For God’s Glory

I believe in God’s will and that He has a purpose for everything He does. Though it may be hard at times to understand completely why certain things happen we can still take comfort in the fact that He promises to work all things out for the good of those who love Him. (Romans 8:28)

A week after I turned 14 my 11 1/2 year old younger brother died suddenly. On Sat. March 16, 2002 my brother Matthew was perfectly fine climbing the tree in the front yard. On Sunday March 17, 2002 he got a bad headache and stayed home from church with my mother. At mid-night that night he became incoherent, no longer responding verbally. After a grueling day of brain scans and other tests my brother past away at 6pm on Monday March 18th 2002 as a result of bacterial spinal meningitis.

How is a family to respond to such a tragic event? How, as a 14 year old did I get through that hard time? God promises to give grace in the time of need, and He did just that. (Hebrews 4:16) It was time for my family and me to put into practice what we had grown up saying we believed in. Phrases such as “God is in control” or “God’s plan is perfect” and “God is good” and “I trust God with my life” would previously roll off each of our tongues. Does any of that change when something BIG and unexpected happens? No. Does any of that change when even small things don’t turn out the way we planned? No. When we take our focus off ourselves and our finite plans and direct them to God and His infinitely perfect plan we begin to realize how awesome God truly is and how He is constantly at work in our lives.

God chose to use my family and the death of my brother to bring Himself glory! As a result of my brother’s testimony some of our friends came to know the Lord! A 15 year old girl that I met in Hungary on a mission trip last year gave her life to the Lord after hearing of my brother’s faith and the hope that my family has in God to see Matthew again! People’s lives were changed. And God drew my family close to Him and completely changed my outlook on life. I really do believe God is in control, that His plan is perfect, and that He is good! Life is precious and God’s placing us here on this earth was not by accident. We have a purpose to fulfill and we are called to complete it to the best of our ability. (1 Cor. 10:31)

“We practice daily what we truly believe, everything else is just religious talk” -unknown