Home Sweet Home

I am glad to be home. Last week was definitely an emotionally draining one, so I ended up arriving back home a couple days earlier than I was supposed to for Thanksgiving break. There have been a lot of things going on lately that have been weighing on me and it's been a little difficult to endure, but I am not going to let it get the best of me. Just please pray for me and for the situations that have occurred recently that need prayer...

First, please continue to pray for the Brutton and Hessel families. I watched the funeral stream live on the internet. What a blessing Kathy's life was and continues to be! I have devoted my last few blogs in Kathy's honor, so please look back at those if you don't know what I'm talking about.

Second...I don't want to be all discreet, but I feel in this situation it is necessary...a dear friend of mine is going through something that is very sad and draining and I wish she would never have to go through. I gave her a call last Friday and decided that I needed and wanted to come back to see her. She has always been there for me and it would be the least I could do just to see her in person and try to comfort her. We only got to spend a couple hours together before she had other family events to attend, but I am thankful regardless that we got to hang out.

Thanks for reading and your prayers. 

 Anyway - I am definitely glad to be home! My family always has a lot of fun around the holidays and I'm anxious to continue to the traditional festivities. We have been decorating for Christmas and my mom and I have been planning for Thanksgiving. It ends up being a two-day cooking fest for the dinner we have on Thursday. Can't wait!

Peace and God Bless

In Memory of Kathy

Our friend Kathy went home to Heaven today. My last two posts have been about her to pray for her. I ask that we still pray in rejoicing, for Kathy is no longer in pain. I ask that we still pray for the family and friends that loved her so much. She was a strong woman of God that I have admired since I was a teenager.

Mike's blog post after her death was short, but powerful. The post was titled "Victory" and he said, "Her battle is won."

She fought a great fight with more faith, grace, and courage than I could ever imagine. 
                                                   
I am so thankful that I was able to visit her this past Saturday. My friends Amy, Kelley, and I were able to chat with her and Mike about good memories at church and laughed a lot too. Honestly, I was nervous about going to see her because I did not want to act any differently around her or say anything that I should not. It was a wonderful visit and I praise God for that 40 minutes I was able to spend with her. I knew it would probably be my last time to see her on earth, which was difficult.

I cried on the way home that day. I am crying right now. My tears are tears of both sadness and rejoicing. At this moment, I got a text from my dad who got a text from Kathy's father, my former pastor, saying that she appreciated my visit.

I do not have much else to say but that my heart goes out to this family right now in their time of need. Continue to pray for them to be comforted in this difficult time. May God wrap His arms around Mike and their children Maddie, Sarah, and Colin.

"Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need" Hebrews 4:16

Kathy will be greatly missed.