Author	Thread: Expose your heart.
Princekermit View Profile History	Expose your heart. Posted : 26 Apr, 2011 11:53 PM I will go first, perhaps others will follow. Perhaps, unlike me, they wont be so long winded. What deaths have you experienced that hurt you the most, and changed you the greatest? (And "Jesus" isn't an available answer.) I have to say, the lost of my father when I was a little boy, hurt me more then anything else period. It took about two decades to come to terms with it. By the grace of God, my wound is healed, and now I want to become the father I never had. The death that changed me the most, however was the passing of my wife in '01. It was just a few days before 9/11 happened. She was a Christian. She loved me in a way that I had never been loved before. She plowed the earth of my heart, and made me ready to receive the good news. God used her cousin to lead me to the Lord. Within months of becoming a follower of Jesus, she passed away. Its been a decade almost. I have experienced what godly love is like, when it comes from your beloved. It changed everything, and still blesses me to this day. Post Reply
View Profile History	Expose your heart. Posted : 27 Apr, 2011 02:13 AM I'm sorry about your wife, she sounds like such a wonderful woman. It hurts when someone who love and hold dear goes home to be with the Lord, I lost my great grandmother some years ago to cancer, when I was younger, it had huge impact on my life, and the lives of my family. She was so strong, and loved the Lord and her family so much, she loved my brother, my sister, my mom and I. She is with the Lord now. She went through a lot of amazing things when she was young as well, she went through the great depression, she grew up on a farm and she told us how men would come walking from miles away to find work on her parent's farm, and they'd help people get by. Her parent's farmhouse caught fire when she was around 11 years old, she told about how she and her family made it out safely, but all she had left was what she had on were the pins holding up the curls in her hair. I ask my mom to tell me stories about when she was young and everything my great grandmother would tell her, and stories about our family. I think about those things all the time. My great grandfather recently died, he besides my mom was the only person I had to tell me stories about my great grandma and our family past, this is why I have felt the urge to get into contact with my distant relatives. Post Reply
Princekermit View Profile History	Expose your heart. Posted : 27 Apr, 2011 06:25 AM Thank you, Rachel. Post Reply
View Profile History	Expose your heart. Posted : 27 Apr, 2011 06:36 AM What deaths have you experienced that hurt you the most, and changed you the greatest? (And "Jesus" isn't an available answer.) There have been entirely too many to count. Although they have names, I've never been good with names, so I don't remember them all. However, I can remember most of their stories. I can remember when I first encountered them, whether they were in their homes, cars, or in the middle of a field. I can remember my initial gut feeling....can I help them, yes or no? Then I go on autopilot. God uses my hands to do His deeds..or not. Next comes the hard part, no matter if the outcome was good or bad...the family and their reactions. Most of the time they're angry, even if the outcome was good. I think it's just the hyper-sensitivity that comes with those types of situations. Post Reply
valpo99 View Profile History	Expose your heart. Posted : 27 Apr, 2011 04:20 PM I've had many deaths in the family but they were expected because they were sick and old. Though death is never easy there is one death that will always hurt and impact me the most. I was a freshman in high school and a 7th grader in my youth group at church died of an accident. We weren't close friends but the fact that a 13 year old died and I was 15 scared me to death. You don't expect people younger than you that you know to die when your 15. At that point I realized that life is a gift from God and we should live it to honor him every moment of everyday. Post Reply
View Profile History	Expose your heart. Posted : 27 Apr, 2011 05:53 PM That is so very true.. I'm sorry to both of you, T, and Valpo. It's so important to have the Lord. Post Reply
NPX7 View Profile History	Expose your heart. Posted : 27 Apr, 2011 06:52 PM I am sorry so your loses Princekermit, MsMarvel, Browneyedgirlky and valpo99. I said a prayer for you just now. The most difficult death in my life has to be my mother dying 10 years ago (2001) in March. As hard as that was two good things happened that year however, I graduated from High School and my sister got married in October of that year. 10 years later and here I am. I'm blessed to work in a wonderful church, my sister had her first son, and I have a class reunion to look forward to. You know it is interesting that this topic has come up considering right now the church I attend is reading about Paul in the book "Paul: A man of grace and grit" by Chuck Swindoll. I find that interesting because having read the book thus far I have learned how difficult frankly following Christ can be at times. Though as hard as things can get sometimes, the ultimate reward is just amazing...believers get to spend eternity with the King in heaven. Frankly Scripture does not promise us smooth sailing when we accept Christ as our savior or seek and follow His will. Knowing the ultimate reward, and having the power and strength of the Holy Spirit, despite our struggles (such as difficult deaths) believers can push forward and further the kingdom of God....that is truly a wonderful thing. Post Reply
View Profile History	Expose your heart. Posted : 27 Apr, 2011 07:02 PM My grandma (mom's mom) died 2 and half years ago in October 2008, and my great grandma (dad's grandma) died exactly 6 months later in March 2009. Those were the ones that hurt the most, and sometimes it still hurts because they were my favorite of all 5 of my grandparents and I miss them so much. Both of my grandpas died with the past few months, one on Dec. 1st and the other one on Feb. 5. The first one was expected; he had been suffering from Alzheimer's since 2000 and he took a turn for the worse last summer. I knew when I saw him in August that it would be the last time I ever saw him. My other grandpa took a sudden turn for the worse overnight. I spent all night praying that he would get better even if it was just for a couple of days so I could have a chance to say goodbye like the rest of my family got, but it didn't happen. I didn't want to pray for a long time because I didn't think that God really heard me, I still think that sometimes but I know that it isn't true. Post Reply
bcpianogal View Profile History	Expose your heart. Posted : 27 Apr, 2011 07:27 PM The hardest death was that of my dad nearly 16 years ago (I was 12). It was totally unexpected; he had a massive heart attack one evening and died before the paramedics got there. I was quite a "daddy's girl", and I've missed him terribly. I take comfort in the fact that I know he's in Heaven and I'll get to seem him again someday. Another death that was hard was the death of one of the students at the college where I teach. She was killed in a car accident just one week before she was to graduate. Oddly enough, she was a freshman my senior year of college (I attended the same college that I now teach at), and we had at least one class together. I didn't know her very well as a student or a teacher, but it was still very hard to know that I wouldn't see her around campus that last week of school. It was so devastating to the entire campus community that all final exams were declared optional. Post Reply
Princekermit View Profile History	Expose your heart. Posted : 27 Apr, 2011 07:34 PM @t Doing your job has a lot of heartbreak with it, I am certain. @valpo99 yes, it doesn't seem right that the younger sometimes precedes the older into death. I hope the 13 year old had a relationship with Jesus. That would be awesome. @NPX7 Chuck Swindoll is a good preacher, one of the best of those that call themselves baptist. "Paul: A man of grace and grit" sounds like a good read. God is an expert at turning ashes into beauty. @Katie Um Wow... I sat here for almost ten minutes trying to find words. I have to say, you are not alone. I lost most of my grand parents a long time ago, I was a pallbearer for my grandfather around '96 but I lost my Mom's Mom and my brother in the same month March '07. January 24, 2011 was a very painful day for me. I was a pallbearer for my uncle who passed from stage 4 cancer, which he fought for 15 years, and had been stage 4 twice before. His last words, to anyone (family or church members) who came into his room was "Please pray that Lord will come and take me home". His only concerns were that He had discharged all of his responsibilities to his family, and that they would be taken care of, before he went home. At his service, a short video was played, music he selected was played against a number of Photos of his life. I was able to load it up on youtube for anyone that wants to see it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kIP6a0-i68o Death is the last measure of a man, if it is a slow one. Some shine bright with God love in their last hours. Others don't. I am happy for my uncle Gary, but I still miss him. Post Reply
Nkatty View Profile History	Expose your heart. Posted : 28 Apr, 2011 02:35 PM My grandmom frm my dads side was a strong single mom who loved the Lord....she made sure that we either visited her or she came to see us...:phew:...those were the days...she pampered us...an since we could not communicate in our native language it was hard...but at most times funny...we were born in town so the only languages we spoke were swahili which is a national language an english...an she only spoke in our native language an a little swa. So wen she died...we al felt it...i stil can remember me an my siblings cryin...wailing...an it was long ago. I attended a burial of a former co-worker.we had planned to go visit him in hospital the day he past away...i felt really bad. Its not a gud feelin wen we loose someone...but usually God's grace is sufficient. Post Reply