It Happens

As I walked to the beach this morning I could still feel the weight on me.  Here we are just fresh off of losing Jany, and then last night more gripping news.
God is teaching us the whole time.
Let’s go back a bit….when we returned home from burying Jany in Kentucky Tim and I attend a funeral service for a precious lady who used to work in his office.  Mrs. Linda has been a caregiver to two of her family members for years.  Now, she was the one who needed care, and her time seemed to go fast.
Then, when his daddy returned a week later from Kentucky, he attended a funeral for a friend from church. These three events happened within the month of June.
Yes, people die every day.  We know that. And that is all the more reason why I pray that people have given their hearts to God and have accepted Him as their personal Savior. I want to see all in heaven one day.  But, I’m not alone, so does God!
Well, we received word last night that our precious friends lost their 23 year-old friend/ex-six year-boyfriend/like-a-son to my friends, young man yesterday.  He was involved in a car accident. This is how July started off.
Now back to this morning.  I walked onto the beach and held my precious friend, who lost her dear friend, in my arms.  I spoke into her ear, and I will continue to pray for her and her family through this tragedy.
The weight of loss was weighing on me.  I walked out to the water’s edge and allowed the cool water to rush onto my feet; I looked up into the heavens and let tears stream down my face from grief.
It was time for some “Godly friend chat time”.  I paraded myself down to where my friend, Susan, was and we had a good, no great, talk.  I’m so thankful that God places people in our lives to comfort us and just be there in our time of need.
During our conversation, Susan mention the word “weight” and tried to remember the bible references that she heard them in.  It had to deal with “We hope that others will feel weight when they leave us after a conversation.  Not weight as in heaviness of the world, but in weight of God and His grace.”  I know.  I get what she was talking about.  You often think of people feeling “freeing”, but having them feel a total presence of God, “His weight”, is a good thing.
Yes, when we feel the “weight” of the world on our shoulders, God is there to carry it all. When we depart an encounter with people, we hope that others will feel the “heaviness” of God, and His presence around them.
I know I want/desire for God to weigh down on me.  I want to feel His presence on me all the time.
When I was walking on the beach, I could clearly see God showing me how we are not alone.  Loss of a loved one happens.  It happens daily.  It happens each moment of every day.  So no matter if our loved one died of a slow sickness, a suicide, or an accident, the survivors of that person are still here to grieve.  We are not alone.  God is with us all!
Praise God that I have the assurance, not just the hope, but the assurance, that I will see my love one again in heaven.
If you are suffering from a loss of a loved one now, I pray that you will fall into the arms of God.  Allow Him to strengthen and comfort you.

• Psalm 18:2, “The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.”
• 2 Samuel 22:3, “my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold and my refuge, my savior;”
• Psalm 34:18, “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted. He recues those whose spirits are crushed.”
• Psalm 103:11-14, “For His unfailing love toward those who love Him is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth. He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west. The Lord is like a father to His children, tender and compassionate to those who fear Him. For He knows how weak we are; He remembers we are only dust.”
• Philippians 4:6-7, “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need and thank Him for all that He has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.”

Oh, how this list of God’s spoken word could go on and on. Dive into His word and find comfort!