Two things really struck me this past weekend. I am small. Really small. God is huge. Really, He is truly Supreme. Louie said something profound that has left me shaking my head at my own sinful pride. He said that I have a huge propensity to shrink down God to my level and to elevate my own life to His. That is sin. Sin makes that which is small big and that which is Supreme, small. Crazy! How can infinitesimal me attempt to make the story of God anything but the sole pleasing, God elevating story that it is? In light of the sheer awe factor of God, how could I do anything but lift His... His fame... His character... His life higher and higher? How could I do anything less than become smaller in order to elevate His greatness? I truly want to spend my life making much of a great and glorious God.


The vastness of God blew me away and I tasted a bit more of His supremacy this past weekend. But, the intimacy with God was so needed and has had such an impact on me. He holds us together. A protein molecule, in the form of a cross, is holding me together. Yeah! God is truly vast and huge and incomprehensible and big and magnanimous and any other adjective that connotes "AWESOME." Yet, He is also intimate and deeply acquainted with all of my ways. I am thankful for the intimacy that I have with this incredible God.


Christ is truly holding many of us together. Yesterday, Jeff called me to tell me that Carrie will leave this earth in a few weeks. I was not ready for that call. Jeff and Carrie are friends..... you know, the 'we share life and have kids and coach ball teams and laugh and cry and pray and do small group and actually work together' kind of friends. I wasn't ready for the doctors to tell me that her brain cancer was back. I really was not ready to hear that she had a short time to live. Less than 15 hours later, I was on the way to the hospital to say goodbye to one of my best friends. I love Carrie. I miss her. I am held together. Thanks be to God that He holds us together.


Isaiah 40.27 - 31 are verses of refuge in the past few days. I am leaning into God for strength. I am weak. I am standing in Him and His glorious might sustains, holds, and strengthens. I don't have a fraction of the answers about why this went down with Carrie. Yet, I have no doubt about Who Carrie celebrates and the reality that she is leading the worship parade in the presence of the living God! I can only imagine.....


I love you, Carrie. I thank my God for your partnership in the gospel. I miss you! Jeff, you have taught me much, over the past months, about how to serve one's wife at the deepest point of life. Thank you! I am committed to talk with God often about you.... about Nate, Xander, and Maggie. I am committed to tell them stories about their mom. I hope that we get to share much more life together.


God's glory alone.

Mark