I was amazed and pleased this morning to see that the blog is fast approaching 40,000 hits! I don't know why I am so amazed, but I is so humbling for us to see how you are still standing with Laura, Jon, and Tanner.
Some of you have walked through the valley of grief and can give testimony to the fact that God saw you THROUGH the preparations, viewing, funeral, and the aftermath of activities related to the "funeral" process. God's sustaining grace has certainly been a reality for all of us.
And God WILL be faithful to see the kids through this next phase. Often He uses His people to help come alongside of grieving families to encourage and lift up.
The kids took a few days to get away -- just the three of them. They are trying to adapt to a new "normal." Normal is going to look very different for months to come.
I want to encourage you today -- send a word of encouragement to Jon, Laura and Tanner today. As one grief writer said, "It's after the flowers are gone that we need each other!"
Thanks for being an encourager!
19 comments:
Good Morning Jon, Laura and Tanner...I trust that your time away as a family was a time to hold each other tight and just be together. I prayed for you all weekend and your parents. We will continue to ask the Lord to direct and guide your lives. Love Lynn W
Laura, Jon and Tanner,
I am not sure what to say or do. I think of you all often and you are constantly in our prayers. I so wish that I could do something to help lesson your pain, but I know only God can do that. I hope just hearing how much of an impact your precious little girl, and your entire family has had on my family's faith helps to give you some peace. Our hearts go out to you all and we pray that you will let us be the hands of God and hold you when you need it.
Love,
Stephanie Ireland
Dear Jon, Laura and Tanner, I haven't stopped thinking or praying for all of you, asking God to go with you as you took a little time together to come aside from all that's happened and hopefully rest a little and reconnect as a family. I know you felt Lindsay's presence with you because she will always be a PRESENT part of your lives and each day brings you closer to the day the Lord places her back in your arms!! I've had a chance to talk with both of your Moms and Dads (and Julie) and am so grateful to see how God is sustaining them all through His unbelievable grace. Only He can do such a thing and as inconceivable as it seems right now, He WILL mend your broken hearts. It will take time, but it WILL happen. I guarantee it!! In the meantime, be kind to yourselves, take care of each other and allow yourselves the time and space you need to work through your grief, for it IS work and very tiring. Lean on others to support you and don't be afraid to let your needs be known so we can all help you and hold you up in prayer to the One who can give you the comfort you need. You are all greatly loved and please know that Lindsay will never be forgotten as her Story will go on and on and God will continue to use her little life to touch others and turn them to Him as people see what it really means to have the kind of faith you all have exhibited. I hope to talk to you soon. In His Love, Janet Jaeger
Good Morning Laura, Jon & Tanner,
So glad you are taking some time to be away and pray that God will just hug you when you need a hug, remind you to relax when you need to and just enjoy His presence at this time of transition.
The story of lindsay is still being shared for His Glory. Still wearing our bracelets, not because we need reminders to pray for you but because Lindsay's life is a way to share the love of God with others.
God bless you.
Love, hugs & prayers,
Miriam
We are thinking of you...
With Love, The Bowies
Dear Jon, Laura and Tanner:
We were so glad to hear from you that you were in Lancaster County this weekend and we were able to get toegther and spend some time with you. It was good that we could be silly and laugh especially watching Jon swing on the tree swing. We hope you will enjoy the rest of your trip and the time you have to spend together.
We love you all,
Uncle Mark and Aunt Jeanne
My coworker and friend Bill prayed for you all this morning. He told me that they (the men at Bethesda Mission) all prayed for you on Friday (I was off). Ellen and I think of you often. We love you all.
Doug
Hi Jon, Laura, and Tanner! I'm glad that you took some time to get away together. You need this time together. Steve and I are praying for you many times a day asking God to comfort you and keep you safe. We love you! Susie and Steve
Words may fail, but Jesus never fails, nor does love, care, comfort, peace.
Memories will help in those sad moments.
Please know my heart aches for the lonliness & emptiness you are feeling, and will continue to feel for quite some time. Doesn't seem half-fair that so many lives are going on in the "sameness", but you
must be assured that the precious life of your sweet Lindsay touched myself, and so many, many more in ways that the faith alone can explain. We have all learned so many lessons as you have allowed us to share this incredible journey with you. I deeply appreciate your keeping us informed with the blog day-to-day, Bill. It meant so much to see what was transpiring almost hour-by-hour. I continue to pray for the doctors, nurses, & technicians who cared for Lindsay. Your faithfullness and love made more of an impact than you could ever imagine.
In the days ahead, please be assued of silent prayers, invisible hugs, and more than a few testimonies to the keeping love and power of our wonderful, precious Lord. Again, I say with great praise; JESUS NEVER FAILS..
DianeNichols
Dear Laura, Jon and Tanner,
I was at Keswick for the weekend. It was good to see Josh, Jenny and Sam again. I dn't see them often...and your Mom, Laura. It was a good weekend with lots of challenges. However, you all were much on my mind and in my prayers.
I would like to share with you a poem I have pasted in the front of my bible.
PUT TOUR HAND IN THE HAND OF GOD
Though today, you walk in sorrow
You will notbe alone--
There is One whose loving wisdom
Is far greater than our own--
Put your trusting hand in His
As a little child would do
And He--like a loving father
Will guide and comfort you!
Day by day there will come to you
New faith, new hope, new light
You'll find that stars, unseen by day
Shine through the darkest night
And--though your heart is longing
For the dear one who's at rest
You'll know before the journey's end
That God's dear ways--are best.
Jessie Homa Fairweather
Lovingly, MER
You're still in my prayers every day...I pray the Lord gives you peace and comfort during this time, and always! God bless your family.
-Anna Claire Varnado
Ps...Thanks so much for thinking of me when you left your meal coupons...that means so much.
I don't know you personally but God has used your story to touch me deeply. I wrestled with Him over Lindsay's home going and it took (is taking) me to a new place of trust. His ways are not our ways...they are higher and better. I really do believe that but saying I believe it and being forced to come face to face with whether or not to actually believe it are two different things. Lindsay's life HAS impacted many for His Kingdom. Your faith in these circumstances has been such a witness to what it really means to live out this thing we call trust. Thank you for sharing this through the blog. I will continue to pray for Jon, Laura and Tanner. I look forward to the day when we will all rejoice over God's perfect plan without the pain of loss.
Dear Jon, Laura and Tanner,
Thinking of your family daily and holding you toward heaven. Praying that God will daily make his presents know to you all. The children and I thank God daily for Lindsay's life and pray that he will use her story to bring people to OUR SAVIOR. Wishing we could do something special for you all.
The Mumma's (Sharon)
Laura, Jon, and Tanner,
You continue to remain in my thoughts and prayers.
Nancy Brown
Hudson, NH
NancyBr@juno.com
Laura, Jon and Tanner,
You continue to be in our thoughts and prayers! Praying that you had a refreshing time just being together.
With love and prayers,
Scott and Jill Brown
Jon,Laura and Tanner
I have been reading this blog from the beginning and praying for you all every day. I pray especially for you and your family as we know Lindsay is dancing with Jesus. As I read through the daily blogs it broke my heart and I cannot even imagine. But what a Blessing Lindsay has been to my family her beautiful little face was such a sweet blessing to wake up and see every morning before I took my children to school. I have been telling many of my unsaved family members your story when they start to complain about their daily woes boy has this been awesome. When we feel selfish and worried about wordly things and become unfocused on God that is when Lindsay and your family will be such an effective witness to us all. I pray that your hearts will heal just a little everyday and that you will be able to live the full and beautiful life that God and Lindsay wants you to. I will pray for you everyday and never forget Lindsay. Thank you for making such a huge impact on my family and praise God for his goodness and mercies.
Shauna Sievers
Hi Guys,
Again, you don't know me, but I know your parents through Keswick. You have been on my mind so often, and I have been praying for you. I preached on Proverbs 3:5-6 this past weekend, and that was tough to get through. The church was praying for you, then heard the news on Lindsay's death, and then God led me to preach on that passage. Again, as you know, if it were not for Jesus, I don't how anybody would make it through. I have 5 children, 11,9,7,5,2 and they all were praying. We live different now, and I wish would stay there, but the busyness of life pushes us back to the daily grind. Oh Lord, teach us to number our days and live with a heart of wisdom.
I can't stop listening to Steve Green's CD Somewhere Between, especially the song "In Brokenness you shine."
Praying for You,
Ken Akselsen
Still thinking about you all, praying for you. Lindsay and this whole experience has touched my heart in such a special way. I have learned so many lessons about faith and trust, as well as the fact that God's ways are higher than ours. We don't have to understand it all, we simply have to trust Him.
Mary Conway
Dear Laura, Jon and Tanner-
We're still checking in and using it as a time to pray for the impact of Lindsay's life on bloggers, medical workers and all of us! We are glad to hear that you are away together- resting, loving each other and just being together.
We're praying for you- many, many times per day- and trusting God is blessing you with special memories of Lindsay to soothe your aching hearts.
Love and prayers,
Matt and Sharon, Kelsey and Jared
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