Feb
27
2018
1

TUESDAY, 2/27/18

“Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.” (Ephesians 4:32)

Prayer works and God answers prayers!  That pretty much summarizes my feelings this morning after the events of yesterday.  Anyone who knows me understands that it was a challenge for me to preach Caroline’s celebration of life service.  Please know that I considered it an honor but I just did not think I could get through it emotionally.

As per our normal routine, the family went to the fellowship hall for a time of prayer while the funeral directors closed the casket. I struggled to get through that prayer with a quivering, cracking voice and while literally holding back the tears.  The family obviously knew I was struggling.  I thought to myself, “there is no way I can do this without becoming just an emotional wreck!”  So, walking up the sidewalk going back into the auditorium I sensed God telling me that many folks were praying for me and the service and that He was going to honor their prayers.  He did!  As Pastor Jack Bailey says, “God showed up and He showed out!”  He gave me an absolute peace that allowed me to share without my emotions getting involved even though my love and respect for Caroline was as real as ever.  I know what my emotional state was and all I can say is that God did a miracle in my life for those forty minutes or so.  As a matter of fact, Lisa rode with me to the cemetery and I got very emotional just thinking about Caroline and what we had just gone through.  We spoke to Deidra on the phone as we were going to the cemetery and I struggled to get the words out to speak with her.  So, thank you to each person who prayed for me!  I am very, very grateful!  To God be the glory!  It is all about Him!

The decision was made pretty much last minute to have the service broadcast live on Facebook.  The reasoning was that there were many friends of Caroline in Guatemala, Michigan, Canada, Arkansas, et cetera who could not attend the service but definitely wanted to view the service to help bring some closure.  The family was good with the decision and Caroline would have given her stamp of approval because she always thought of others.  My next time to be on FB will be my first time.  I had/have no idea how it works but here is what I do know at this point – over three hundred folks viewed the actual service (at least some portion of it).  As of 9:00PM last night there had been over thirteen hundred views and eleven folks had shared it.  What a testimony to the number of lives impacted by the life Caroline Ford lived.  I have had a number of folks contact me to say “thank you” for making the service available as it helped us.

Thank you to Raymond & Rhea Wilkinson, Bro. Jerry Hovel and James Mareno for making the FB live broadcast possible.  Thank you to Tina Wilkinson for, once again, doing an excellent job as church hostess.  Thank you to the women and men who served the meal to the family following the service.  Thank you to each person who cooked and brought food to minister to the family.  Thank you to Jeanette Bates, Randall Broome and Brad Hutto for doing an outstanding job with the music before, during and after the service.  Thank you to Raymond Wilkinson for taking care of the sound.  Thank you to James Mareno for handling the video.  Thank you to our staff/deacons for a job well done of ministering to the family.

I thank the Personnel Committee for unanimously giving me their blessing for me to leave town yesterday afternoon and return home tonight.  I just felt I needed some time away for my emotional well being.  So, I am sending this from a hotel room where I have been reflecting on the life Caroline lived and for the impact she had, and will have, on my life.

The church office is open today from 8:00AM until 5:00PM.  Bro. Jerry and the deacons stand ready to help in the event of an emergency.

I pray that you will have a great Tuesday with Jesus.

 

Written by Teddie in: Uncategorized |

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