Life has been good lately, really good. I've been soaring on a mountaintop plateau that I was praying would last much longer. Yesterday, I took a nosedive off of the highest cliff.
It began early Sunday morning as a handful of officers walked into the chief's office to receive the dreaded news...they'd lost their jobs. A few hours before, one of the youngest of the men had dropped off a Snickers bar for me in dispatch. My girlfriend sent an emergency all-points bulletin for any available officer to help her friend (me) quiet her sweet-tooth. One of the youngest on the force sheepishly came in and dropped the sugary, chocolate sacrifice on my desk, hoping to appease a cranky dispatcher.
Miraculously, it worked.
It was so difficult to watch this same young officer walk in and meet with the police chief to hear he had lost his job. Police chief's don't usually work on weekends, and if they are at work before 7am on a Sunday morning, it's never good. As I drove home after my shift, I couldn't stop thinking about seven young men who would be going home to meet their wives with the news.
A few hours later, our family walked into church. The regular happy morning greetings were now tight lipped nods with eyes cast down. As we walked into the sanctuary it was so quiet and somber. You could feel the heaviness during worship. "When did our church become such a depressing, un-friendly place?" I wondered to myself.
Minutes later I got my answer.
One of the men of our church had been killed in a car accident only hours before. An elder in our church body, he had led our college group and youth groups. A dear husband and father of three young children, gone just like that.
The tears flowed freely now. Our church family held onto one another as we grieved together.
Worship through tears is a very powerful thing.
Please pray for the Rouse family.
“Nevertheless I am continually with thee.” –Psalm 73:23
19 comments:
I am so sorry. My heart is for you and I am praying God's strength and peace to you and all of the families involved in these situations.
I am praying. I know very personally what your church is going through. One of the men in our church committed suicide last weekend on Easter Sunday. It's been a rough 10 days...
What a tough day. I'm so sorry and I'll pray for your friends.
Joanne, my heart goes out to you and those grieving the loss of a much-loved man as well as to the officers who are out of work. May the Lord uphold all those affected by both situations.
Oh my friend. I'm so sorry to hear all of this. I'll be in prayer for the men who lost their jobs and the family that lost their husband and father.
I pray that your time in the valley is short.
Hugs
Kim
My heart is full for all involved. Praying for all the families and loved ones. Praying for you.
Love and prayers...
That's a hard day. Being married to a cop I was so saddened as I was reading this post. It's a real stinker to loose a job no matter what it is. My husband is a training officer so we feel for him. So sad that there was a death in the church family. Sad for the family who is missing him. God knows and may he blanket them in his love. Thanks for sharing
Wow, that's a lot of sadness. Prayers for everyone. :(
I'm so sorry, Joanne. Email me if you need a friend. I will call you from my house phone to yours. Love you.
Oh I am so sorry! As a church family we have been there too! God will do powerful things through your suffering! It doesn't make it easier, but knowing he is in control gives comfort.
I will be praying, love you.
How sad Joanne! My heart goes out to those hurting in different situations. Praying for comfort, peace, and a job for the officer. Hugs, b
Hi. Linked here from FB.
You shared some hard stories. Even though we are not of the world, we still get hit by it. Thank goodness for a faith that can prevail. Good post.
Praying now....
“Nevertheless I am continually with thee.” –Psalm 73:23
Amen
I am sooooo sorry. We have been through something similar at our church with a dear friend. It is so heartbreaking & yes...the tears flow.
I love your tender heart & your love for Christ is evident through your blog. I will stop & pray for you & all those lives around you who are hurting so much.
Joanne,
I'm so sorry about your losses.
My son and I (and our SS class) were just talking about the mountaintops and the valley. He asked why we can't stay on the mountaintop. My answer is twofold -one- fruit doesn't grow on the mountaintop. It grows in the valley. And second - if we Christians stayed on the mountaintop, the people in the valley would never hear the good news.
Thankfully, He gives us mountaintop experiences so that we can be refreshed for life in the valley.
I'll be praying for the families of the officers and the gentleman from your church.
Thank you for: “Nevertheless I am continually with thee.” –Psalm 73:23
Love you,
Susan
ps - call me when you can. we still haven't had our talk...
Oh Joanne. My heart aches with this news. All of the news. Lives forever changed.
God will--WILL bring them ALL through if THEY call on HIS name.
That is so sad. Our Church just lost our 46 year old Youth Leader to a sudden heart attack. I heard the news when I got home from work one afternoon. It wasn't until the next morning that I realized that was the 911 call I took about an hour before my shift ended. My heart broke.
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