I am Pepper's husband and Josh's father. I am thankful that the Lord has given her the strength to start this blog. The moment I found out about Josh from another son was surreal. I knew it had happened but my mind failed to fully wrap itself around that idea. It was though it was a foreign concept in an undefined and undefinable category. As my mind began to actually process the unthinkable as reality it felt as if someone had reached into my gut and pulled out my bowels. Yet I had to reserve enough resolve to tell my wife, who was in the next room. Then I had to try to hold it together for the both of us while it seemed as if the whole world was disintegrating before my very eyes. Thank God for God because I had no strength. Jesus was with me then and He is with me now and forever. He continues to take me from pain to worship.
(originally written as a comment on December 23, 2010)
MAUI SUNSET
Photo by Pepper. All rights reserved. AS THE SUN SETS, SO IT RISES
4 comments:
Gloria and Pearson,
The pain of losing a child is too severe to attempt to put into words. There is no cure to make the pain go away and sometime you wonder if it will ever get any better. There are only two types of relief that are availabe, faith in God and time.
We know because we lost our son Brad on September 21, 2007 and there has not been one single day that we haven't thought about Brad and either laughed, cried, or simply talked to him in our own private way. Some people mistakenly think that they should not talk about Brad because it might make us sad. Nothing is further from the truth. We want to talk about him and remember the 39 years that God loaned him to us here on this earth.
There were many meaningful quotes/stories that helped us deal with our loss and hopefully they will have some meaning to you and Pearson.
I will hold on to the love,
I will give up the pain,
I will live my life to the fullest,
Until we meet again.
THE LITTLE SHIP
I stood watching as the little ship sailed out to sea. The setting sun tinted his white sails with a golden light, and as he disappeared from sight a voice at my side whispered "He is gone".
But the sea was a narrow one. On the farther shore a little band of friends had gathered to watch and wait in happy expectation. Suddenly they caught sight of the tiny sail and, at the very moment when my companion had whispered "He is gone" a glad shout went up in joyous welcome, "Here he comes!"
May God comfort you in knowing that Josh will be in that group to welcome you.
In His care,
Rod and Jane Moore
This post is from Pearson (poppa):
Thank you Rod and Jane. It is amazing how you have blessed me since Josh's death. You have been so open and honest with your feelings but oh so sensitive to my feelings. Although I have known you a little over a year, I feel like I've known you all of my life. God knew that I would need to receive His comfort through you the first time I met Rod at the fishing pier. His grace is truly amazing.
I love you,
Pearson
I have heard it said that "there are some things that only time can heal." But the reality is that "that are many things only eternity, not time, can heal." Apart from the certainty of eternal life, there is no hope or meaning in this life. Paul teaches us, "For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him. Therefore comfort each other and edify one another, just as you also are doing." (1 Thess. 5:9-11)
In this life, there is no lasting, final healing for the pain that invades our body, our soul, or our life. But there is comfort for today and strength for tomorrow in the certainty of God's promises we embrace with our fellow believers in the gospel of the grace of Christ.
In the same letter to the believers in Thessalonica, Paul wrote, "But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethern, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as other who have no hope." (1 Thess 4:13) Then in the following words, to comfort in the times of greatest sorrow, he reminds us that when we are joined with Jesus at His return, it will be "with them" (i.e. our family and friends) who have preceded us in death.
These words don't teach that in this world the believer will not experience "sorrow." But it does teach that the believer finds comfort in the midst of sorrow because "God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus."
Wow, our heavenly Father understands our love for family and friends is so strong that His plans for the return of His Son, Jesus Christ, include the whole family. I've been to Disney World a couple of times - always with my family. Disney World is designed to enjoy with your family. So also is eternity.
We sorrow greatly over the loss of ones who are close and dear, especially when they leave us when they are young. We hurt that they will not experience the events of our earthly lives where we can share our joys. But, God has guaranteed, that the greatest event we could ever share together, the return of His Son Jesus Christ, will be a family reunion!
This is our comfort... a family reunion that never ends! It is God, our Father, gathering all of His children to Himself.
"And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying; and there shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away." (Rev 21:4)
Love,
Bob McDonald
Thanks Bob. The temporal makes no sense without the eternal. Eternity makes no sense without the hope in the promises of God in Jesus Christ.
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