One Year Ago

Dear Marcia,

We’ve noticed on our calendar that it’s approaching a year since your lover, Carlin, and our friend, was taken from you and us to live forever with Jesus, the One he loved and served so enthusiastically.

What can we say, we’ve no experience to share that’s even close to what you’ve experienced for the past year. This last 18 month journey you’ve had to make on your own.

All of us, who love you dearly, have done what we could, to show our love and share your sorrow; however, your journey you’ve had to make mostly on your own. The quiet meals, the silent evenings, the empty bed beside you you’ve suffered alone. Only a loving God, who suffered the loss of His Son can really understand and say words of comfort to your heart and soul. He too suffered alone.

I’ve just read the devotional message our Mel gave to a couple who grew up in his church in Prince George. This couple, Murray and Rebecca, buried their 10 day old baby a few days ago, who died of a congenital malformation of her brain blood circulation. Mel and LaDonna drove from Edmonton to Prince George to speak at the memorial service. At our request he forwarded his notes to us. I’d like to share a small bit of his devotional with you. He spoke from Psalm 86.

Psalm 86:11-16  "Teach me Your way, Yahweh, and I will live by Your truth.  Give me an undivided mind to fear Your name. ¹² I will praise You with all my heart, Lord my God, and will honor Your name forever.
¹³ For Your faithful love for me is great, and You deliver my life from the depths of Sheol. ¹⁴ God, arrogant people have attacked me; a gang of ruthless men seeks my life.  They have no regard for You.
¹⁵ But You, Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger and rich in faithful love and truth.  ¹⁶ Turn to me and be gracious to me.  Give Your strength to Your servant; save the son of Your female servant."

"Murray and Rebecca, we want to tell you that what we see in you is that you are not just wanting God to do something for you … you are desiring in this journey to learn from him so that you can become like him – Teach me your way … you are making a commitment, even in the face of this tough journey, to not allow yourself to develop a divided mind.   It is on the basis of that commitment that David asks God for one thing … Give your strength to your servant.”  And that, our dear friends, is perhaps the best way to summarize what we are praying for you today … and as you move forward … Lord, give your strength to these your dear servants.” 

We cannot say it better. Allow me to change the last line of Mel’s devotional for you: "Lord, give Your strength to our dear Marcia, your dear servant."

With our love,

George and Kay