IN CHRIST ONLY DO WE HAVE HIS STRENGTH, IN TIMES OF LOSS OF THOSE WE LOVE AND WHO HAVE AFFECTED OUR LIVES SO MUCH.

Stephen's (Ellen's son) teacher passed away last week. Stephen is a Senior and is enrolled to attend Libery University in Lynchburg this fall.

GOD HAS A PLAN AND PURPOSE FOR MANKIND IN TIME AND FOR ETERNITY. WE SEE TIME AND GOD SEES ETERNITY. WHAT MAKES PERFECT SENSE WITH CHRIST OFTEN MAKES NO SENSE WITH MANKIND. EVENTS THAT HAPPEN IN OUR LIVES AS BELIEVERS ARE DESIGNED BY CHRIST FOR HIS PURPOSES AND ARE IN HIS PLAN FOR HIMSELF.

I BELIEVE ALL OF TIME AND ETERNITY IS ABOUT THE GLORY OF JESUS CHRIST. I REALLY DO. IT'S NOT ABOUT US. I DON'T BELIEVE JESUS CHRIST IS SERVING US, BUT IT IS THE OTHER WAY AROUND. WE ARE HIS "SLAVE", TO SERVE AT HIS PLEASURE FOR HIS PURPOSE, AND HIS GLORY, IN TIME AND IN ETERNITY. YET, IT IS NOT I, BUT CHRIST THAT LIVES WITHIN US. GALATIANS 2:20.

I BELIEVE WE LIVE AND DIE ON JESUS CHRIST'S TIME SCHEDULE.

LAST YEAR DR. JERRY FALWELL DIED ON MAY 15, 2007. HE WAS 72 YEARS OLD, AND HAD BEEN PASTOR OF THOMAS ROAD BAPTIST CHURCH FOR 50 YEARS. IT SEEMS WITH OUR MIND, THAT HE HAD JUST BEGUN. HE SAID TO ME, "CHARLES, I HAVE MUCH TO ACCOMPLISH, BUT MAYBE NOT IN MY LIFETIME." HE DIED ONE MONTH TO THE DAY LATER.

THE YOUNG FAMILY ABOVE IS "THE MARKS" FAMILY, JENNIFER JENKINS (JJ) MARKS AND SCOTT HER HUSBAND AND THEIR SON. JJ WAS A TEACHER AT MY NEPHEW STEPHEN'S SCHOOL, OVILLA CHRISTIAN SCHOOL, IN RED OAK, TEXAS.

JJ WAS 32. SHE WAS A HIGH SCHOOL TEACHER, SHE TAUGHT MATH AND COACHED TRACK AND CROSS COUNTRY. SHE WAS A MEMBER OF THE FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH OF DALLAS AND SANG IN THE SANCTUARY CHOIR. SHE HAD A DEGREE IN MATHEMATICS FROM LIBERY UNIVERSITY IN LYNCHBURG, VIRGINIA IN 1997.

JJ WAS SEVEN MONTHS PREGNANT AND HAD A GOOD CHECKUP ON MONDAY. TUESDAY EVENING SHE FELT NAUSEATED, AND SHE WENT TO THE DOCTOR ON WEDNESDAY MORNING. THE BABY DIED WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON AND JJ WENT INTO LABOR AND DIED ABOUT 6 A.M. AT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL. SCOTT WAS ON A MISSION TRIP AT THE TIME.

IN OUR MINDS, GOD TOOK A YOUNG LADY IN HER PRIME WITH YET MUCH TO DO. WHY? FOR WHAT EVER THE REASON, IT SEEMS JESUS CHRIST HAS GIVEN EACH OF US 'TIME' TO LIVE THIS EARTHLY LIFE, AND WHEN THAT 'TIME' IS COMPLETE, HE BY HIS PLEASURE TAKES THAT LIFE. THEREFORE, IT SEEMS EACH MOMENT OF LIFE IS IMPORTANT, FOR WE KNOW NOT, IF TODAY MAY BE OUR LAST IN TIME. TODAY LET'S FULFILL ALL THAT WE KNOW TO DO.

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FROM THE EMAILS I HAVE RECEIVED FROM ELLEN, JJ HAD A PROFOUND EFFECT ON STEPHEN AND THE LIVES OF THOSE SHE WAS AROUND. IT SEEMED HER LIFE WAS A REAL CHRISTIAN TESTIMONY.

OUR LIFE IS NOT OUR OWN, WE WERE BOUGHT WITH A PRICE. JESUS CHRIST PAID OUR SIN DEBT AND ADOPTED US AS HIS OWN CHILDREN.

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IN OUR HUMAN LIFE, WE HAVE BEEN GIVEN THE EMOTIONS TO HURT AND FEEL THE LOSS OF THOSE WHOM WE LOVE. THE LOSS IS GREAT, OUR SADNESS IS DEEP, AND WE WILL NEVER BE THE SAME IN THIS LIFE.

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I COULDN'T UNDERSTAND WHEN I WAS A CHILD WHY MY DAD WOULD SHED TEARS WHEN HE WOULD TALK ABOUT HIS DAD WHO HAD DIED. BUT AFTER MY DAD DIED WHEN I WAS 18, I UNDERSTOOD. EVEN NOW SOME 40 YEARS LATER, I UNDERSTAND THE TEARS.

EVEN IN OUR GRIEF, IN OUR TEARS, IN OUR LOSS, THOSE OF US WHO HAVE BEEN BORN AGAIN, HAVE BEEN GIVEN THIS SWEET INNER PEACE OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF CHRIST, THAT EVERY THING IS GOING TO BE ALRIGHT IN OUR FATHER'S HOUSE. ONLY THE HOLY SPIRIT WITHIN US CAN GIVE US THE STRENGTH TO MOVE ON IN LIFE UNTIL THE LORD CALLS US HOME. IT'S GRACE THAT SUPPLIES OUR NEED OF STRENGTH IN THIS TIME OF DEEP SORROW.

GOD HAS A PURPOSE AND PLAN FOR THOSE WHOM HE HAS CHOSEN FOR ALL ETERNITY. FOR US NOW, WE ONLY SEE THE CLOUDED PRESENT, BUT GOD SEES ETERNITY.