For days I haven’t been able to get thoughts of Amy Winehouse out of my head. The British soul singer’s funeral was yesterday, but thoughts of the circumstances of her tragic death are well alive in me. She was sad, deeply depressed and no matter how she dressed, the drugs and dreariness crept through. Though I didn’t own a CD or ever see Winehouse perform, the news of her death made me watch one of her videos. From beginning to end she walked a seedy path, never once looking at the prostitutes, transvestites, and other half naked people around her. Three times, a woman bumped into Winehouse, but she kept walking, never turning to see who bumped her or why. Interspersed with the seedy path is a shot of Winehouse in a hotel room with empty beer and alcohol bottles. Oblivious to everything that was happening along her path, she walked as if she believed she had to go through that path, resigned that debauchery would be her death. Like a declaration of resolve, she sang solid, from the depths of her soul, “my tears dry on their own.” Winehouse seemed to believe she just had to cope on her own, that there was no one who could dry her tears. Maybe she never knew that Jesus could.

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.—Hebrews 4:15

Though Winehouse may not have known Jesus or His healing power, I think sometimes we, recovering strong black women, who know Jesus forget His healing power. We run to the world’s ways to mask our pain and our lives also end in a tragic death. Yes, we still may be physically alive, but our spirits, minds and relationships may have died at our own hands. We have tried to cope our way and even when we don’t get righteous results we continue to try to cope our way, like we don’t have a Godly way of escape, a way to help us to have peace right here on earth until God calls us home.

No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.—1 Corinthians 10:13

That way of escape may be a phone call from a friend, a song that you keep hearing again and again or a message from a radio show. God will use anything to urge you to “[t]ake my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls” (Matthew 11:29). Tragic death does not have to be our end. We can live mask free and abundantly with Christ Jesus, if we trust Him. He will always be there to dry our tears, never leaving us for them to dry on their own.

Also read Why Amy Winehouse’s Death Should Matter to Christians in EEW Magazine and tell me what you think.

Note: Some of you didn’t know there was a video with Monday’s post or you tried to watch the video and couldn’t because it was private. If you missed my big video announcement, click here to watch.

Copyright 2011 by Rhonda J. Smith