Carrying on…

Sunday evening I read a very sad update on Facebook. A dear friend from seminary told us that his parents’ home in Joplin, MO had been destroyed. His mom and other relatives were OK, just had scratches and cuts and bruises. But his dad was missing. The next day, his dad’s body was found. And the next day (Tuesday) his sister died suddenly from unknown causes.

My heart goes out to this brother and his family. As a chaplain, I know that people get through these situations without a faith to sustain them. But the recovery is longer. And lonelier.

I’m too far away to walk this journey of loss with my friend and his family. So I pray and beseech heaven on his behalf for peace, for comfort and for courage for the healing journey of grief. I have learned through my personal experience and through being a companion and chaplain in times of grief, that the best gift I can offer is that of God’s Presence superintending mine.

This morning the Jeremy Camp song “Carried Me” came on my iTunes playlist. I offer a video of it here as a prayer of encouragement and hope… and of promise.