was her that helped me to learn to love and trust God, and to trust her friendship.In that way, she left her natural, emotional self, and used her “Christian filter” to put aside the disagreeable, imperfect ways of people in the world, earnestly looking for the best in others, even though they might not initially see those things in themselves. She was unusually pleasant, cool, calm, and filled with love and patience, not prone to judging another hastily or giving up on them, and she was always watching for opportunities to teach, help, and support a friend, or even a new acquaintance, because she understood that all things eventually work for the greater good in God’s plan. You see, Josie knew that we all are potential saints for God, and the result was that she stood in this world as a mighty soldier for the Lord, and in the working of his Great Plan.She had a rare gift of being able to handle women and men in a way that transcends male or female, and do it with ease and understanding. Due to her Gift of Encouragement, which she knew was graciously given to her by Holy God, she worked on herself with an ever increasing understanding of the Word, to be better for Him. With this knowledge, she soon was able to assist others, which eventually would allow them to be more freely and spiritually receptive to God’s Word. Josie’s life here on earth may have been shorter than most, but I know her life was spiritually full, and often she was full of joy, for it was Christ whom she let fill the gaps here and there in her spiritual life that would have otherwise been disappointments, of great and small measure, to her. In the arms of Jesus, she could minimize these worldly issues, so she could then focus on her bountiful love and care for her husband, her son, her friends, but most of all, to pass on the lessons of life given to us through wisdom bestowed on her by the perfect Jesus Christ. A Christian can only wish for a life to be made so clear, which grew to be so black and white in terms of Good and Evil, that life decisions as to what was right and wrong were made easier for her. In this way, Jesus Christ gave her a bountiful, complete, and successful, spirit-filled life."You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a basket, but on a candlestick; and it gives light to all that are in the house. Let your light shine like that before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father, which is in heaven."- Matthew 5:14-16 (Jesus speaking)No finer friend and confidant have I had, nor would I ever want. She opened her life and testimony to me, and, imperfect and lost as I was, I learned the meaning of love and life in the embrace of Christ. I will miss her deeply, but I know that Josie, is living a blessed life eternal now, unencumbered by the mortal trappings of a fallen world. It is in this way that I am joyous with Christ, and for Josie, on this day forward, knowing her life stands as a solid example, a Christly testament of faith and love for those that our just willing to read and receive it.Thank you, Josie, for sharing Christ, and yourself with me. It is a Christly deed that shall be spoken openly among those precious in your life, so others may know. It’s an eternal treasure that I will never forget, for it was through your servanthood which allowed me submit to letting Christ shine through in me, and it is that light which will continue to show its holy luster, each and every day, as I make strides to live for Christ Jesus.Always in Need to Learn from Christ,MikeFebruary 15, 2012 If you would like to know more about Josie, and her example of What it Means to have Christian Character, please click below:PLEASE RIGHT CLICK HERE"Christian character is important because it promotes harmony in ourselves." - Pastor Alex Montoya, First Fundamental Bible ChurchRIGHT CLICK HERE FOR MORE FROM THIS PASTOR“It is possible to become discouraged about the injustice we seeeverywhere. But God did not promise us that this world would be humane and just. God gives us the gift of life and allows us to choose the way we will use our limited time on earth.It is an awesome opportunity, and not to be wasted.”  - Cesar ChavezWant to See & Hear More Music Videos?RIGHT CLICK HERETo View Sympathy Cards: RIGHT CLICK HERERIGHT CLICK HERE FOR WEB PAGE LINKS TO VIEW ENTIRE MEMORIAL* * * * * * * * * *Please Donate to the American Cancer Society in Memory of Josie - RIGHT CLICK HERETribute Author's Journal Notes:* * * * * * * * * *You May Contact the Site Author at:  [email protected] (or Click Here)