Sorry for the absence but these last 5 weeks have been consumed by preparation for a long awaited court date. As many of you know, our family has spent most of the last 682 days crawling forward as we continue to seek answers to the shooting death of our son Bryan. The journey is far from over, but next week, we have an opportunity to face the confessed gunman. Imagine what that might be like? A good piece of our time has been spent preparing ourselves for Wednesday, November 13, 2019. It will be Day 682 of our tragedy. Though it’s just one day it seems to encompass an entire lifetime.
Last Sunday I had the opportunity to speak at New Song Church over on Daniel Island. Inside of that message I placed this reminder from Jesus which John, the Gospel writer included in his book. It was a reminder to me and those who had gathered that morning to hear our story. Perhaps it is familiar to you or maybe you have never heard it until today.
In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.
That first statement has been born out by all of us to be absolutely true. No one gets a pass on trouble. In fact, you and I at times seem to be experts at creating trouble in our own lives, our own family, and our own relationships.
I have returned to that verse time and time again because I am fascinated by that exclamation point which follows the word heart because it engenders this thought of hope. I was having lunch just the other day with my favorite Millennial Landis, who opened up a conversation about that word hope. In our back and forth on the matter we asked this question out loud; What would life be without hope?
For me, I believe that Jesus’ thought process here in these two statements are critical to a life well lived in spite of trouble or tragedy or loss. During my own journey (which has never been just my own journey because so many of you guys have walked with me), I have listened and learned a truth about life I had never appreciated.
The truth about loss is the truth about love because suffering is the test of love. Until you lose someone you will never know fully how much you loved them.
I’m going to shut up for today and as always I hope you might have some thoughts yourself specific to this post. If so let’s start our own conversation. You never know who we might impact!
MC
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