Don't Blame Jesus

Part of this is a copy of what I posted on rctech.net.

Yesterday I called my friend Stephen, and I think that I first got his mom, and then his wife.  His wife was telling me that he is in a very bad way and is unable to talk.  It looks like it is down to the last days or hours.  But she did put me on speaker phone for him.  I was able to pray for him.  And at the end, his wife said that he was trying to mouth the word “Amen.”  I also wanted to tell him about an upcoming missions trip that I am going on this spring.  Again I got to share that with him on speaker phone and his wife said that he seemed animated and excited.  I did get to tell him that I loved him.

I will call the family tomorrow and find out what the news is.

I must have spent hours and hours with him chatting on the phone. Just an incredible brother in the faith. Always very positive in how he acted toward others.

I was thinking just how much I am going to miss those calls. If I miss him so much, how much more his wife and mom and family are going to miss him.

We talked a lot about death. It was something that was always right there in front of him. You know what, he wasn’t afraid of death, because he knew that Jesus was going to meet him on the other side. He wasn’t happy about having to leave his wife in death. But for months now he was trying to do what he could with the energy had to take care of her. Sorting out her hobby room. Teaching her about the life insurance, bills etc, and trying to make sure that he had all his ducks in a row.

He absolutely loved his wife. He would go on glowingly about what an awesome woman she is, and all the different things that she was involved in at church with teaching and worship team. They got to take a couple of great vacation togethers in the last couple years, knowing that their time together was short.

Man, the world is going to be a darker place with him passing on. Shookie was an encouragement to a lot of us. You know what else, he was REAL. It wasn’t all “Do as I say, not as I do.” Or “Live like a saint on Sunday, and live like a hellion the other 6 days out of the week.” He lived out everyday what he said.

Some people when they die, people only tell positive things about them, and really sweep under the carpet all the crud that everyone really knows went on in their life. There is nothing to sweep under the carpet here.

I remember when he was telling me a story about recently getting medicine switched and he was saying it was like getting “tourettes” where all this foul language came flowing out of his mouth, just uncontrollably. I didn’t hear him swear ever, but that was what he told me happened. And Shookie was so embarassed by that and asking God for forgiveness, because that is not the kind of person that he ever wanted to be.

Some of us might cuss up a storm or cuss out others and think nothing of it. But it bothered Stephen.

A lot of racers have been watching his life. They were in awe of how he handled himself and his life. It has been an amazing struggle and yet peaceful because of Christ.

I am so going to miss him.

I know with all confidence, to his friends and fellow racers who don’t know Jesus, or maybe need to come back to faith, if he inspired you at all, he would love for you to take a look into Jesus again. Because that it where he found his strength and hope. We talked about that a lot.

I love you Stephen. You have been such an incredible friend. You helped me get through all sorts of tough times in my life and ministry. Thank you.

Richard

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