“In My Father’s House…A Place for You”
An Update on my Karen for Sunday March 26th 2017

Some of you will check Facebook tonight after the evening service while others will find it tomorrow morning. Thank you for taking the time to read Karen’s update.I love how the Lord Jesus speaks of Heaven as being His Father’s house. He promises that He is preparing a place for His children (John 14:1-3). How precious this is.

I am sitting near the side of my beloved realizing that soon she will be all well and worshipping the Lord Jesus face to face. This two year journey has been well fought by my Karen. It is such a joy to be her husband and to watch her quiet surrender to the Lord’s will that she has exhibited. It is with mixed emotions that I am writing to you. Let me explain.

The mixed emotions are actually emotions that are all over the map! I am filled with sorrow to see what Karen is enduring. I am filled with joy to know that my Karen is soon going to be with the Lord. There are tears because honestly I cannot imagine life without her. There is even a smile as Karen has mustered enough strength from time to time to whisper to me and make me smile. When Christina brings her medicine she pretends to be sleeping. She still has such a sense of humor.

How blessed we are to have you walking with us on this part of the journey. At a little after midnight this morning, Karen took a decided step downward (or should I be saying “upward” since we are believers) in her health situation. Suddenly she couldn’t swallow and at times was quite confused. Her breathing changed significantly which prompted Christina (for those who do not know her, Christina is our daughter-in-law, who is more like a daughter) to call the hospice hotline. Within a few minutes a nurse was speaking with Christina and within thirty-minutes a hospice nurse was on our doorstep. Additional medications which do not require her to swallow were ordered by the doctor. One of the meds has calmed her breathing and made her a little more alert. She is currently enjoying having some of family at her side.

Here are the things that I want to share with you.

1. I really am happy for Karen. She has been so sick for so very long and soon she will be so well (2 Corinthians 4:16-18).
2. I really am convinced that the Lord is not only our Savior; but He is our Great Shepherd who is going before us. It is a tremendous blessing to watch how the Lord superintends our steps (John 10:4).
3. I really am assured that our great God is working all things for His glory. He has a plan and a purpose. There is nothing that Karen and I want more than to be in the sweet and perfect will of God (Romans 8:28).
4. I really am determined that rather than be bitter and run from God, Karen and I are going to be blessed and run to God. Oh how we need Him and want Him to strengthen us for this part of the journey (Psalm 27:14).
5. I really am certain that Karen knows the Lord Jesus as her Savior and soon will be in the presence of the Lord. This is not because Karen has done anything that could merit her place in Heaven. The Lord Jesus shed His blood, died in her place, and bore the wrath of the holy God as He took her sin and paid for it in full (1 Peter 1:3-4; 2:24)
6. I really am overwhelmed with how much the Lord Jesus loves us and to what extent He went to be our Redeemer (1 Peter 1:18-19).

Please pray that Karen will continue to rest comfortably and that she will finish her course with joy. This is her request. Karen absolutely knows where she is going when she dies. If your heart were to stop today, do you know where you will spend eternity? Please take time to read my booklet “Heaven” and trust Christ alone to be your Savior.