Five Funerals and Still Hope

This has been a summer filled with pain. 
Starting with the loss of my own son in May, I have attended five funerals for different relatives in the church we attend.

My sweet 5 year old boy.
A life seemed to be cut short as it was just beginning.

A 46 year old cousin.
A life of pain amidst tough times.

An 89 year old great uncle.
A full life ready to say goodbye.

A 95 year old great uncle.
So many years and so many loved ones left behind.

A tiny little boy.
Born asleep to our friends/cousin.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/magdalengreen/5757146919/?rb=1

Returning home from the church today, after seeing our friends lay their sweet baby boy to rest, who didn't get to take even one breath,
life just didn't seem fair. 
How much more can we take?
We are a hurting people, a group where none have been left untouched.
And there are so many others that we are connected to who have also lost loved ones in the last couple of months.
The future seems bleak as we struggle along through this life.
We wonder, what's next? 
Will these heartaches keep coming?!
And reality hits as we realize...yes... they will.
This is a hurting world.
God tells us there WILL be pain and sorrow.

But THERE IS HOPE!!

 Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.
Romans 15:13

We can be encouraged, strengthened, lifted up!
We know that there IS an end to all of this pain and heartache!
Because of Christ, one day all those we have longed
for will be with us once again!
He has prepared a Heavenly Home for us.

In this place there will be no more pain... or death...or tears.

And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
Revelation 21:4

It reminds me of this song:

1. God hath not promised skies always blue,
Flower-strewn pathways all our lives through;
God hath not promised sun without rain,
Joy without sorrow, peace without pain.  

Chorus:
But God hath promised strength for the day,
Rest for the labor, light for the way,
Grace for the trials, help from above,
  Unfailing kindness, undying love.

2 God hath not promised we shall not know
Toil and temptation, trouble and woe;
He hath not told us we shall not bear
Many a burden, many a care.

3 God hath not promised smooth roads and wide,
Swift, easy travel, needing no guide;
Never a mountain, rocky and steep,
Never a river, turbid and deep.


Let us remember, than even though hard times are inevitable,
God HAS promised us so much!
I think of all of the heartache outside of our own little world.
The Christians being brutally persecuted for their faith.
The families torn apart by bitterness or abuse.
The tragedies from natural disasters around the world.

We only have ONE hope.
ONE way to persevere through this life.
HE is the way
the truth
the life.

He makes beauty from the ashes.
He gives strength for the day.
He gives us a FOREVER resting place. 

---

http://www.skywriting.net/inspirational/poems/beauty_for_ashes.html

As a side note, please continue to pray for us as our hearts ache.
On Tuesday school will start, without our little boy.
The bus will drive by, but won't stop at our house.
Life is moving ahead, even with him gone. 
It's not easy, but we have hope.