The Lovingkindness of the Lord

Dear Friends,

I know it has been months since I published any updates.  The swirl of  end-of-school activities, preparing for Jason’s graduation, making vacation plans etc. occupied so much of my energy and time that I felt the need to step away from the blog for a while.  I have recently been encouraged by many friends to began to update again.  I was afraid that after so many months people had stopped looking at the blog but I now know that many of you still check it on a regular basis.  Thank you for your continued interest and concern about our needs and how the Lord is working in our lives.

Jason graduated from high school in May and is heading to Bob Jones University the end of this month.  I am so excited for him and eagerly wait to see what the Lord is going to do in his life.  My excitement for him is accompanied by a coming sense of loss.  It is always difficult, I am told, to send your first child to college.  For Krista and me, however, it will be even more difficult.  This will be another dramatic change for our family.  Another empty chair at the table.  While this loss is appropriate and good, it is still a loss.  We will miss him very much.  At the same time though I would not dream of holding him back.  I told Jason recently that Layne and I raised him to reach this point.  We raised him to let him go someday to serve the Lord with his life.  College is the first step in this journey.  I will be watching eagerly and prayerfully as the Lord molds him into the man He would have him to be.  Please pray for him as he faces this exciting but difficult step.

Pray also for Krista.  She recently returned from a trip to the Wilds with her heart encouraged and her committment to the Lord renewed. ( I am so thankful for the Wilds Christian Camp and the impact they have had each summer on the lives of both of my children. )  The Lord has given her a group of close friends in the youth group at my brother’s church.  They have all been such a blessing and encouragement to her.  She finds it so encouraging to be with them because they also love the Lord and want to live for Him.  What a wonderful thing it is to see a group of young people searching for ways to serve the Lord together, praying for one another and encouraging one another in the Lord.  They all gave their testimonies in a special service last Sunday after returning from the Wilds.  What an encouragement to hear them praise the Lord for the lessons He has taught them and ask for prayer concerning decisions and new committments they made.  Pray for them all as the school year starts and they seek to be a testimony to other young people.

Also, please pray for me as I begin a new school year.  As much as I have needed the rest and relaxation of summer from a physical perspective I know it will be good for me to get busy again.  I am excited to meet my new students and am praying the Lord will use me this year to plant the seed of the gospel in their hearts.  Teaching is such an amazing privilege!  Pray also as I continue with my pottery classes on Thursday nights.  The Lord has opened the door for me to meet so many new people.  Please pray that He will use me there to be a witness and testimony for Him.  Pray that I will take every opportunity He gives me to share my testimony and the gospel with these dear people.  What a blessing it would be so be able to lead some of these new friends to the Lord!

Finally, please continue to pray as our family seeks to move forward without Layne.  The summer has been difficult for all of us because we always had so much time together during the summer time.  We have missed Layne greatly every day.  Over the last few months we have been through Layne’s birthday, our first family vacation without him, our first wedding anniversary and our first cycle of lazy summer days without his fun-loving presence.  It has been difficult.  We have missed him deeply.  Layne always planned “vacation suprises” and fun family activities over the summer.  We have missed his laughter, leadership, companionship and care.  Most of all we have missed his love.   I know his love is not gone.  He is in heaven with the Lord loving us still.  But we miss the expressions of love that he always so faithfully gave us; the hugs, the support, the encouragement, the family jokes, the special trips, the teasing, the guidance…the list goes on and on.

In this loss though we are learning to depend more and more on the Lord.  I watch in amazement still has He tenderly comforts us and meets us in our grief.  He daily lifts our hearts, supports us and leads us.  The Lord is so faithfully meeting the deep needs of our hearts.  We miss Layne’s leadership and strength but we are finding the Lord is filling the void.  He is leading and strengthening us.  He is the only One who can.  Through it all He is giving us a deeper understanding of His amazing lovingkindness.  He is such a tender, compassionate Father and Friend!

“O praise the Lord all ye nations; praise Him, all ye people.  For His merciful kindness is great toward us: and the truth of the Lord endureth for ever.  Praise ye the Lord.”  Psalm 117