the best is yet come!!!!

The best is yet to come. You’ve probably heard this phrase before, but do you know what it actually means? I never understood what the best is yet to come is truly about until summer of 2019 when i heard this story:

There was a woman who had been diagnosed with a terminal illness and had been given three months to live. So as she was getting her things in order, she contacted her pastor and had him come to her house to discuss certain aspects of her final wishes. She told him which songs she wanted sung during the service, what scriptures she would like read, and what outfit she wanted to be buried in. The woman also requested to be buried with her favorite Bible. Not to mention, she wanted to be buried with a fork too. Everything was in order and the pastor was preparing when the woman suddenly remembered something very important to her. “There’s one more thing,” she said excitedly. “What’s that?” came the pastor’s reply. “This is very important,” the woman continued… “I want to buried with a fork in my right hand.” The pastor stood looking at the woman, not knowing quite what to say… “That surprises you, doesn’t it?” the woman asked. “Well, to be honest, I’m puzzled by the request,” said the pastor. The woman explained. “In all my years of attending church socials and potluck dinners, I always remember that when the dishes of the main course were being cleared, someone would inevitably lean over and say, “keep your fork.” It was my favorite part because I knew that something better was coming… like velvety chocolate cake or deep-dish apple pie. Something wonderful, and with substance! So, I just want people to see me there in that casket with a fork in my hand and I want them to wonder ‘What’s with the fork?’ Then, I want you to tell them: “Keep Your Fork”… “The best is yet to come.” The pastor’s eyes welled up with tears of joy as he hugged the woman goodbye. He knew this would be one of the last times he would see her before her death But he also knew that the woman had a better grasp of heaven than he did. She KNEW that something better was coming. At the funeral, people were walking by the woman’s casket and they saw the pretty dress she was wearing and her favorite Bible and the fork placed in her right hand. Over and over the pastor heard the question “What’s with the fork?” And over and over he smiled. During his message, the pastor told the people of the conversation he had with the woman shortly before she died. He also told them about the fork and about what it symbolized to her. The pastor told the people how he could not stop thinking about the fork and told them that they probably would not be able to stop thinking about it either. He was right.

This woman knew that the best was yet to come. While her life had been amazing and she had followed God all throughout it, she knew that the best was still yet to come. She was going home to be with Jesus, and she knew that was the best thing yet to come for her. And she was so right.

This is why when I was thinking about fundraising for the world race, I knew I wanted to incorporate this quote somewhere. It means so much to me and I hope you now will hold it near and dear to your heart too! So next time you hear someone say the best is yet to come, it can remind you that yes, the best truly is yet to come!!!!

Your Sister in Christ,

Madeline Honea