First, I apologize for no blog post yesterday.  No excuses, I missed it.  It would have been focused on humility building relationship.

Today is a hard day for the people of New Life who knew Alexis Lynn Summers.  Alex was (and IS) a wonderful, young woman of God.  She was lost to this life through a fatal car crash on Tuesday evening. At times such as these, no words can bring us comfort.  I have found a particular Scripture that has helped me through such times, though.  It is 1 Thessalonians 4:13-14.  It reads, ¹³Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope. ¹⁴We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.

Notice the Apostle Paul didn't say, "We don't grieve--PERIOD."  He said, "We don't grieve as the rest of people--WHO HAVE NO HOPE.  We grieve: we cry, we hurt, we get angry, we ask, "Why God?"  At the same time we remember what we believe:  Jesus DIED and ROSE AGAIN and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in Him--including Alex.  From Alex's perspective we can have joy, because she is experiencing the fruit of her believe, her reward in heaven.  But we remain here.  We won't have her with us again in this life. That's why there is grief AND hope.

In about two and a half hours we will be celebrating Alex's life, and sharing in a service of witness to the resurrection.  If you cannot come, please pray for the Summers family's continued comfort and strength.  Pray for the worship team to be the light of Jesus and share His truth in love to all who come.  Pray most of all that those who come who don't know Jesus will see through our reflection of Jesus' life that the difference that made all the difference in Alex's life was and IS Jesus!  I know that many, many young people will be at the service today.  My prayer is that each of them who know Jesus will let Him guide this time of grief and hope.  My prayer for those who don't know Him is that today they will so they won't be like the rest of people who have no hope in this tragic situation.  It truly IS a tragic situation from the human perspective.  Only our faith in Jesus transforms this time into victory, which we can proclaim for Alex, even as we grieve our own loss.

In times such as these, I am so grateful to God for not giving up on us when we turned from Him.  I'm so grateful that He gives us hope in grief, and joy in our times of sorrow.  May we reflect Him in our grief and in our hope today and in each of the days He gives us here together!

Let's pray:  Heavenly Father, Thank You for who You are and for sending Jesus to die that we may live--here and now and forever.  We pray that every person who reads this post today, and every person who participates in Alex's service today will KNOW You and Your sustaining presence.  This we pray in Jesus' name.  Amen.