When I set the table tonight for supper, that's the number of plates I put out. When we get into the van to go to church, our family uses five seat belts. If we go to a restaurant, we say, "Table for five, please." Our home email address begins with "stauf6."
These are just a few of the countless, constant reminders that we are five, not six. For all that we trust God - and we do - this is just wrong.
Having shared that complaint, let me say that I am so thankful for my wife, Juanita, and Josh, Petra and Anne. We have each other, a wonderful extended family and a better church family than we thought we had (and we thought it was great before).
Life is going pretty well. I am going to preach this coming Sunday for the first time, Lord willing. It is a communion service and I am going to preach from Psalm 62. People say, "You are so strong" (there were two more today). Psalm 62 underlines the fact that I am very weak and fragile, but it is some consolation that God's Word says I'm not alone. God alone is strong. That He would also be full of loving-kindness to me and invite me to find shelter in Him is astonishing, humbling and, well, life itself.
It is a great comfort to know that Emily trusted Christ alone for her salvation. When God is big and we are small, Jesus - the shelter and rock of our salvation - is a treasure and a delight. Forever.
12 comments:
Continuing to pray, Terry.
Praying specifically for your leading worship on Sunday, Terry!
Our family continues to pray for your family. And having lost a daughter in much the same way, I can assure you that there is a time when God truly heals the broken heart and takes us out the other side of this deep valley. To Him be all the glory. "For I know the plans I have for you.."
With love in Christ,
Barb Israel
Brother,
May the Lord be your Rock and your salvation. For not only is salvation from the Lord, but hope as well (Ps 62:5). God is good my brother; you remain in our prayers.
Love in the Truth,
Trevor
Psalm 62 is wonderful.
I will be praying for you as you preach.
Every blessing in Christ,
~Nella Camille, who knew Emily from the Rebelution
No words; just thoughts and prayers for you and your family.
We'll be praying here for you, Terry, especially as you stand in your pulpit on Sunday morning. May God's strength be so evident in your weakness that all of Edson hears, and turns to Christ.
With love,
Chris and Dave Finnegan in NM
Praying for you, and especially for this Sunday. May God reveal His awesome strength and power through your struggling weakness. That's really the only way to preach anyway.
Dave Groff
We wilol be remembering you this Sunday. May God strengthen you and bless you as you serve Him.
Pastor Terry,
I will pray for you, Juanita, Josh, Petra and Anne as you stand before our church family on Sunday, that God's truth would come out, and that you would all be carried with the strength that can only come from Him.
Heidi Johnson
Stauffer family:
I've been reading your blog since Emily's passing, and have been blessed, encouraged, and deeply moved by your faith. It has been an encouragement to my heart to see how God has shown His grace & mercy to your family and in turn, you have shown that in spades. Thank you for your testimony, and I know you will say Soli Deo Gloria. My church here in Kanata (Fellowship Baptist, Kanata) has been praying for your family. Be encouraged from the body of Christ drawing in and lifting you up...it truly is a beautiful thing to see the body encouraging and doing what we should be doing for one another.
Anne
Terry,
You and your family remain close in our thoughts and prayers. We will be praying for you as you minister to our family & friends on Sunday. May God continue to carry you through each moment of the day.
Leanne & Robin
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