Live Dead: A very moving story of Sherri Jones (and her family) missionary to Jordan. PLEASE READ THIS STORY A FEW TIMES AND EVALUATE YOUR COMMITMENT TO GOD. --- “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. - Romans 8:28 Suffering comes in all forms, and the entire human race is subject to it—but we don’t like it. When the government officials came to our office and kicked us out and sealed the door; when we were threatened with expulsion from the land of our calling; when we wondered what our future held—we suffered some emotional trauma. But we knew that God was good and that He would work it out. We could trust Him with the outcome. However, on the morning of February 3, 2000, when I heard my husband’s frantic voice say, “Layla’s not breathing,” Our 10 year old daughter, awakened by the screaming and commotion, ran to ask help from our neighbors. I prayed as my body shook with the shock and with a fear that overtook my entire being. The days, weeks, and months that followed Layla’s death were the darkest days of my life. The only sleep offered to me was filled with nightmares. The enemy of my soul came to accuse and confuse me: “What kind of mother are you to let your child die?” “Where was your God when your daughter was dying?” “If you weren’t a missionary, this wouldn’t have happened!” “God must hate you to do this to you!” “What sin have you committed that God would do this to you?” “You, a missionary? Hah! You don’t even trust God, do you? Look what He did to you?” The darkness that filled my heart and mind at times was terrifying. My words cannot describe it fully. My husband, broken as he was, kept saying, “God is good.” Was He? Yes. I had believed that before February 3. But what about now? What about in the midst of all that was happening? As I stumbled through each day after the funeral, The loss of a child must be the greatest of all emotional pains. There were many days when getting out of bed occurred only because my 8-year-old and 10-year-old needed food or help to prepare for school. Each day I asked for God’s help to survive the day, and I found that each day He gave me the ability. One day one daughter asked if I would ever smile again, and I assured her I would. At the time, though, I didn’t really believe what I was saying. But God knew. He knew He was able to turn mourning into dancing if we just held on to Him. Suffering is never without purpose. God takes it all—the pain, the tears, the fear, the confusion, the questions, the doubts—and uses it to build us up in our faith, to help us see who He is, if we trust Him through it all. For years I had sung the song “All to Jesus I surrender, All to Him I freely give. I will ever love and trust Him, in His presence daily live.” Was that true? Would I? Even though I didn’t understand all that was happening in my life, I knew God would help me if I wouldn’t run from Him. I wanted to finish what He had called me to do and to be, even if it hurt. He would be and has been faithful.” Excerpt From: Brogden, Dick. “Live Dead Journal.” iBooks. This material may be protected by copyright.
Posted on: Sun, 21 Sep 2014 12:37:12 +0000