Encouragement
We have shared with you in previous articles about the recent sudden death of our youngest son Kyle on May 24th.
Kyle, his wife Darr and son Travis were watching Hailey play softball for Sam Houston State University
when he became ill at the game and died 3 wks. later of a malignant brain tumor.
Hailey's graduation from SHSU was during that time and though she did not attend, her softball teammates kept in constant touch with her. Hailey shares these words from the depths of her broken heart, at the bottom of Travis' last article.
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It has been one of the hardest tasks I have ever had to endure, in finding reasoning in my father's sudden death. Like most people who have lost a loved one, I looked for reasoning, I looked for someone to blame and I really just wanted to know why God makes "good" people suffer?
In one of those amazing ways that God allows things to unfold, a great friend of mine introduced me to the book of Habakkuk, which has helped me through this trying time in my life.
Sometimes it is not evident to us what is going on, especially if we are thrown into suffering for a period of time or if it seems our enemies are prospering while we are just barely getting by.
The Book of Habakkuk affirms that God is a sovereign, omnipotent God who has all things under control.
We just need to be still and know He is at work. He is who He says He is and does keep His promises.
Even when we cannot see it, He is still on the throne of the universe. We need to stay focused on this:
“The Sovereign Lord is my strength; He makes my feet like the feet of a deer, He enables me to go on the heights” (Habakkuk 3:19).
Enabling us to go on the heights is taking us to the higher places with Him where we are set apart from the world.
I am a firm believer that Sometimes the way we have to go to get there is through suffering and sorrow,
but if we rest in Him and trust Him, we come out where He wants us.
I am a VERY lucky girl to have gotten to spend the amazing times that I had with my father.
I am also so very thankful for my supportive group of loving family and friends who have helped me,
my grandparents (Travis and La Moyne), my mother (Darr) and my brother (Travis) through this time.
I do wish that nobody would ever have to endure the pain and suffering of losing such a close loved one.
But with that being an impossible wish, I hope that through that time everyone will be as lucky as I, to have so many others pick you up and help you along the way.
I know that Travis and La Moyne (or 'Papa' and 'Tutu' as they are known by us grandchildren) have offered love and prayers to millions of people around the world.
Please continue to pray for them and the rest of our family as we work through this Tremendous loss.
~Hailey Wiginton~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We have been SO blessed by the hundreds of cards we've received and are amazed that with that many cards, there was only 1 duplicate. I'm convinced that God wanted us to read it over and over...which we have done!
"God's Gift of Time"
"we all need a time to grieve~
quiet time for reflection
to sift through memories
and come to grips
with what has happened.
we all need a time for tears,
not for the one who is now
at peace in Heaven,
but for ourselves as we realize
that things will never be the same.
we all need a time to just 'be',
when we can open ourselves to God
and let the reassurance
of His everlasting love
start to heal our broken hearts."
Many times throughout Travis' 60 yrs. of ministry, he shared this poem at the grave-site.
"When God sends forth a spotless soul to learn the ways of earth,
a mother's love is waiting there....we call this miracle 'birth'.
When God calls home a tired soul and stills a fitful breath...
A Father's love is waiting there....this too is 'birth'....not death!"
Many books and papers that we have shared with hurting people throughout the years, are ministering to us now!
One of those is a little pamphlet, 'The Valley Of Shadows' (comforting words for sad hearts) taken from the book 'When The Rain Falls' written by Dr. Herschel H. Hobbs.
Dr. Hobbs wrote:
"Physical death does separate one from those who are still physically alive, but is does not separate one from eternal life. If your loved one went on a journey, he would be separated from you in body, but he would still be alive. So death is but a journey beyond the thin veil which separates time from eternity.
Your loved one still lives and is with Christ....and Christ has promised His presence with you.
Therefore, in Christ you are together forevermore. Unable to walk by sight right now, let us walk by faith.
In due time God will make all things plain."
Kyle was born while we were serving as missionaries in Korea. One of the first 'Congrats' letters we rec'd was from Dr. Hobbs. At that time, he was serving as President of the Southern Baptist Convention, as well as pastoring First Baptist Church, Oklahoma City, so he was a VERY busy man!
This was long before e-mail, so he took the time to write it in long-hand!! We were very touched ~
"Congratulations Kyle! You made the right decision by choosing Travis and La Moyne as your parents!"
How we have praised God that He chose us to be Kyle's parents as Kyle brought much JOY to our family!
And though it's hard right now to feel 'Joy', each time memories of him come to mind, there is JOY in our hearts.
We also praise God for the love, support and guidance from our children, their mates and our gr'children.
There are times when it feels like we're 'paralyzed'... then we receive a phone call from one of our children and they will 'pray with us, then walk us through it'.
Our hearts are heavy for those who have not trusted Christ as their Saviour...and have no Hope of Eternal Life.
"I am the resurrection and the life; he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live;
and whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?" (John 11: 25-26)
(Further info about Hailey's writing can be found at http://www.thefaithperspective.com
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Thanks so much for posting this article. It really ministered to me today. We buried my dear sweet Mother today so I feel and know your grief. But, praise God...He is still on the throne and in control of all things. i love you and keep you in my prayers.
In Christ's Love,
Julia