Our church family lost a very dear man this week. He always had a smile and a kind word. I remember many times seeing him out at the local grocery store and his face would light up with a hello when he saw anybody he knew. He was a quiet, gentle, kind man. The type that could create calm, but you know if you ever needed anything you could ask. He and his wife are very beloved at the church. He will be missed greatly.
I think back on all the prayers that have been prayed for him and his wife during his illness. I like to think that we will all continue to pray for his wife and the family as they struggle through the days ahead to make sense of a life without him. So please keep this dear family in your prayers.
Yesterday on Facebook, a friend of mine wrote a post that I asked her if I could share it on my blog. She gladly agreed. She said if her words could help someone else then she would have done a good deed for the day. I will call her "Jane". Jane lost one of her twin sons in September, just a few weeks short of his 21st birthday. He had battled cancer for a couple of years. He would beat it against all odds only to have it come back again with a vengeance. His twin brother did a bone marrow transplant to help prolong the young man's life. But it was not to be. He suffered great pain many times through his ordeal, yet he never gave up hope. He trusted 100% that God's will would be done.
But despite all the marvels of modern medicine, God soon called him home. Jane has been battling daily to come to terms with her grief at losing one of her sons at such a young age to such a horrible disease. She is struggling with her pain and trusting God daily. Please keep her in your prayers. Here is her post in her own words from Facebook yesterday:
"I go to the grave almost daily. The other day someone told me when I was upset that he'snot in that grave, its just an old shell and that his spirit is in Heaven. I politely said I know but deep down I was hurting bad. But what they'd forgotten, in their desire to be helpful was that "shell" was precious to me . I had carried that "shell" in my body. I was there when that "shell" breathed his first breath. I taught that "shell" how to walk and talk and ride a bike. I bathed that "shell". I loved the way his red hair curled and his feet were shaped like his mommy's. I stood over that "shell" in an intensive care unit for weeks. And then I watched that "shell" take his last breath and then I kissed a cold "shell" forehead before they closed his casket. I know they were trying to help but maternally and emotionally, I wanted to scream. I did everything for that precious "shell" I knew to do and it stopped breathing and its now in a grave. That hurts so bad. I love you all. Pray for us."
Her words touched my heart so much. She has been a dear friend since we were about 3 or 4 years old. It is painful to see her going through so much hurt. Yet, her faith in God remains strong. But her post made me stop and think. God answers prayers, even when they aren't the answer we want. When a loved one passes on, we must as Christian brothers and sisters continue to pray for those left behind to carry on. There ordeal is not over, it is just beginning. We mustn't forget that their pain is still here. They still face daily struggles. So let us continue to pray for those who need our prayers.
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