Faith - Keep it Simple

​

Since April 6, 2002, my heart has been changed forever. I think of my son and his two best friends along with our good friend, Pat, the pilot each day.  What was supposed to be a fun day and a 2-hour flight turned into a tragic loss of all four of them.  Many times I let my mind wonder about what these young guys would have become.  Would Bobby have fulfilled his desire to play professional baseball?  What would their wives be like?  Would they be teachers, lawyers, or truck drivers?   

 

What I can share with you is this.  My family and I have made it though these hard times with faith.  Simple faith in God and the hope of His promises. It’s in God that we have hope.  Part of that hope is that someday we will be reunited with our son and friends.  When my mind starts to go down the path of being angry with God, I stop and remember that I can't see the whole picture from my earthly perspective.  I don't have all the answers to why we would lose loved ones at an early age.  It’s my passion to encourage you not to become bitter at God.  I challenge you to continue to pray and seek God, to trust Him though your faith, and hold on to the hope of everlasting life in Heaven.   I once told my dad, "If what I believe is wrong and there is no Heaven, then what have I lost? But if what I believe is right, and there is a Heaven, then I have everything to gain." From that day forward, my Dad never questioned my desire to follow Christ again.

 

It will be hard, but we are willing to follow Christ’s calling and share with others our story of love for our Lord, love and hope after losing a child, and love of our marriage. 

 

Let me close with my favorite verse:  Psalm 121- A song of ascents.

 

I lift up my eyes to the hills-- where does my help come from?  My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip-- he who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The LORD watches over you-- the LORD is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. The LORD will keep you from all harm-- he will watch over your life;  the LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.

Servants of Jesus Christ,
Bob and Jeannie Craine