Change of Plans

This week was reshuffled a bit. Wednesday morning, I received a call from one of our elders that another elder, lost a child in the night. Billy was here in IL getting mover estimates. Wednesday morning his wife Hope in AL found their four year old had died in the night. We went to be with him and pray for him at his home here in IL, then responded in the best way that we knew to help him get back to AL as soon as possible.

The next several days were a blur for me, the church responding to them with precious compassion, numerous calls and visits to the office asking what people could do to support and care for them. That afternoon, the grandfather of Brian, one of our pastors died. Sin and death flooded to the forefront of my mind and my heart swelled in grief for both families at their loss.

My heart is with people and my prayer and attention was shifted greatly from my studies to Brian, Billy and Hope. Needless to say studies, sermon prep and weddings were pushed back indefinitely. Any time I tried to dedicate to studies was very distracted, until Saturday anyway.

So, I will be studying today, tomorrow, a little on Wednesday and Thursday, then taking my exams Thursday afternoon. Oral exams are in the city Tuesday the 15th with committee and hopefully then again on the floor Wednesday the 16thin the northern suburbs. Kara is in AL with Hope and some other of Hope’s friends. She left Thursday evening and will be back tonight. I am glad she went to support her and care for her friend at a time like this. She says it has been very life-giving and encouraging to hear Billy and Hope’s trust in our loving and faithful God, who also grieves with us in our sorrow.

We’ll see There have been good days and bad days of studying, many distractions, but much hope.

~ by Nate on July 7, 2008.