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Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal comfort and a wonderful hope, comfort you and strengthen you in every good thing you do and say.
2 Thessalonians 2:16-17 (NLT)

Only God.

This week it happened once again. The shocking phone call to tell us that our loved one was gone in an instant, far too soon, in a tragic accident. The tears erupted the moment I heard the news, as my mind instantly started replaying what I had been through and what I now knew his wife and family would be going through in the days and months ahead. How can mere words describe the pain that death brings? They cannot. How can mere words heal our broken hearts? They cannot. Only God can comfort and heal our broken hearts. And I am forever grateful that He does, His love knows no bounds.

His Great Love.

His great love is what sustains us through it all. He guides, comforts, and provides for us every step of the way. God did it for me, He will do it for my loved ones and He will do it for you. It doesn’t matter if we kick and scream, give up, or try and run away. Jehovah-Rohi is our Shepherd, He watches over His sheep always because He loves us. Psalm 23.

He has proven His Great Love for us.

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
John 3:16 (NIV)

We didn’t have to do anything to earn His love. It’s who He is in every fiber of His eternal being! Unlike some of our earthly experiences with human love – God will never, ever stop loving us. NEVER!

His Great Love was so evident to our family this week through the Body of Christ. The local church surrounded our family with support and love and more casseroles than you could count. 😊 Family and friends, also members of the Body of Christ, traveled thousands of miles to show up, to be there, and to show God’s love in a very tangible way. As Christ’s body gathered together, stories were shared, tears were shed and hugs were exchanged into the wee hours of the night. And all around the country, for days on end, the Body of Christ has lifted our family up in prayer. God’s great love is being shared with all! What a tremendous comfort to us.

His Eternal Comfort and our wonderful Hope.

I cannot imagine facing death without God. Without the understanding that our days on this earth were numbered from the beginning. And understanding that our time here is only temporary, but that our life is eternal. Or imagine facing death without the comfort of the Holy Spirit within me. And I cannot imagine facing death without Christ. Christ is our wonderful, eternal Hope. What strength we get from this truth!

Being Strengthened.

Each step of the way I know we are being strengthened, not through our own power but by God’s. He is the One guiding us step by step. Our eternal life is not just about someday going to heaven. It’s about living a transformed life in the here and now. Every good thing we say or do is a gift from our Father. Going through the valley of death enables us to encourage others who travel behind us. Our journies become a tapestry of stories woven together of God’s faithfulness and His love. But the journey is long and hard. So how do we overcome the struggles and the setbacks?

Remember the Gospel.

In our weak moments, we only need to remember. Remember the gospel, the good news about how much God loves us, and celebrate that He sent His Son so that we might have eternal life. In order to persevere we need to remember to preach the gospel to ourselves every day, to meditate on who God is and who we are to Him. Then we will be strengthened and can share the Good News with the world. All For His Glory!