Hi, friends
The last few weeks have been hard. On Mother's Day a tragic accident happened to a family of our church. Their son was leaving church and was involved in a tragic accident. He passed away. After receiving this news I was instantly heartbroken for these people whom I call my friends, whom I call my family in Christ. Their lives were instantly turned upside down on a day that should have been a day of celebration. There are no words to describe how terrible this was. On the way back to Huntsville I had made a few plans to help in any way that I could. After visiting with them on that Monday I was even more heartbroken, but there was also something stirring. I could feel it in my soul. God is so good y'all. Through this he was working in the lives of a lot of people. I couldn't really see the full impact on our church as a whole at that moment, but I knew we were all grieving along side this sweet family. Come Wednesday night services I go to my class for the night and someone comes in and lets us know that the family was there and we were going to pray over them. When I entered the sanctuary you could feel the sorrow. You could feel the love throughout the whole room. Our church as a whole was grieving. We were mourning the loss of someone we loved and someone we have prayed for. Someone we had seen God answer many prayers for. Someone who came to know who Jesus was. Someone who had struggled back and forth, but still sought after Jesus. We grieve for a family who consistently seek the Father. We grieve for our family. After the family had come in and we prayed over them I look up to see a circle of people who love and care about them. People were crying and weeping. I didn't even realize there was that many people on Wednesday nights, honestly. I saw faces of people that I did not even know. That night we didn't even make it through our lesson. It was a night for grieving and healing. It was a night for us to come together as a church and grieve together. I can't tell you that I left feeling joy that night, but I can tell you that I left feeling the healing power of God. I felt a true peace that surpasses all understanding. A peace and comfort that only comes from the Father. I felt a love that crosses all boundaries. I can't think of a time that I have ever seen a church family come together in such a way that I have seen with this. It was one of the most beautiful things I have EVER witnessed. I will remember it for the rest of my days. I could go on and on about it, but all I really want to say is this, if you don't belong to a church family or if you don't know who Jesus is and how he radically changes lives and builds relationships and Saves, protects, guards, fights for you, heals, loves beyond comprehension, and all of everything then you are truly missing out on something special. They will never get to see or talk to their son again on this earth, but they have peace, hope, joy and restoration in Jesus. They know that this was never his final home. They know that they will see him again. They know that they have a church family who will stand along side them and walk them through this terrible season of sorrow and loss. I truly love our church and everyone in it.
edited to add: I forgot to mention a few important events that happened in between all this time and after, but one I wanted to mention was that following Sunday morning. I was running late to church so I came in a few minutes after service started. When I walked in the door I saw a people standing side by side towards the middle of the church arm around arm and hand in hand! They were singing a song without any music. The praise band came together in one line on stage and with one BODY they worshiped. What a blessing it was to see this. It was truly magical and beautiful. OF course, after this song they broke off and service went on as usual. IT was powerful. It was love. It was one body filled with a lot of people. I am so thankful I was able to witness such a wonderful thing.
1 Thessalonians 4:13-14(NIV):
13 Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. 14 For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.
John 11:25-26 (NIV):
25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; 26 and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”
With love,
Felicia
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