Dear Matt...

I am writing you this letter as a 'Thank you' to you and how you impacted my life.

I am doing it on my blog because you effected my thinking, you made me think beyond my life, you stirred up my passion in life to not be luke-warm...and I think other people need to know to.

You don't know me Matt, I had a friend text me and ask me to join your Facebook group to pray for you. I started following your blog posts and reading the past ones too. I read the messages on your wall. There was no denying that you were loved and loved people too.

My name means Light (Sun Star) and God over the years has really challenged me to be that light to others. Well you have been a massive light to me Matt, and I have not even met you! Your life made me stop. It made me think. Am I allowing Jesus to shine through me to others?

In 2008 I decided to 'step out of the boat' (get out my comfort zone) and trust God fully, which led me to the mission field. My life is about living it to the full in Christ, and never being half hearted. Reading the many comments from people after you died were amazing - you stepped out of the boat, you lived life with zeal, and it was contagious (for me) to make me what to try harder in my everyday life to live fully for Christ. It took me to the thought....what would people say after I die, what would be the phrase on my headstone be, it challenged me to live the life God has called me to, because well we just don't know how long we have, do we?!

You also really got me thinking about life after death. As a Christian I forget that. I forget that there is a bigger focus, there is the Kingdom of God, its just not all about earth. The day you died God lead me to read 1 Corinthians 15....it is all about the resurrection. Perfect passage. It reminded me to hope, to have joy in things, to serve and to live for Christ. To focus on the beyond...the Kingdom of God and what it yet to come, to live how it should of been. These verses (42-43, 56-58)really stuck out for me, for you...

"...Our earthly bodies are planted in the ground when we die, but they will be raised to live forever. Our bodies are buried in brokenness, but they will be raised in glory. They are buried in weakness, but they will be raised in strength...For sin is the sting that results in death, and the law gives sin its power. But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ...Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless."

I sit here writing to you, with sadness that I didn't get to meet you - you 'read' as an amazing person. But also with joy because you had such certainty in where you were going, in Christ.
I sit here wondering just how many seeds of love and the desire to know more of Christ you have planted in peoples lives....it's exciting!

So thank you Matt. Thank you for being a faithful servant to the Lord until the end of your life. Thank you for allowing Jesus love to shine through you. Thank you for teaching me, for reminding me to hope, to focus on God's kingdom. Thank you for challenging me to live fully for God.

Thank you