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Sunday, May 4, 2014

Praising and Mourning

As I sit outside on this beautiful day (slightly hot) reading James a few things stuck out to me. 

James 5:13-18 speaks of the power of prayer and how we should support one another through it. So many of my friends are going through very difficult health or family situations, sometimes both.

I was reminded to pray for those suffering, sing praises with those celebrating, and pray for the sick. It says the prayer of the faithful will save the sick and he will be forgiven any sins. 

I wrote the above Thursday May 1. I had no idea how much my world would be rocked the very next day. 

I wrote it thinking of Rodney, Libby and their girls. How I should be praying for them as they battle this cancer, while also in the middle of rejoicing for the girl they get to add to their family. 

The next morning I got a call from my mom that totally changed what I was thinking about those verses. Now I was praying for them as they mourn the loss of their husband and Dad. I am also rejoicing with them about thinking of Rodney in Heaven. 

I am praising the Lord for how Rodney changed lives. How each time he stood up to talk everyone laughed at least once. I am praising for how he refused to sit on the bench, he was out playing his heart out for Jesus every day. 

Yet I am mourning as well. I am mourning the fact I won't get a hug from him this summer, or get to tell him where God is taking me next. I am mourning the fact now no one will get to hear him calling Danny Thurman out from the pulpit about whatever came to mind that day. I am mourning the neighbor my grandparents lost. 

My story is just one of thousands that could be told about how Rodney Brewer impacted their life. Keep telling them! Use them to continue changing the world. Mourning is important, but praising is vital. I know that if Rodney could stand up and talk to all of us one more time he would tell us to go praise Jesus and change the world one person at a time.