Rejoicing in the midst of great sorrow...

Josh, my brother's best friend, took his final earthly breath Saturday night at 6:50 pm and entered into heaven. I wonder what that is like... to be suffering one moment, and the next to be free from pain and sin. I wonder if Dad was there to welcome Josh... I wonder what it's like to no longer walk by faith, but now walk by sight...

So many questions... but such HOPE!

Dancing in the Storm

Sometimes life all around seems to be storm... death and suffering seem to be crashing in all around... and it doesn't make sense...

Josh, my brother's best friend, is in his final moments on earth. He was diagnosed with leukemia on January 8th of last year. He's fought valiantly. But it seems God is calling him home. He's 21... engaged... a young man with a heart for the Lord.

"He gives and takes away...

my heart will choose to say, 'Lord, blessed be your name.' "

The boyfriend of one of my students committed suicide on Wednesday night. Doesn't make sense... the big question everyone is asking, "WHY?" Only you know, Lord. Use this for good, though we can't comprehend what that might be.

In the past three weeks, I've known 9 people who have died. It's heavy...

BUT I can rest. I grieve, but I rest in knowing that I cannot and will not figure it out. I see the underside of a great tapestry... it's full of knots and what appear as cut pieces of thread. It's not beautiful. But I know the other side of that canvas is beauty beyond what I can imagine. So, I rest in the arms of the One who has designed and is creating the tapestry. He's promised that He will never leave His children. And so much more...

Hebrews 2:14-18

"Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil— and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abraham's descendants. For this reason he had to be made like his brothers in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted."

So, I continue to learn how to dance... in the sun and in the storm.