Sharing comfort!

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. (2 Corinthians 1:3, 4 NIV)

It's been 13 years since my fathers journey to Heaven. I remember it like it was yesterday. It was and still is such a great loss in our family. Since that day, I have had the opportunity to attend many funerals. Recently, I attended the viewing of a father of one of my students. It was a sudden loss and the devastation was intense for this family. I understood what they were going through. My Dad suffered a debilitating stroke. A month ago I made a hospital visit to a family that eventually lost their mother from a sudden stroke. I understood what they were going through. I have had plenty trouble in my life. I would not wish pain on anyone. God feels our pain. He knows what it's like to lose a son. He stands with us and comforts us when we go through troubles in life. We can use those experiences to comfort others including those that don't know Jesus. Those who do not call themselves Christians need special comfort. Sometimes our greatest witness to the lost comes from our ability to comfort them.

As troubles come in your life, you have two choices. You can either turn your hurt and loss inward or you can turn to Christ for comfort and compassion. If you can accept the comfort from the Son of God, you will have the opportunity to pass that support to someone else. It is a wonderful gift to pass on.

Only the lonely!

Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that openly profess his name. And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased. (Hebrews 13:15, 16 NIV)

Tonight in my Billy Graham devotional I read this story:

"Some time ago a lady wrote and said, “I am 65 years old. My children are all married, my husband is dead, and I am one of the loneliest people in all the world.” It was suggested to her that she find a way of sharing her religious faith and her material goods with those around her. She wrote a few weeks later and said, “I am the happiest woman in town. I have found a new joy and happiness in sharing with others.” That’s exactly what Jesus promised!"

Thanksgiving kicks off the holiday season. The joy of Christmas is missed by so many people because they are lonely. Do you know someone who is lonely? I know quite a few elderly men and women who have lost their spouse? Many of these people spent a lifetime with their wives/husbands. They had grown together to be one. They had known trial and triumph. They promised to live together until the separation of death, then it happened. With that loss of a loved one, they lost a part of themselves. Now, they need the friendship of God more than ever. They lean on the strength of the almighty. In order for joy to re-enter their lives, God must fill the void. The loneliness can not be filled by people, it needs to be filled with love. Sure, lonely people can find love from other people, but they need the perfect love of Jesus. Nothing can replace it. The lonely need to find or maybe RE-find Jesus. Yes, even those who have known Jesus for years will need to rediscover his love through the Bible, Prayer, worship, and meditation. It is through that reconnecting, they will find new joy and purpose.

Loneliness doesn't just come from the loss of a spouse. Many people have never experienced the love of companionship. For them, this season is also quite difficult. They too need the love of Christ FIRST! It is not from experience that I share, it is from my heart. God does not mean us to mourn forever. He does not mean for us to be lonely. He does not intend for us to focus on what no longer is or what never has been. He wants us to center our lives on him. We are comforted by openly professing his name, doing good, serving others, and sharing our faith. Their is no time to waste, Praise God for the life he has planned for us.

SAD DAY.....Miss you Dad!

2 Corinthians 12

⁹But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. ¹⁰ That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.


Today is a sad day in my family. Here is my mom's post on Facebook:


January 23, 2001 The saddest day in my life!!!! The day I lost the love of my life, you lost a father, grandfather, great friend, your pastor. Yes, we lost Jack on this day and he will never be forgotten. I do thank God for my family who surrounded him the night he passed away and have surrounded me ever since then. I thank God for the life he has given me, the gift of helping those who are in need. But what a price to pay for that gift! May God be with all of us today as we remember. We know he is looking 
down on us at all times. Rest in peace Jack. Love you Ellen

My Brother Jack also wrote a wonderful Poem for today: (He's a pretty talented guy!)

Time Heals Everything (Jack Rhoades, Jr.)

Time heals everything,
Or so they say.
But whoever said that
Never loved this way.

How can time heal
And how can it cure
The pain of a loss
Still present and pure?

Yes, time does pass
And lives go on,
But the emptiness is there,
Knowing what’s gone.

Days turn to weeks,
And weeks turn to years
Yet, the loneliness persists,
And even the tears.

To think you’ve moved on
And the grief’s in the past,
Is simply not true,
It will ever last.

Time doesn’t heal
A loss like this,
When it’s your dad you need
And your dad you miss.


Today is the anniversary of my Father on Earth joining my Father in Heaven. My Dad was a great man. He worked hard for us. Supporting 6 kids has never been easy. Late in his life he heard and answered the call to go into full time ministry as a Methodist Pastor. He was always open to God and his calling. He was so wise. I have shared before the great times we had with our weekly Cracker Barrell breakfasts. I treasure those times. I also treasure how he loved my kids. He was such a fantastic Grandpa. My kids adored him. This Godly man was the true leader of our home in every way. He was our spiritual leader and so much more.


When you lose someone like we lost Dad, you are at your weakest moment in your life. The loss weighs heavy then and it weighs heavy now. As you can tell from my Mom's post, she has continued to be "weak" in this loss. But, my Mom is the perfect example how God can take our weakness and make them our strengths. Mom has taken her weakness and turned it for God's glory. She has been there for so many people. She can truly say she knows where they are coming from. She is a Chaplain and has been a great leader in grief recovery. God has used her through this weakness and made her strong! 


Praise God he is our strength and our shield, an ever present help in times of loss. Praise God!