Written: Oct. 24, 2016
Once again, God allowed a grief moment to be enveloped in a joy moment. It’s really been amazing how many times the joy of new babies coming into this world have surrounded the loss of Raouf in this past year. Even just the day before he passed away, we were greeted with the wonderful news of the arrival of baby Ella to Kris and Nikki Hallfrisch.
So, yesterday, as I was in full baby mode with the double baby shower for Sanaa and Nermin, I was so happy to see Vicky Watts. After taking her gifts for the babies, she handed me something else — Dan’s sermon from Raouf’s funeral.
I couldn’t take it in…I wanted to be overcome, but life broke in, and I responded with a gracious thank you and hug, and quickly put the sermon on the table and turned back to the thought of the lives to come. I’m not upset with Vicky for giving me the sermon at that moment. I realized later that I was actually grateful. Where is your sting, O Death? It’s swallowed up in life!
Not only, is the sting of death taken away by the Hope we have in Christ, but it’s also taken away by the fact that our life goes on, and new lives come. Yes, I’m sharing with you the pages of Dan’s sermon, because it shouts life! I’m also sharing that God helps us through the grief of loss by blessing us with the joys of lives to come. So, I’m thankful for all the blessings that have come in this last year and those to come…Soleil Ray, Ella, Silas, Mena, Miracle, Baby Girl Attallah, Baby Boy Boles and Baby Boy Melek (in 2017)!
These are the lives that have helped me through my grief, and I’m so thankful for God’s timing in spreading them out throughout this year. I pray for each one of them, that they will live their lives knowing the love of Jesus and grow to be men and women who love and serve Him as the great man of God, Raouf Ghattas.
Grace and Peace