Jesus loves us

           

"16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him." John 3:16-17. Have you ever read this verse and truly thought about what it means? God loves us so much, that he not only sent his son down to earth to live as a human, but to be tempted, to suffer as we suffer, and to die a horrible death on the cross. Only to save us! God did all of this because he loves YOU! He loves me. He loves all of us! He even loves those of us who aren't in him. He loves those of us who don't love him!

          Read that again, John 3:16-17. Now read Romans 5:8   " 8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." How amazing is that! Even while we were sinners! That is even now, after we have become one in Christ, we all still sin. We never truly stop sinning. Sin is something that we will forever struggle with until the day we rise up and meet our savior. Sin is a thing that all struggle with, God knows this. But he sent his son that we would have life eternal through him! Praise God! Through this sacrifice, we will see those that we have lost in this world again! This promise is what keeps me going every day. Without this promise I and many others would be lost, seeking and searching, trying to make sense of the loss we feel in this world. I give thanks to God for his sacrifice!

             In 1 John 4:7-12 it says "7 Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us." Take this as a challenge for this week, to love one another as God loved us. I hope yall have a blessed week! As always don't hesitate to reach out for whatever reason! As VeggieTales says " Remember God made you special, and he loves you very much!" 

Cole W Rodgers

Learning to Surf the Waves of Grief

          On August 7th, 2019, I was at home. Just about to finish my homework and turn it in, when a knock came to my door. My mom stood there a little shook. I asked her what was wrong. She looked me in the eye and said the girls had been in a wreck on the way home from church. You see on Wednesday nights, they went to WOW, Worship on Wednesday. This day they had celebrated a baptism. They went to get ice cream and were coming home later than usual. I got in my car and headed to Littlefield, TX, waiting on mom to tell me what Emergency Room they would be going to. Mom called me before I got to town, she told me that they would be going to UMC in Lubbock, at that moment I knew it was bad. As I drove to Lubbock, about 45 minutes away, I passed the wreck site. I asked the workers who were there if they could tell me anything about the accident and how the girls were. He wouldn't give me any information. All he told me was to get to the hospital as quickly as I could.
       When I got there, mom told me that Ella had died immediately, I was shocked, I couldn't breathe, I asked about Aranza and Sarah. Aranza was in surgery and was in critical condition,  Sarah was en route. As we went back to the family room all I could do was pray. When I entered the room, Robert and Christy were already there. I had no idea what to say or do. As we prayed and sang praises to the Lord, Aranza's surgeons came in. I knew this was wrong, her procedure should have taken much longer. I knew what would come out of their mouths before they said it, but I still listened intently hoping, praying that I was wrong. Aranza didn't make it either. We burst into tears but soon turned our attention to Sarah. We continued praying and singing. As the night turned into day more and more people came and prayed with us. Sarah had surgery the next day and spent a few more days of healing before she got to go home.
        Since August we have all had to learn to live without these amazing people that I was so blessed to know.  The hardest part is knowing that they are in Heaven, and we are here longing to see them. I have been so very blessed to have been raised in a Christian home. I know where my future lies. Knowing this has helped so very much. Not to say that my faith wasn't tested, it has been. We have such an amazing community around us, even though our own grief we are there to help others.
         I am now in the Navy, far away from anyone who knows the story. These times have been some of the hardest. I am having to learn to deal with the loss on my own. I covet your prayers, any encouragement you can give me. I am doing alright, but the drowning waves come crashing more often, and without my community of life jackets and floaties around I am having to learn to swim, to stay afloat. I am working back to surfing, you see before I was surfing, before boot camp. I had my place of comfort. When I stepped out of my comfort zone, I forgot how to surf, or maybe the waves became bigger, whichever it was, I had to begin again.
          I should be back home around November, thankfully I joined the Reserves! I get to go back to my amazing community, hopefully having learned to surf my waves. I love each and every one of you. May the Lord bless you. Until next time.
Cole W Rodgers