Happy Wednesday!

“My father-in-law finished his race about 30 mins ago… it hurts so much more when it’s a man like that. God help us.” That was my facebook status @ 2:11pm EST yesterday. As of this morning, there are 75 comments on that thread. Since that status update, I’ve received hundreds of facebook messages and wall posts and texts and voicemail’s and emails… and so has Emily, Coree, and Heaven. Thank you for loving my family in such a painful time.

I’m HONORED to be preaching his funeral… should be on Friday, will let you know when we find out.

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The Downside of Being Loved

Every person should live & love in such a way that they are mourned as Royse Merle Wall was mourned yesterday. I’ve never seen anything like it.

I suppose thats the downside to being LOVED… the immensity of pain that comes with separation.

Thank God for his amazing grace… that he picks us up when we fall down, he wipes our tears when we cry, he puts us back together when we splinter to pieces, he carries us in his arms when we cannot take another step.

Sometimes, when we are in the storm… we fail to see how much God is doing FOR US, to keep us alive.

For me, it was like all the grief of losing my Mom, my Grandfather, and my Uncle (within 3 years)… and all the agony of last years murderous betrayal (from a family we thought to be our closest friends)… it was like ALL of that pain (I thought to be gone) came back to life… and surged at us like the PERFECT STORM… making landfall at 1:30pm EST yesterday afternoon!

For a few hours, I wondered where God went… I thought about Jesus on the cross in his darkest moment crying to his Father, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” I searched for his strength and found no relief. At least it felt that way! And this morning as I play it back in my mind, I can only image how much worse this would have been without God.

At one point, I prayed for my wife and two kids with so much intensity, it felt like vessels were popping in my brain. I thought I was going to die, as they cried so hard I almost called a doctor! Even right now, I’m remembering back… and there is NO WAY to describe yesterday afternoon.

Thank God for his amazing grace… that he picks us up when we fall down, he wipes our tears when we cry, he puts us back together when we splinter to pieces, he carries us in his arms when we cannot take another step.

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Love is Worth the Pain

There is a happy ending to this sad story…

I began todays message with a statement: Every person should live & love in such a way that they are mourned as Royse Merle Wall was mourned yesterday. I’ve never seen anything like it!

Some people argue strong over the safety of never loving… they hide behind the apparent protection of NEVER allowing themselves to be loved… than to risk this kind of pain.

I say that LOVE IS WORTH THE PAIN! I have been the recipient of LOVE… lots and lots of love! I am the PRODUCT of LOVE!

There is no denying the pain that accompanies such vulnerability:

• Oftentimes, love opens our pores to the venom of betrayal.
• Oftentimes, love builds us up for the agony of saying goodbye!

But to live without FEELING… to live without loving… to live without being loved… is to deprive ourselves of LIFE ITSELF.

I thank God for the PAIN we all FEEL RIGHT NOW… even through all the GRACE God is BEAMING DOWN ON US! In this we know… we were LOVED like few people will ever have the chance of knowing.

On Friday, this is the message I plan to articulate… for never have I met a man that LOVED like Royse Merle Wall!

Here is a video from Michelle Tumes: Feel

Hark! The wind of passion
Swiftly weaving over your soul
Bless the surge of thunder
Rolling onto your shore
Greet the deep emotion
That sleeps beneath the ocean floor
Watch elation bound
Release its furious roar

CHORUS:
Feel! Feel! Feel! Feel what you long to
Feel! Feel! Feel! Feel what you long to feel

Pound the sands of courage
Reach for clouds that cover the foam
Dance with bold expression
Leaping from silent abodes
Face the wild commotion
Free restraint and struggle no more
Let the moon raise all that
Dwells in the tides of your core

CHORUS

Weep, sigh, laugh, cry
Flee from the snares that wish to deny how you feel
Hope, live, love, yearn
And feel, feel what you long to

Dream Big, Live Bold, and Make the Difference!

Chuck

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