Many of the members from our first church we joined, when moving to Minnesota,are now pillars of our current church. It’s funny how we can pick up with people from our past and become immediately reattached. Two years ago, we lost three of those original church members to cancer. It’s so bittersweet for the Christian when someone in our church family dies. We know full well, that their suffering has ended and that they have inherited eternal life, but it’s very hard to say goodbye when a fellow Christian passes.

This friend was enjoying his retirement. He was very interested in trying his hand at art. Paul hoped he would have had the opportunity to give him a few tips. He always asked if I was going to be in another play soon and wondered what I was going to be writing about today. He showed genuine interest in other people. He was a quiet, dignified man, yet you could tell immediately that his heart was devoted to Christ. A true soldier of the cross, he worked hard alongside other Christian brothers and sisters to build our first church and school.

Last week he was diagnosed with untreatable cancer of the pancreas and liver. Within one week, his life was snuffed out. A blessing because he did not have to suffer through the illness for long, but difficult for those who love him and will feel empty in their hearts for a long time.

Since we all travel different avenues in our lives, we establish new friendships and cling to the old. It is indeed good to know that we will all be reunited again on that day when Christ returns to earth once more. It will be the greatest reunion ever.

We miss you already, dear friend, but we know that we’ll meet again and our friendship will be rekindled on that day.

Mountainous clouds enshroud a sky of black,
Filled with tears from the Lord of all.
He sees and He knows our tribulation.
The depth of our sorrow is in His hands.
There is nothing we can do to take away our sadness.
We cannot change the course of our lives,
But He has turned His own tears to cleansing waters
Through the death of His beloved Son.
Washed – forgiven from sin’s deadly pain,
We can dance in His refreshing rain.

by Kathy Boecher