I just want to thank those of you who commented on my blog or emailed to let us know that you were thinking of us in regards to the anniversary of Jessica's death. Thanks SO much!! I never understood until going through it ourselves how the emotions still can run high so many years after someone's death. We always sort of dread October 3rd, and never exactly know how it will hit us each year. Last year was especially hard... the date fell on Tuesday, the same day of the week that she died.The time following Jessica's death was very hard, but we really felt God's arms wrapped around us, through the tangible expressions of His children who were near us. We had just moved to Ann Arbor a few months before Jessica died, and had expected to try many churches before finding a church home (just as we did with our recent move to Arizona). But God plugged us right into the very first church we visited, before we even moved down to Ann Arbor! He knew we were going to need a good, loving church family in place right away.
Before we left Marquette in July 1995, we got lined up to rent one of the church's homes for missionaries on furlough, since nobody needed it for a while, right on the church property. Since the house wasn't available for 6 weeks, a newlywed couple let us live with them. Pete & Lori are still great friends, and it was so nice to have them come alongside us and grieve with us. There were many other people at Grace Bible Church who cared for us, not to mention many family members who were within a 2-hours' drive from us. Our proximity to Grace made it so convenient for being a part of the ladies' ministry and the choir, which were crucial for my healing process.
God took very good care of us through this whole, horrible experience of losing our first daughter. Later, when I was diagnosed with a brain tumor in 2004, we were able to look back on this experience and *know* that God was going to carry us through the brain tumor diagnosis & surgery, because we had seen Him carry us through Jessica's death. It reminds me of how the Israelites kept thinking back to how God got them out of Egypt and brought them to the Promised Land.It's so easy to forget how God takes care of us, and "Remembering Jessica Day" is a good reminder of His love for us. Thanks for remembering with us! It means so much to us. :)
1 comment:
Hi Amy,
I've been really enjoying catching up on your lives through your posts. I haven't spent much time online for the last few weeks, but am getting back into the groove of checking 'important' ;) blogs. *smile* You're so right in this post when you talk about the past troubles in life preparing you to trust God in the current tough time, whatever it may be. I've not had as many tough times as so many people, and for that I'm thankful.
Sometimes after a horrible experience I wonder what could be worse and will come next; I feel so "prepared" for it, but dreading what might lie ahead. Then I remember that God knows what will best bring him the most glory. And perhaps nothing tough will happen for a while! Whatever happens, I will trust him. And your family is a great example of that. Thank you.
Love,
Sandi
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