I recall Whitney Houston singing our country’s National Anthem during the Superbowl here in Tampa in 1991 and being spellbound by her genuine pride in and love for our nation.  (Now, don’t be jealous!  I was NOT at Superbowl XXV, I watched it on TV as most of us did.)  Here’s the tie-in to the Persian Gulf War and Whitney’s performance witnessed on this YouTube video:

Being a Christian, I know that Whitney is in a better place.  She’s a believer!  And although she fought substance abuse addiction and made some personal choices that led her away from the life God intended for her she is still in Heaven today and for eternity!

I hope that all of us feel a sense of peace in knowing that she is with our Lord Jesus Christ and His Father.  Having brought a child through detox twice from drug addiction and having attended countless NA meetings with my child I have come to understand a fraction of what it must be like to be addicted to something that controls you.  It’s an illness that will consume your life if you don’t call in the support of Jesus Christ, your family and clean friends.  And even then, it’s a daily struggle to stay free from your addiction.

Thank you Whitney for trying to beat this all-consuming addiction so that we might delight in the gifts God gave you.  You have blessed and will continue to bless thousands upon thousands of fellow human beings ~ all whom are never free from sin and all of whom are praying (or should be praying) for the grace of God.

With love and true admiration ~  Beth Butler