I hate cancer. I hate that it has no boundaries. No regard for anything but destruction. I hate that it has no limits, no prejudice, no care of who it affects and who it takes.
Yesterday morning we lost a very dear friend to cancer. A young, vibrant, loving, man. A man who loved his wife of 8 years. Who adored his three young children...and another due in July. A man who valued his friends and family. A man who was genuine, and caring, and funny, and silly, and serious.
He just turned 37.
His wife turned 35 today. The day after her husband passed away.
8 weeks before his child is due.
Cancer took his body.
But it did not take his life.
Cancer did not reign victorious. Jeff's faith assured that. Heaven reigned victorious in gaining a true saint. A true man of God. A man who did not waver in his faith. Who did not turn his back on God, his faith, his beliefs when days were dim.
We witnessed a true miracle in the beginning of Jeff's battle. Stage 4 cancer, given months to live...Jeff proved God is a God of miracles. That cancer could not be found in Jeff.
But it returned.
Yes, there are so many questions. So much confusion.
Why?
And why this loss?
And the painful answer for those left behind on this earth...there is no answer that will take away the pain. There are no answers on this earth.
But Jeff lives. He lives fully. He lives free. He is no longer in pain. His life has only just begun.
The night before Jeff passed away I had spoken with my dear friend, Jeff's wife. We talked about a few things. I tried to get an understanding of how things were looking. Brett and I arranged to go the next morning to visit with Jeff.
We did not make it.
Literally as we were leaving, our sister-in-law (a relative of Jeff's) messaged me saying Jeff had passed away that morning.
Why didn't we go the day before. Why didn't we have that last moment.
The questions one always asks.
But no one believed this was what was going to happen yesterday morning. This wasn't how it was supposed to happen.
Brett and I sat and cried.
One day I will share about a personal experience I had had the night before and the morning of Jeff's passing. Before I knew Jeff had passed away. But for now I will wait. For now I want to share that with my friend Tamara first.
Yesterday afternoon, EVERY cloud in the sky reminded me of an angel. EVERY could was a whispy sillouhete of an angel. And how fitting. Because an angel most certainly entered heaven yesterday.
What an amazing man of faith. He never wavered. He never stopped trusting God and His word. He never gave in to bitterness. He never doubted.
His life has always shined light...but in this while...he shone brighter than ever.
His life is a testimony. His life is a witness. His life had value and meaning. HAS value and meaning.
He was and is loved by so so so many, and his physical earthly presence will be missed deeply.
I can hear his laugh. His laugh that could make anyone join in laughter.
I can see his face...his smile.
I can see him whole, healed...
But mostly, I hear his laugh.
I ask that you please keep Tamara and the kids tightly wrapped in prayer each and every day forward.
For this little one waiting to enter the world. This little piece of Jeff preparing to enter this world.
Pray for comfort. Comfort beyond understanding.
Jeff, you are truly loved, and you will be deeply missed.
Yet I know...we'll hear your laugh again one day!
Thank you, Lord, that through You, we will hear Jeff's laugh one day as he greets us at heaven's gate.
We love you! And we miss you!
No comments:
Post a Comment