Thanksgiving on Thursday...

God speaks anywhere, anytime, any place...

I heard Him speak at my Uncle John's funeral yesterday. 

Let me just say that I have never been to a funeral before

 that had such a note of victory in it and where the 

deceased person's testimony rang 

so clear in his passion for Jesus Christ.

 I was moved to tears many times, and once again, 

my heart beats strong with the knowledge that 

I have been blessed to call this man my uncle.

I have earnestly been praying about some personal needs I am dealing with...

in particular has been all the kingdom work to be done, 

and all the passivity and lukewarmness around me. 

I feel so helpless and sometimes hindered in doing 

what it is that burns in my heart to do...

and I grieve over so many messes in this world that affect me directly...

choices people make and have made that affect my family and I. 

But yesterday God spoke to me in the holy hush of that funeral service. 

The pastor who preached the sermon had been asked by my uncle 

to come preach the Gospel at his funeral.

 He spoke of how my uncle often prayed on trips to other parts of the world

 where he was involved in sharing the Gospel and loving orphans,

 that God would help his grown children and his grandchildren 

to love Him and choose wisely in life. 

He lamented to this pastor friend often that there is so much work to do, 

more than his mortal body was capable of. 

And when he got sick, he mourned for the work he left undone 

until he released his will to God's, 

knowing that these mission posts are God's, 

and that his work on earth was finished, 

and would be continued by others.

I heard God speak to my heart to go home, love my husband, 

and pour into my children's lives...

first of all. And to trust that I am exactly where He wants me, 

and doing the things He called me to do. 

I refuse to carry a false burden of responsibility 

for what is not mine to do.

 I heard Him tell me to go home and earnestly pray

 in the quietness of my prayer closet,

 and to let Him work out the details of these things 

I so desperately long to see 'fixed' and reached...

My heart wells in thankfulness today...

not only that I received direct answers for what I have been

 praying  and crying to God for many weeks now...

but also that I heard His voice in the funeral service of a saint who has died.

God is truly an amazing Father.

 I cannot imagine not putting my trust in Him completely.

Yes, I will still mourn for what breaks His heart.

But I will work where He puts me

 and trust Him to bring reapers for other parts of the field

 where I have not been called to be, and where it looks like no one is.

I will continue to give Him praise for reapers I find in other parts

of the field, and pray for them in their work.

Scripture says "Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord",

 and calls their death precious to God...

Truly death speaks loudly to the living and while Uncle John 

is blessed to be cancer free in the arms of Jesus, 

I am blessed with encouragement by the testimony of his life.

I was blessed when his son told me that his dad was his best friend

 and that he had taught his children to know and live for Jesus. 

I was greatly encouraged to come home and do the same in my own home.

I was blessed by the songs Aunt Margaret picked for us to sing at the viewing...

songs about Jesus, heaven and God's care for his children. 

One song in particular really struck me. 

It is a song I learned when I was a little girl..and have loved it ever since.

 I believe it speaks loudly of what Uncle John lived for and how he could 

die with such peace and leave behind many youth who call him Papa John.

Uncle John...

you will be missed,

 but I am so glad you are in heaven with Jesus.

The World's Greatest Story
(the song I was talking about
that we sang at the viewing)