Gloria

At the end of August, Justin and I chose to fly to Chicago.  A dear friend from college, his wife, Gloria, passed away on August 21st.  It wasn't a hard decision to go.  We longed to go to show Chad we loved him.  Justin and I have known Chad since KSU.  And we desired to show that time and distance doesn't matter.  We still want to be found faithful friends.  So we arranged for our kids care and got on a plane, traveling for simple 24 hours to be there.   

It was a very real funeral-and it told of a life well lived.  It was God centered.  It was laughter filled.  There was plenty of tears.  And it was a celebration that even though Gloria has passed from this life, she is with her King and she is perfect there.  No more struggle to breath.  No more difficulty in the day to day with her intense pain.  Only a perfect, bright, glorious, Worship filled heaven to be with Jesus awaited Glo.   

We didn't know Glo well, but after listening to the stories friends told I wish we would have. I believe we would worship Jesus better if we did and that, to us, is a life well lived.

If you haven't and want to read something Chad wrote on the Caring Bridge page (about his Love for Glo) click here.  

But are two brief paragraphs taken from his letter and it has caused my heart to continue push into Jesus to be the one I worship-no matter what.  

I know what some people are thinking, how can I treat such a morbid and devastating event so lightly?  Well, it's because I believe.  I believe that Christ incarnated himself, died on the cross, and rose from the dead to redeem his people.  In short, its because both Glo and myself believe the radically powerful Bible verse that popped up on my phone today: "To die is gain."  

So, what is good theology, then?  This is: No matter what happens, I will love God with all of my heart, mind and soul.  Whether Gloria is healed from her lung disease so that she can die later (that's kind of twisted too), or whether she dies tomorrow, I will worship God.  Why? Because no matter what, God will still be God, which means his righteousness and holiness and love and grace and sovereignty will still be worthy of my all-out adoration.  Which God do you worship? 

Chad's faith is worth emulating.  

He has chosen to believe in God's goodness and to stand fast with the scriptures as his sword.  Keep fighting, Chad.  You too will hear one day, well done good and faithful servant.

We pray that Chad will be filled with His Grace and Strength as he walks this hard road of being a single dad and living without his precious wife.  

Then finally these photos below show some of our very favorite friends!  A few friends are missing :(, but many of them are here.  It absolutely was a bright spot to see their smiling faces.  Yes, we live here in NC and many live still in the midwest.  Yes, we are the ones to have God lead to the east coast.  But as I have grown older I have realized that true friendships span distance and time.  I had a misconception for a while that we only need Jesus.  But the Lord has softened/refined my heart :) and impressed upon me that true friendship are necessary to this world and boy are they special.  

There is something neat and special about this group of friends.  Sometimes I think back to those years at KSU and desire them to still be happening.  Yet they still are.  We can pick back up these friendships and it seems 10 yrs hasn't gone by.  I can still be deep and real with each of these girls (or Justin with the guys) and it speaks of true friendships.  I trust these friends. They are generous with their time, open with their hearts, laughter fills their beings, real with their sin, quick to forgive and show grace...and we just LOVE them.  

Oh and quick note...yes there was more facial hair in our group then the rest of the entire funeral combined.  :)  We sure do have some burly men!