April 14th. For ten years, that date has been etched in my memory as the day I said goodbye to my Dad. It was a day of profound loss, a day that changed the trajectory of my life. But I serve a God who redeems, and ten years to the day, He did something I never could have imagined. I am learning that the God who weaves our stories often uses the threads of our deepest pain to create a tapestry of hope.
The Reason We Are Here
When I wrote Generation Jumping: Losing Those Who Are Not Lost – I worked with WestBow Press and their wonderful group of resourceful people. Among the things that came from this relationship was the chance to publicize the book. This led to requests to appear on podcasts, interviews, and other appearances. All of these are completely new to me and nowhere near my comfort zone.
Dialogue That Defines
Eventually I sat on a Zoom interview with Emily Thiroux Threatt, podcast host and author. We had a wonderful conversation. As we talked for a few minutes before the ‘recording’ started, she wanted to tell me when the interview would ‘go live’.
She told me the date.
I said, “I’m sorry, what date did you say?”
She repeated, “April 14th.”
Me: “April 14th? That’s unbelievable.”
Emily: “Why?”
Me: “April 14th will be 10 years to the day that my Dad passed away.”
Emily: (smiling softly, understanding the weight) “That’s the universe.”
Me: (choked up) “That’s God, the Creator of the universe.”
God Is Always Working
We were off and running. The stage was set and both of us knew from the start that this was going to beautiful.
You cannot make this up. The God who weaves in ways that only He could create. Not only that, His plans come together as if they were always, and only were able to happen in that very way. A divine connection? Out of the obedience of writing my story, God connected my story with another’s.
In our conversation, roughly half an hour, we both smiled. A lot. We had tears in our eyes at times, and we laughed. It was beautifully authentic as we talked about life and death, hope and grief. Mostly, we talked about and remembered family. That included talking about making the commitment intentionally to help the one who is dying, and even how to see them come to life right before your eyes in those moments.
Connections To Follow
This conversation was born from the pages of my book, Generation Jumping: Losing Those Who Are Not Lost. If this conversation resonates with you, if you’ve walked through the valley of the shadow of loss and wondered if hope was on the other side, the book was written for you.
Listen To The Full Episode
My story, Emily’s story, your story – they are all part of a bigger story. A story of the God who weaves our lives together. He meets us in our grief and doesn’t leave us there, but walks with us toward a future filled with purpose and, yes, even happiness. My prayer is that this interview encourages you to take His hand and move intentionally toward Him, while serving others.