Throughout the Bible, we hear of God’s concern for those who are hurting or struggling. In Jeremiah, we’re told to “defend the cause of the poor and needy,” which is immediately followed by the statement: “Is that not what it means to know me” declares the Lord. (Jer. 22:16) The book of James tells us that “religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress…” (James 1:27) Over and over again, the Bible talks about God’s heart for those who are in need. What a humble joy and privilege it was to be the hands and feet and heart of God as we cared for the people in Los Arcos.

Each child was given basic school supplies, two pairs of pants, two shirts, a package of socks and a package of underwear. What a joy it was to see the look on their faces as they realized they would be going to school dressed and prepared for their first day of classes. Their excitement practically oozed out of them. As usual, they ended up giving us so much more than we ever gave them.

Best of all was what happened at the end. After all the items had been given to them, we pulled them aside one by one and asked if we could pray for the children as they went back to school. Some had different or no beliefs and they politely refused. Most, though, were very thankful and wanted us to pray. So we did. We prayed for a wonderful school year, good friendships, lots of learning, and most of all for the love of Jesus Christ to grow strong in their hearts.

We are so thankful for all those who sponsored children and for the countless volunteers who rolled up their sleeves and worked in some pretty tough conditions to “be Jesus” to these children. And, we are extremely excited with the growing partnership that is developing with Pastor Kbrab and the Eritrean Church, and Pastor Abraham and Om Maya who are ministering among the Nepali. Their partnership ensures that this will be more than just a one-time event…but rather an ongoing relationship with these precious people who are loved so dearly by God.

Post from: Lifebridge Church Blog

Back to School Outreach

In the book of Revelation, the disciple John has a vision of heaven where he describes a scene with “people from every tribe, nation, and language” standing before the throne of God. In a small way, we were able to get a glimpse of that at a recent Vacation Bible School outreach that we did in downtown Houston, reaching out to refugee families from Nepal, Eritrea, Bhutan, Taiwan, Congo, Sudan…the list goes on and on.

One of the biggest blessings we’ve experienced at LifeBridge is that we are homeless (we worship in a public school that we rent for Sunday mornings) — which means that we are forced to be “out there” involved in the day to day life of our community and city. For VBS, that reality led us to an apartment complex in downtown Houston that is 95% refugee families from all over the world.

It was the most amazing experience. Where do I even begin? Some spoke English, many didn’t. A number of them came back each day wearing the same clothes…possibly the only set of clothes they owned. Many were angry and ready to swing a fist at the slightest provocation…and yet those same children would melt into your arms and cling so tight to you if you would just pick them up.

For three evenings, a growing crowd of children would gather in a small schoolroom there in the apartments where we would tell them of Jesus, do crafts and games, and share stories from the Bible. On the last night we gave out over 60 Kid’s Bibles, with some tears shed because we didn’t have enough for all those who wanted one.

It was an amazing mission experience, right here in Houston. And, as God often does, He has challenged us to go deeper. For there to be any real difference in the lives of these refugee families, there will have to be continued touches, an ongoing relationship, and many more opportunities to share the love and message of Jesus.

Our next step is to team up with the Eritrean church again to get school uniforms for these children so that they can get into class in a couple weeks. In talking with the school that they will attend, many will be sent home that first day because they don’t have the required uniform. For so many of these refugee families, this presents a crisis. They know that education is the key to getting out of their desperate situation, but they have no money. What an opportunity for us to live out the ideal Jesus gave us in Matthew 25:35-36 — where Jesus said “I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me.”

Details are still being worked out, but already there are people beginning to ask how they can help. If you are local, we will need LOTS of manpower as we try to get the right items to all the children. If you aren’t able to help in person, we will certainly need financial donations as well. Either way, contact me at pastormichael@lifebridgecypress.org if you want to get involved.

God is doing some powerful stuff here, and I become more and more convinced that this is the kind of thing that should define our lives as followers of Jesus Christ.

Christ died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves, but for him who died for them and was raised again. — 2 Corinthians 5:15

Click here for a video clip of the Los Arcos VBS

Post from: Lifebridge Church Blog

The World at our doorstep…

What we really wanted to say was this.
“Hey, how are ya?”
Honestly, I’m dying. This morning my wife and I just had a knock down drag out argument that ended with slammed doors and words that never should have been spoken. I hate my job, my kids are so busy with school stuff I hardly see them. At least the Celtics won last night, because that’s about the only good thing in my life right now. You?”
“Right there with you man. Different plots, but the same story.”

As a pastor, I get a rather unique glimpse into the lives of people, and one of the things that I’ve learned in 15 years of ministry is that there is a LOT of hurt in the lives of most people. Behind the clean faces and nice clothes that we present to the world are all sorts of addictions, struggles, wounds, and sins.

It really shouldn’t surprise us. The Bible tells us that “Satan prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.” (I Peter 5:8)

So often we only see the surface battle (the argument with our family member, the co-worker who is being a jerk, the battle over the inheritance, etc) God reminds us to look deeper.
“Our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” (Ephesians 6:12)

The real enemy is not your family member or co-worker, it’s Satan, who is out doing all that he can to tear you down, destroy all that is good, and turn your life into a pit of despair.

One of the images that the Bible paints of the Christian life is an image of war or battle. Satan is out to destroy and wreak havoc on people, while God is at work to bring healing and hope and life.

At LifeBridge, we just started an 8 week Sunday morning series that is going to look at that battle we face every single day. What does it look like? Where can we expect Satan to attack? (Good news here — the devil is remarkably uncreative and he uses the same bag of tricks over and over again.) What are some basic soldier skills that every follower of Jesus needs to have as we live out our Christian life? What does victory look like?

If you are in the area, we’d love to have you join us — 9:30 every Sunday morning at Warner Elementary in Cypress. Go to the LifeBridge website for info and directions.

If not, can I suggest an “oldie but goodie” book for you to read called This Present Darkness by Frank Peretti. It will change the way you look at the battles in your life.

A word of encouragement from God’s Word you face life’s battles. Jesus said, “In this world you will have trouble, but take heart for I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)

Post from: Lifebridge Church Blog

Under Fire

At our service this evening we talked about death. Jesus’ death of course . . . but also our death. I spoke briefly of Layla Grace, and how she was the very first funeral that LifeBridge has done (our church is only a year and a half old). Many more are certain to come though . . . unless Christ returns and the world ends, every one of our lives will end in death.

I continue to receive a lot of comments from my previous blogs, and a common theme emerges in a lot of the responses. “Why?” Why did Layla have to die at just two years of age? Why did she have to suffer. Why didn’t God just heal her and make everything right?

This evening, as we gathered around the cross and remembered the suffering and death of Jesus, I was reminded of the lengths that Jesus went to do just that. On the cross, everything is made right. Satan is defeated, sins are paid for, our relationship with God is restored, and we are given the promise that through faith in Christ we will live forever. We believe all this by faith . . . Layla sees it with her own eyes. So very soon we will transition from this life to the next, and we’ll experience that “rightness” that we so long for. But, until then, we remain in our fallen broken world for a purpose. Jesus could have come back today and ended all the wrong, but he didn’t. Why not? Because there are still more people that need to come to faith and believe in him. He sees the big picture, the eternal picture, and he simply calls on us to trust him in the midst of a world that is often falling apart.

Here’s an image that resonates with me. Picture a woman who is making one of those hand stitched rugs. In and out her needle goes as she blends in all the various colors. She’s sitting on the back side of the rug, though, where all the cuts are made and knots are tied. From the back it looks terrible — frayed edges and bulky knots in seeming disarray. But the artist knows what she is doing, and as her expert hands make each stitch she is creating a beautiful work of art that will only be understood when you look at it from the front side.

That’s how life is. So much of what goes on doesn’t make sense or even seem right. All we see is the back side. But God has a plan and a purpose that goes far beyond our individual lives and circumstances. It is a plan done out of love — we know that because of the great lengths he went to save us. Tonight as our little mission church gathered around the cross of Jesus to remember his suffering, my overwhelming emotion was “thank you Jesus.” Thank you for suffering right alongside with me. Thank you for carrying a burden that I could not carry on my own. Thank you for giving me hope in the midst of some really tough things in life.

Because, you have to remember — Jesus rose. He came back to life. His journey involved suffering, but it didn’t end there. That’s our hope! No matter how bad or hopeless or non-sensical things seem to be, it doesn’t end there. At the end of life, there’s still more life. How do we know? Because Jesus already made that journey. And he promises that for us as well. That’s why we can thank God for the life, and the death, and the life of Layla Grace and all those who die in faith.

I pray that as you celebrate Easter this year, you will understand the depth of God’s love for you in a whole new way. You are precious to him.

Happy Easter

Pastor Michael
www.lifebridgecypress.org

Post from: Lifebridge Church Blog

Good Friday reflections

Or…we could make some real changes. We could actually reprioritize our life. We could turn off the TV and eat a meal with our family. We could say NO to some of the demands on our schedule and tend to our relationship with God. I so pray that you do.

As a pastor, I watch a lot of people in their spiritual journey. Can I make a few suggestions on what you might find helpful in your relationship with Christ”

1. Find some other Christians and make it a priority in your life. Maybe it’s a local church, or a neighborhood Bible Study, or a group of parents who get together to pray. Make sure that they believe and follow the Bible, and that they sincerely love God. Then take a chance and open up to them. One of the most dangerous things in faith is when we try to go it alone. Find a friend and a faith community that can support you in that journey. If you’ve never been baptized, talk to them about what that might mean for your life.

2. Learn and grow. Immerse yourself in the things of God. Read the Bible. Go to a local Christian bookstore and ask them to recommend a book for you to read. Talk to other Christians about the faith questions or struggles you might have. If you still have questions and struggles dealing with Layla and her death, I’d encourage you to sign up for my blog. In coming weeks I’ll be dealing with more questions and comments that I hear from you. I pray you’ll find them helpful. Later on, I’ll address a wide variety of faith topics that I hope will be an encouragement.

3. Pray. Just talk with God. Tell him good morning when you wake up. Share your joys and burdens with him when you go to bed. Pound on his chest when you’re angry or don’t understand (He’s big, he can take it.) Learn what it means to be in a relationship with him.

Thank you for taking the time to read all this. From the bottom of my heart I pray that you have found it helpful. Just like you, God drew me into the Layla story in a way that I can’t explain. My church, LifeBridge, in Cypress TX is a brand new mission church that is just getting started. 6 months ago I had never even met the Marsh family. Then, we decided to sponsor a benefit for Layla Grace to help with the medical expenses her family faced. Ryan and I hit it off, we had breakfast at Denny’s a couple times, and before I knew it I was right in the middle of all this. Turns out God had a plan – a plan to share his love with you through sweet little Layla Grace. Thank you for trusting me with this time.

Pastor Michael Meissner
LifeBridge Church, Cypress TX
www.lifebridgecypress.org

Part 1 – “Layla’s Faith Legacy” | Part 2 – “Are You Ready?”

Post from: Lifebridge Church Blog

Where Do I Go From Here? (3 of 3 in series)

Others have wondered out loud why they are so powerfully wrapped up in a girl they have never even met. Total strangers have literally wept through the night because of Layla. Why are we so drawn to her? Lots of children die, and each one is tragic. Usually though, we hear the story, get sad for a moment, then move on. Layla has been different. What is it about her story that made so many of us stop and pay attention?

The best I can come up with is GOD. God wants to accomplish something through her life and her death, and so he has been at work to assemble this virtual gathering of people to do whatever it is that he is going to do.

Some of that no doubt has to do with neuroblastoma. Some of it may be to strengthen our families and cause us to reprioritize our lives. But I think there is an even higher purpose that God has in mind.

God wants to make sure that you are ready to die.

It sounds kind of harsh to put it that bluntly, but it is a reality that every single person needs to deal with. Am I ready to die? Am I ready to stand before the God who made me and hear the verdict on where I will spend the rest of eternity? We may not face that moment for another 50 years, but Layla’s death at the age of 2 reminds us that we’re not guaranteed 50 years. We’re not guaranteed tomorrow. Layla’s greatest contribution to this world may be that she causes you to honestly ask that question “Am I ready?” Without Layla, how many of us would have just continued on with our busy lives, never paying any attention to these deeper questions? And I wonder, because of Layla, how many people will stop to truly wrestle through that ultimate question of our life. Am I ready?

Lots of people will answer something like this: “I think I’m ready. I try to be a good person, I’m faithful to my family. I work hard and do my best.” That’s all commendable, but sadly it is not enough. God’s standard for entering into heaven is perfection, and every single one of us comes up short. Even sweet little Layla came up short.

How sad if that’s where the story ended. But it isn’t. What we could never do on our own, God did for us by sending his only son down into the world to live that perfect life that we can’t live, and then to die on the cross in our place. His death pays for our sins, while we in turn are given his perfection. Those who believe in Christ, no matter how bad their background or what they have done, are declared innocent, forgiven, and perfect in the eyes of God.

I realize that I am writing to a very diverse crowd of people, and the only thing you know about me is that I’m some guy that happens to be Layla’s pastor. I’m not sure why God chose me to deliver this message, but he did. Here’s what I believe God wants you to know:
God loves you. He loves you. More than you might ever know. Even though you get so busy that he’s often put on the shelf, he still loves you. Despite the stuff from your past that still haunts you, he loves you. And even though your world is often all screwed up and your family life isn’t what it is supposed to be, he loves you with the most crazy and intense love that you could ever imagine. He loves you so much that he was willing to die in order to save you. You’ve cried tears of sadness because Layla’s body died…but heaven is rejoicing because through Christ she is alive forever. Infinitely more tragic is that person who lives a long full and prosperous life here on earth…but who is dead spiritually.

Some readers will give me an “Amen” and go on their way. Others may write a fiery response challenging what I just said. But, thanks to Layla, there will be some whose hearts are finally tuned in to what God is saying to them. If you are one of those, I’d encourage you to pray this prayer with me:

God, I don’t know why you love me, but you do. Despite all my flaws, despite my past, despite my sins, you love me. And I so want to love you back, and to follow you with the rest of my life. I want to live for a deeper purpose. I want to know the God who made me. I want to be free from the weight and burden of sin. Thank you for sending your only Son, Jesus, down into the world to take all that was wrong and make it right. I thank you that he would suffer and die for me. And I thank you that he didn’t stay dead, but that he rose again. Please, God, I need that to be true – for Layla, for my family, for me. Lord, I’ve been so focused on the things of this world. Help me to see the life that is to come. I love you Lord, and want to live for you from this day on. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Part 3 – Where do I go from here?

Post from: Lifebridge Church Blog

Are You Ready? (2 of 3 in series)

Layla Grace Marsh grabbed the attention of the world in her two short years of life. Because of her, many of us hold our children a little bit longer and a little bit tighter each night. Because of her, we’ve re-evaluated our priorities to focus on the things that truly matter. Because of her, we have been forever changed. The “ripple effect” of this little girl has been nothing short of amazing.

For a LOT of people, the life and story of Layla Grace has brought about a profound spiritual stirring as well. People who never pray, are praying. Others have told about how something happened in their past that caused them to put God on a shelf years ago, and because of Layla they have found the courage to bring God back into the picture as they work through whatever it is they need to work through. Still others admit they have never thought much about God and faith, but seeing how faith has made such a difference in how Ryan and Shanna handled this whole situation, they have been compelled to look into who this God might be. Maybe you are one of those.

As Layla’s pastor, I believe that God has given me the responsibility of helping to frame the spiritual conversation that is taking place because of Layla. There are a LOT of questions, a LOT of hurts, and a LOT of good that is coming from all this, and God has his hand all over this entire thing. If you are reading this, I believe that part of God’s plan includes you, and I would encourage you to take the time and effort to pursue the faith implications of why God drew you into the life and story of this precious girl. I’m humbly honored to at least get the conversation started.

Let me begin with a simple overview of the Christian faith that gives us the hope that Layla is in heaven with God. At the heart of our faith is a belief that there is a God behind this world and our lives. We were a very intentional creation of an artistic, awesome and loving God. Every breathtaking sunrise, every intricate detail of our mysterious universe, every miracle of a new baby being born – all these things testify to a powerful and wonderful God who has a purpose and a reason for our existence. Part of his design included little Layla Grace.

Everything that God made was beautiful and good, but it didn’t stay that way. One of the things that God built into the fiber of our existence as people was the ability to choose right and wrong. Satan (the devil) was at work since the beginning to get people to disobey God and destroy the beauty of all that God created. When people first sinned against God, all the beauty that God had created turned instantly ugly. Thorns and thistles began to grow, sinful attitudes and desires took over, our relationship with God was ripped apart…and sickness and death entered into the world. And God wept.

God, though, wasn’t done with us. The Bible outlines the story of God’s plan to save the world from this mess that we had brought upon ourselves. The Bible is basically a love story of God pursuing us in order to bring us back into relationship with him. It’s the story of how Jesus (who is God), left the perfection of heaven to come down into our sin-racked world. He lived here among us, suffered alongside us, and ultimately gave up his perfect life to pay for the sins of the entire world. It was basically an eternal exchange made by God and given to all those who believe in Jesus – all of our sins were placed on Jesus who suffered the consequences of sin, and the perfection and purity of Jesus’ sinless life is given to us. Through faith in Jesus we stand before our God forgiven, perfect and pure…the way God intended us to be.

We believe that this message is more than just “another religion” to throw into the mix of all the different religious ideas and thoughts that are out there. It is THE very plan of the God who made us. It’s his plan for making things right again. It’s his way of showing his wonderful crazy love for us. You may have heard these words many times before, but can I ask you to read the words of John 3:16 with brand new eyes: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him would not perish but have eternal life.” That gift from God is for you.

Layla’s faith and hope were built on Jesus Christ. She was only two, so there wasn’t a great deal of intellectual understanding to her faith. She wasn’t old enough to “make a decision for Jesus Christ” or profess a belief in him. But she did know her heavenly Father’s voice, and God most certainly knew her. While there is an intellectual side to faith for those of us who are able to understand, faith is first and foremost a matter of the soul. In one place in the Bible, Jesus even picked up a little child (the Greek word literally means “infant”) and told the adults standing there that unless they had faith like that little child, they wouldn’t enter into heaven. Having faith in Jesus means trusting him with your life, here and eternally. Probably more than anyone else I know, Layla knew what it meant to put her life in somebody else’s hands. Isn’t that what faith is – “God I can’t save myself, so I’m trusting you to do it for me”? I have absolute confidence that Layla had this type of relationship with God. Her time here was short, but while she was here she heard the message of Jesus and his love for her. God showed his love for her through Ryan and Shanna who prayed for her and held her endlessly. And, just a few weeks before she died, Layla was baptized. All of these are the “things of God.” God does his work through these things, and we take our confidence in the fact that we have a good and gracious God who desires to save. If God loved Layla enough to send Jesus to die on the cross for her, and she was around the very things that God has given to save us, I have every confidence that our sweet Layla…His sweet Layla…is at home with Jesus – dancing with the angels.

Layla has taught us so much about life and love, and how to cherish every day knowing that it could be your last. Many people have been forever changed and have shared that they will live differently from now on. Lots of lives have been changed forever here on earth, but I believe that God wants to do something even more important. He doesn’t simply want to make you a better person here on earth. He wants to make sure that you are ready for eternity. If there’s one thing that Layla has taught us, it’s to live each day knowing that there may not be a tomorrow. And so, if you haven’t already worked through the most important question of your life, today is the day. Are you ready?

Part 2 – “Are You Ready?” | Part 3 – “Where Do I Go From Here?”

Post from: Lifebridge Church Blog

Layla’s Faith Legacy (1 of 3 in series)

As Layla’s pastor, I’d like to share with you the hope that we have as Christians, and what that means for Layla and for you. First, let me express my sorrow to each of you as well – even those of you who never knew Layla personally are certainly experiencing tremendous loss. I weep with you. Layla is a precious girl with an amazing spirit, and she will be deeply missed. But, in the midst of your grief, let me share a word of hope from the Bible which tells us “we don’t grieve like those who have no hope.” We grieve . . . but we grieve with hope – Hope in God’s promise that Layla is now in heaven with Jesus where there is no more sorrow, no more pain, no more cancer. Hope that even though we die in this life, we live again, forever. Hope, that even though we will no longer physically have her in our lives here on earth, she will be forever in our hearts . . . and when we someday face our last breath that we will have the opportunity to see her again.

We’ll have time in the coming days, and especially at Layla’s funeral, to reflect on the many different emotions and questions that will almost certainly be raised through Layla’s life and death. I will do my best as a humble servant of God to bring you the hope and the peace that God wants for you in this time. For now, though, let me simply share with you a few Bible verses for you to cling to and cry over. May God be with the Marsh family and with each of you.
– Pastor Michael

Jesus said “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. – John 11:25-26

(Jesus said) “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” — John 16:33

Post from: Lifebridge Church Blog

The Hope We Have for Layla

No doubt she cried out to God to intervene in these situations, and He often did . . . through her. But, the bulk of her ministry was simply loving people in the midst of their suffering. She created a place where the gravely ill could come and die with dignity. She would sit with them, do all that she could to ease their pain, stroke their hair and hold their hand, and let them know that God loved them dearly. Very rarely did God take away their suffering in this life . . . but through Mother Theresa, He let them know that they were dearly loved and that their suffering did not go unnoticed.

Ever since I started writing about precious little Layla Grace and her battle with cancer, I’ve been struck by one question that keeps coming up again and again — Why does Layla have to suffer? In the words of one reader: “Pastor Michael, I too have been following Layla’s story and it has touched some very deep issues with me. I’m struggling to find some meaning. I understand what you’re saying, but it still doesn’t explain why God is allowing her to SUFFER so much. I understand that we can’t take our time on earth for granted, because God could call us home at any time. But why the suffering?”

I wish there were easy answers, and at times my best answer to this is “I don’t know”. Like many of you, I’ve been through some pretty serious stuff in life, and I’ve seen and experienced a lot of suffering. And, like you, I’ve struggled to make sense of it. I don’t have all the answers, but this I know . . . God suffers, too. He doesn’t just watch from far off as our sin infested world wallows in suffering. No – he let go of heaven, came down to earth, and suffered with us. The Bible describes Jesus as “a man of sorrows and familiar with suffering” (Isaiah 53:3) Jesus wept at the death of his friend Lazarus, he knew what it was like to be rejected by his closest friends, he suffered and died on the cross for the sins of the world, and most difficult of all was when he was forsaken by his Father in heaven. We may still shake a fist at God and cry out “Why?!”, but we aren’t yelling at a far off cruel God. We cry out to a God who willingly walked the road of suffering with us.

Ryan and Shanna showed me another truth about suffering . . . without even realizing it. Until the last couple of days, Layla was held almost non-stop by one of her parents. Every time I went over to the house, she was pressed against either Ryan or Shanna’s chest. If they moved at all, she’d say “I want to eat” (code for “don’t set me down”). And they didn’t. They simply held her, loved her, and showed her a compassion and care that words can’t adequately describe. As I watched them love this precious little girl through her suffering, I saw a glimpse of God’s love that could never be seen in good times. Layla wasn’t just wrapped in the loving arms of her mom and dad . . . she was held very closely in the arms of her Father in heaven as well. There is a side of love that can only be seen through suffering.

When you have about 10 minutes, can I ask you to do something? Grab a box of Kleenex and watch the Rob Bell “Nooma” video below, which is a short modern day parable that talks about the storms and sufferings of life. It doesn’t answer all the questions about suffering . . . but it gives us a glimpse of God in the midst of those sufferings. Thanks for all your comments and prayers, and for walking with Layla on her road marked with suffering.

Post from: Lifebridge Church Blog

Suffering

But I know me. If I knew I had 87 guaranteed years, I would live 86 years and 364 days primarily for myself. The night before my time was up, I’d get to my knees and get things squared away with God. Truth be told, it’s often the uncertainties of life and the ugliness of the world that forces me to deal with the deeper spiritual things NOW rather than later. There’s a passage in the Bible that says “Lord, teach us to number our days, that we may gain hearts of wisdom.” (Psalm 90:12) I’m still praying that God will do a miracle and heal Layla, but the reality that she could die at the age of 2 reminds me that I’m not guaranteed to live to 87. I may not make it to 50. I may not make it to tomorrow. I need to have my spiritual house in order TODAY.

The Bible tells a story about a man who was so consumed with worldly riches and pleasures that he failed to take time to tend to his relationship with God. He had made all kinds of plans for the years of his life that lay ahead . . . but those years never came. That night he died in his sleep. The word God used to describe him was “Fool”.

I’ll be honest – it hasn’t been easy watching Layla struggle the way she has. I’ve been there up close and personal when she was throwing up bile and crying out in pain. I’ve watched her beautiful face and body slowly wither away into skin and bones. I’ve cried out “why God?” just like you. But I always come back to the same truth: God is good. Even in this terrible situation, we have the promise and confidence that “in all things God works for the good of those who love Him.” (Romans 8:28). Layla’s journey, difficult though it has been, has done so much good. She has reminded us to treasure every day, because each one may be our last. She has reminded us to seek after eternal things, because the earthly ones ultimately don’t last. She has reminded me not to make an eternal “fool” of myself. Thank you God, even for the struggles.

“He is no fool who gives up what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.”

Post from: Lifebridge Church Blog

Finding Meaning in Layla’s Struggle