Blessed be your Name

This past Sunday was the one year anniversary of Jane Dube's death, a devoted wife and mother of two. November 23rd was the two year anniversary of Shannon's death, devoted wife and mother of four kids, all under 12. Both died from cancer and both were amazing women of God.I remember in vivid detail finding out about Shannon.She was the wife of one of Gordon's professors, a professor who was a favorite among students.He and his wife, less than one year before Shannon's death, were members of my mission team for Spring Break.We were in our doctrine class when the dean of chapel/prof of the class anounced Shannon's passing that morning.We sat in silence, absolutely stunned.Tears were shed and the dean read through some Psalms and dismissed us from class.It was a friday morning, and I cried my way through the weekend.I cried through her memorial service.And I cried as her precious 2-yr-old daughter, Lindsay, ran up and down the aisles of the chapel, not understanding what was happening. Is that kind of innocence a blessing or a curse?

Death is not something that always makes sense. In a perfect world, everyone would die peacefully from old age.But unfortunately that's not how it is.It seems that amazing people get taken from us too soon.It is in these situations that we are faced with a choice.We can either use it as an excuse to turn away from God or a reason to praise Him. I see it as an opportunity to continue praising God and an opportunity for deeper trust.Job praised God because He gives and takes away.At some point in our walk with God we find ourselves for the first time in a sitaution that we can't make sense of, and that's ok.It is at those points that we have to trust that God's ways and thoughts are indeed higher than ours.It's ok to not understand everything that goes on.If we did, how could faith ever fit into things???

In His mercy,
Sarah