It has been at least two weeks since I last posted here and for good reason. In the last two and a half weeks I have buried my father in the ministry and my wifes great grandmother. Throughout it all there has been such a great sense of peace around not only me but the family and that can only be the outpouring of the peace the Bible talks about that surpasses all understanding. a peace that can only come from the Heavenly Father above.
From the outside looking in these deaths so close together would make you think how difficult life can be, but it is actually quite the contrary, this has been a great time in my life. Now that does not mean that I have not and do not continue to mourn the losses of Papasan Craft and Granny Womac here on Earth, it is just that both of their funerals were testimonies to the fact that death had no sting for them or any other believer in Christ. While one went quickly in the prime of life, and the other after a prolonged illness it was equally better for both of them to leave this Earth and go home to be with Christ. You see they did not have reason to fear death for their Savior had conquered death for them and given them the keys to His kingdom.
It is that realization that has gotten me through this trying time. At the visitations and funerals these two bodies were surrounded by friends and families that they had impacted while they were here. The reach of their impact on the world around them was evident to all in attendance even if it had not been to those who were deceased. This is inspiring to me because these great ambassadors of the faith had no idea how many lives they touched while alive, and just continued in lives of obedience and godliness hoping only to please God, and in pursuit of that goal they both pleased God but made an indellible impact on those around them.
How freeing it is for me and all Christians to know that whether we ever realize the impact we have on others or not if we keep our eyes focused on walking in the newness of life that Christ has provided for us we will please God and by His power we will have an undeniable impact on those around us. It is amazing to me that even a man as wretched as I am might be able to impact anyone on this Earth much less impact them for the Kingdom of God through the newness of life God extended to me by the death burial and resurrection of His only begotten Son.
I thank God that He has finally allowed me to see firsthand why a Christian's funeral should be a celebration and that it is only dependent on my obedience to Him. That is something I can do and so can anyone else.
As if that were not great enough, I have continued to be blessed over the last few days as my life has "gotten back to normal" so to speak. I was honored with the opportunity to preach at Solid Rock Baptist Church last night and they were so much more than generous with their love and support of me. That means the world to me because as a preacher the hardest thing to do is to not be able to preach anywhere. As if that were not enough today my wife and I found out that the new physical life that Christ has entrusted to us is going to be a boy!! I have to admit I have been praying hard for our child to be healthy and a boy (the idea of raising a girl scares me!!!) While I would have been extremely happy either way I am ecstatic that we will be welcoming David Samuel Jenkins on June 20th as the Lord wills.
It has been a rough road on the rural route lately but even in the midst of the low and trying times God has continued to bless beyond measure. So for those who might ever read this who are experiencing the rough stretches of life on God's route for them, keep holding to the faith because as you will learn like I have these past few weeks that even when life is the roughest God still blesses and makes it better than a seemingly easy life of disobeying Him.
May God's grace and mercy bless and comfort you from to rural route to whatever route God has placed you on.
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