Death is not better than life unless the life is full of pain. But not because there's a heaven or a jesus to be with. Read some Christopher Hitchens.
PART 5/5-Thank you, Lanny, for continuing to remember Jessie and what she was brave enough to let her cancer and her faith be used for – to be a megaphone for Christ. Plus, she got it – this world is not what it’s all about, but the hearts and souls of those of us who are still living in it is.
Marilyn Garren – one of four members of the Garrens 4 Ever
PART 4/5-I have hung that quote next to my daughter’s picture,a girl who in 18 months between the ages of 15 and 17 did more to build up God’s kingdom than most of us will do in our lifetime.Yes,there is stuff in this life we can’t do anything about,but the story doesn’t always end there.This text just in from her oncologist, Dr. Moore, acknowledging this 3rd anniversary of Jessie’s Homegoing, ” It was a blessing like none other to assist Jessie in completing the journey the Master gave her.”
PART 3/5-Was I left wondering does prayer really make any difference? Yes, indeed. I found this quote from Father Richard John Neuhaus which spoke to me in my grief, “…for us, there is only the trying. The rest is God’s business, not ours. Yet we are given to know that in trying, we fulfill God’s commands, and build up His kingdom.” Is that a lame rationalization? One can only answer that based on their relationship with Jesus Christ and what “hope for the future” from the Bible means to them.
PART 3/5-Was I left wondering does prayer really make any difference? Yes, indeed. I found this quote from Father Richard John Neuhaus which spoke to me in my grief, “…for us, there is only the trying. The rest is God’s business, not ours. Yet we are given to know that in trying, we fulfill God’s commands, and build up His kingdom.” Is that a lame rationalization? One can only answer that based on their relationship with Jesus Christ and what “hope for the future” from the Bible means to them.
PART 2/5-“Creepy content”- I ponder that. Is the death of one who has Jesus in their heart viewed as creepy? Frankly, I am so jealous of my daughter, Jessie. She has gotten a head start on living with Christ in eternity. For us left behind, yes–OUCH!–the loss of a child-pain to such a depth no words can accurately describe. Prayer? You bet we prayed! We prayed like mad for her. Around the world people we did not know were praying for her. She went Home on 9/8/08. )
PART 1/5-Lanny, what a crazy and fascinating sequence of connections! And we are still thankful that you and Louie and Jessie connected at BigStuf Daytona 2007 when her youth group wrote in letters about her. But I’d like to share some heart stuff for sjgade and others who may be struggling with some hard stuff about this world. I certainly know that I don’t have the answers, but at least there’s One Who does, even when we don’t like the answers. (4 more segments)
Cool presentation; creepy content. I am so tired of hearing about praying for sick people who then die just as any non-praying person would have predicted. And, no thanks, I don't want to hear any of the lame rationalizations about unanswered prayers.There is stuff in this life we can't do anything about and that's hard.End of story.
@sjgade You are correct. There is stuff in this life we can't do anything about and that is hard. I don't think this piece said anything that makes that false. It was about connections.
I remember this from bigstuf!
HanakoYasu 4 months ago
Whoever drew and idealized this is/are pretty talented!
PuerinTheHunter 4 months ago
Death is not better than life unless the life is full of pain. But not because there's a heaven or a jesus to be with. Read some Christopher Hitchens.
sjgade 5 months ago
PART 5/5-Thank you, Lanny, for continuing to remember Jessie and what she was brave enough to let her cancer and her faith be used for – to be a megaphone for Christ. Plus, she got it – this world is not what it’s all about, but the hearts and souls of those of us who are still living in it is.
Marilyn Garren – one of four members of the Garrens 4 Ever
clemgarren 5 months ago
PART 4/5-I have hung that quote next to my daughter’s picture,a girl who in 18 months between the ages of 15 and 17 did more to build up God’s kingdom than most of us will do in our lifetime.Yes,there is stuff in this life we can’t do anything about,but the story doesn’t always end there.This text just in from her oncologist, Dr. Moore, acknowledging this 3rd anniversary of Jessie’s Homegoing, ” It was a blessing like none other to assist Jessie in completing the journey the Master gave her.”
clemgarren 5 months ago
PART 3/5-Was I left wondering does prayer really make any difference? Yes, indeed. I found this quote from Father Richard John Neuhaus which spoke to me in my grief, “…for us, there is only the trying. The rest is God’s business, not ours. Yet we are given to know that in trying, we fulfill God’s commands, and build up His kingdom.” Is that a lame rationalization? One can only answer that based on their relationship with Jesus Christ and what “hope for the future” from the Bible means to them.
clemgarren 5 months ago
PART 3/5-Was I left wondering does prayer really make any difference? Yes, indeed. I found this quote from Father Richard John Neuhaus which spoke to me in my grief, “…for us, there is only the trying. The rest is God’s business, not ours. Yet we are given to know that in trying, we fulfill God’s commands, and build up His kingdom.” Is that a lame rationalization? One can only answer that based on their relationship with Jesus Christ and what “hope for the future” from the Bible means to them.
clemgarren 5 months ago
PART 2/5-“Creepy content”- I ponder that. Is the death of one who has Jesus in their heart viewed as creepy? Frankly, I am so jealous of my daughter, Jessie. She has gotten a head start on living with Christ in eternity. For us left behind, yes–OUCH!–the loss of a child-pain to such a depth no words can accurately describe. Prayer? You bet we prayed! We prayed like mad for her. Around the world people we did not know were praying for her. She went Home on 9/8/08. )
clemgarren 5 months ago
PART 1/5-Lanny, what a crazy and fascinating sequence of connections! And we are still thankful that you and Louie and Jessie connected at BigStuf Daytona 2007 when her youth group wrote in letters about her. But I’d like to share some heart stuff for sjgade and others who may be struggling with some hard stuff about this world. I certainly know that I don’t have the answers, but at least there’s One Who does, even when we don’t like the answers. (4 more segments)
clemgarren 5 months ago
Cool presentation; creepy content. I am so tired of hearing about praying for sick people who then die just as any non-praying person would have predicted. And, no thanks, I don't want to hear any of the lame rationalizations about unanswered prayers.There is stuff in this life we can't do anything about and that's hard.End of story.
sjgade 5 months ago
@sjgade You are correct. There is stuff in this life we can't do anything about and that is hard. I don't think this piece said anything that makes that false. It was about connections.
lannydonoho7 5 months ago
Thank you sooo much for putting this up Lanny!!!!
LuperLabelsMusic 5 months ago