It has been decided that we are in recovery mode. Not active search. This means that although they will not be rescuing, they will still be searching for their bodies. When the first opportunity strikes for boots to be on the mountain, they will look for them.
Anthony and Katie are with the Jesus they loved so much and served with their lives! My heart is SO broken, yet at the same time, I feel such a peace. We just finished meeting with the sheriffs and a good chunk of the rescue team...a step in healing. We were able to applaud, hug, and pray for the people who risked their lives to find Anthony and Katie.
I still have SO many questions for God....
*Why did the lives of 3 amazing people have to end?
*Why did God decide to show Himself through the weather, yet not bring them back to us?
*Why THESE 3?
*WHY????????
Yet, even though I have these questions.....I KNOW beyond a shadow of a doubt that God is in control. HE is still sovereign. HE does NOT love us any less. HE is STILL a God of miracles. HE has a reason for all of this. Do I understand Him?? no. not at all. BUT. I know my God is TRUSTWORTHY. He knows everything. He sees and knows more than I ever could....And I claim Jeremiah 29:11 - For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a HOPE and a future! I cling to that. I also know that God has granted us the privilege to walk down this road. To suffer and grieve. To know a small picture of the suffering of our Lord. To be given the opportunity to sharpen and refine my faith...to be refined by the fire!
I also know that I am called to PRAISE THE LORD. I keep coming back to that. I have had some sweet times of worship with my Jesus in the last 2 days....and what He continues to show me is PRAISE. No matter what our circumstances may look like, HE is still God and HE is still worthy of my praise and worship! In every season of my life, no matter what the storm ahead may look like, no matter if He hasn't answered my prayers in exactly the way I wanted - I CHOOSE TO PRAISE HIM. Is it easy????? hell no. Do I want to?? sometimes. but not always. BUT. BUT. BUT......
I also keep thinking about what Anth would've wanted...and he has left us an incredible legacy! His life has set the bar for what it means to serve, to be joyful, to go beyond yourself, to live life to the fullest no matter what the cost!! What a high calling! What a great thing to aspire to! We can honor his life by living like him. Anyone remember when he would talk about his tombstone testimony??? The first thing he would want is that he is a LOVER OF JESUS CHRIST! Everything else he did stemmed from that! Everything!
I'm sure I will be processing more on here...BUT - if you are still praying...FIRST - thank God for the amazing lives these three lived. Thank God for the opportunity to know them. Thank God for being God. And pray. Pray that God will be SO incredibly glorified through their lives. Pray against the devil getting in the way of the message that is THIER LIVES! Pray that as we grieve, we will continue to praise. Pray.
*songs that I've been listening to....Desert Song (Hillsong) and Praise You in the Storm (Casting Crowns)
Melanie, This post is jam-packed full of truth. You have an incredible perspective in the midst of an incredibly difficult time. The Lord will truly honor that in the time ahead. Know that prayers have not ceased. Even though the outcome has most likely changed, I will pray for God's hand of comfort and healing for your family and the families of Luke and Katie.
ReplyDeleteIn His Name and For His Glory,
Alicia
You don't know me but I see from your blog that you know my nephew, Nate, quite well. I have been praying for all of you so much since I heard the news last weekend. The verse that came to my mind this morning is "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit." John 12:24 I know that their lives will bear much fruit - your families have been such a testimony to God's love and grace! God bless as you walk through the grief and loss and then the healing ahead.
ReplyDeleteMelanie,
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for sharing. This whole incident has been so hard to understand. Your perspective has given me peace. I printed out your blog so I can read it again and again. God bless and keep you.
Ginny Knoles (Mavrick & Mals mom)