My Dear Sweet Robert,
Five months have come and gone since that December day when you left us. I know you didn’t want to leave us that day, but often times in life, we don’t get to do what we want. It seems we just have to deal with what is given to us. And we are not given a choice, except in how we choose to respond.
Jahnette’s mother, Grace, is very ill. A malignant brain tumor was removed this week. Please ask God to send someone special to protect and guide her and the whole family as they seek to determine the best medical treatment for her. I know all too well the devastating impact a few words spoken by an unknown doctor can have. Ask God to comfort them with a peace that only comes from knowing Him.
I find myself heading into what will likely be an emotionally charged long weekend. Today and tomorrow, along with about 15,000 other women I will be attending the Women of Faith Conference, Infinite Grace. Sherri, my very dear niece, has made sure that I have a ticket to attend. For that, I am immensely grateful. Seeing and hearing the speakers will be like visiting old friends. Because…
I last attended a Women of Faith conference in 1996, the year Ed decided to divorce me. As you know from our many conversations early in our relationship, I was devastated by that event. I felt so alone and so heartbroken that I couldn’t even envision what the years ahead in my life would look like. But, after spending a weekend with inspiring ladies like Barbara Johnson, Patsy Clairmont, Marilyn Meberg, Shelia Walsh and Luci Swindoll, I began to feel like I just might find the strength to survive. From those dear ladies, I learned that you could be laughing one moment at something they said, but then suddenly you could find yourself tearing up with emotion at the poignancy of the story being shared. Or you would have tears as a sad story was being shared and then suddenly they would say something that had you laughing hysterically. It is a good emotional roller coaster to be on. And I believe great healing of our inner spirit can come to us through these times.
Thankfully, I kept several audio cassettes from those ladies. I recall you and I listening to them while we traveled on our little get-a-way weekend vacations. You laughed and laughed at their stories. I really enjoyed that about of you. Most men would never have listened to the tapes at all. Yet, you actually enjoyed hearing them. I believe they brought us closer. Now, while I find myself going through this profound sadness and loneliness at losing you, I am anxious to see these ladies again. I am drained emotionally and I look forward to hearing them speak again and getting filled up again.
The most amazing thing is happening at Women of Faith this time. There will be one man speaker. At first, I thought how strange to have a man speaker at a women’s conference. And then I wept with complete amazement at seeing the hand of God working in the intricate details of my life. That one man is none other than Max Lucado.
I was reading Max Lucado’s book, In the Eye of the Storm, A Day in the Life of Jesus, to you, throughout what was, ultimately your last day on this earth. I had brought the book to the hospital to read to you, thinking it was a book you had given to me. I knew you enjoyed his books and his unique style of writing. I recall one Christmas you picked out Max Lucado’s book, In Case In Case You Ever Wonder for each of our children. You insisted they understood that you wanted them to read the book to each of their children individually. You wanted each of our grandchildren to know how special they are.
When I opened the book to begin reading, I gasped audibly when I saw a bookplate with the name, Alice Ray. It was your Mom’s book. I felt there was great significance in the symbolism of reading your Mom’s book to you in the hours preceding your final moments on earth. It was as if God put that book on my heart to bring and read to you to signify that your Mother would be waiting nearby to greet you.
I believe God uses the threads of our lives to weave our individual and unique tapestry. I am humbled by the realization that He cares so much about even the tiniest things in our lives. To think that out of all the Christian authors in our country, Max Lucado was chosen to be the one man speaker, and that I will get to see and hear him tonight and tomorrow is absolutely amazing. God is so good to us; God is so good to me. Please thank Him for me, for the golden threads that he is weaving into my tapestry through this Women of Faith weekend. I am going with the expectation that I will laugh; I will cry; and I will be blessed.
As You Know, You Were Always Loved, and Never Will Be Forgotten.
Love,
Kim
Phil 4:13
Five months have come and gone since that December day when you left us. I know you didn’t want to leave us that day, but often times in life, we don’t get to do what we want. It seems we just have to deal with what is given to us. And we are not given a choice, except in how we choose to respond.
Jahnette’s mother, Grace, is very ill. A malignant brain tumor was removed this week. Please ask God to send someone special to protect and guide her and the whole family as they seek to determine the best medical treatment for her. I know all too well the devastating impact a few words spoken by an unknown doctor can have. Ask God to comfort them with a peace that only comes from knowing Him.
I find myself heading into what will likely be an emotionally charged long weekend. Today and tomorrow, along with about 15,000 other women I will be attending the Women of Faith Conference, Infinite Grace. Sherri, my very dear niece, has made sure that I have a ticket to attend. For that, I am immensely grateful. Seeing and hearing the speakers will be like visiting old friends. Because…
I last attended a Women of Faith conference in 1996, the year Ed decided to divorce me. As you know from our many conversations early in our relationship, I was devastated by that event. I felt so alone and so heartbroken that I couldn’t even envision what the years ahead in my life would look like. But, after spending a weekend with inspiring ladies like Barbara Johnson, Patsy Clairmont, Marilyn Meberg, Shelia Walsh and Luci Swindoll, I began to feel like I just might find the strength to survive. From those dear ladies, I learned that you could be laughing one moment at something they said, but then suddenly you could find yourself tearing up with emotion at the poignancy of the story being shared. Or you would have tears as a sad story was being shared and then suddenly they would say something that had you laughing hysterically. It is a good emotional roller coaster to be on. And I believe great healing of our inner spirit can come to us through these times.
Thankfully, I kept several audio cassettes from those ladies. I recall you and I listening to them while we traveled on our little get-a-way weekend vacations. You laughed and laughed at their stories. I really enjoyed that about of you. Most men would never have listened to the tapes at all. Yet, you actually enjoyed hearing them. I believe they brought us closer. Now, while I find myself going through this profound sadness and loneliness at losing you, I am anxious to see these ladies again. I am drained emotionally and I look forward to hearing them speak again and getting filled up again.
The most amazing thing is happening at Women of Faith this time. There will be one man speaker. At first, I thought how strange to have a man speaker at a women’s conference. And then I wept with complete amazement at seeing the hand of God working in the intricate details of my life. That one man is none other than Max Lucado.
I was reading Max Lucado’s book, In the Eye of the Storm, A Day in the Life of Jesus, to you, throughout what was, ultimately your last day on this earth. I had brought the book to the hospital to read to you, thinking it was a book you had given to me. I knew you enjoyed his books and his unique style of writing. I recall one Christmas you picked out Max Lucado’s book, In Case In Case You Ever Wonder for each of our children. You insisted they understood that you wanted them to read the book to each of their children individually. You wanted each of our grandchildren to know how special they are.
When I opened the book to begin reading, I gasped audibly when I saw a bookplate with the name, Alice Ray. It was your Mom’s book. I felt there was great significance in the symbolism of reading your Mom’s book to you in the hours preceding your final moments on earth. It was as if God put that book on my heart to bring and read to you to signify that your Mother would be waiting nearby to greet you.
I believe God uses the threads of our lives to weave our individual and unique tapestry. I am humbled by the realization that He cares so much about even the tiniest things in our lives. To think that out of all the Christian authors in our country, Max Lucado was chosen to be the one man speaker, and that I will get to see and hear him tonight and tomorrow is absolutely amazing. God is so good to us; God is so good to me. Please thank Him for me, for the golden threads that he is weaving into my tapestry through this Women of Faith weekend. I am going with the expectation that I will laugh; I will cry; and I will be blessed.
As You Know, You Were Always Loved, and Never Will Be Forgotten.
Love,
Kim
Phil 4:13
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