Alright, so now we are going to embark on those principles I was talking about from Band of Brothers earlier.  The first characteristic that we mentioned was this tighter than family bonding that happens.  If the church had more of this then we would carry each other’s burdens.  Here’s what it looked like for me.

It will be 6 years a go this Jan that I lost both of my parents in the same week.  No, it wasn’t a car wreck or something like that but two freaky different illnesses.  They died 3 days apart.  Imagine the surprise of all the people showing up at the funeral expecting to pay their condolences about my father and finding out my mother was their in a casket as well.  I can look back and smile now, in a morbid sense of humor way, and call it a two for one deal.

Seriously, I aged about 5 years in 3 months.  There was a lot of decisions to be made and some growing up to do during these times.  Not many people can appreciate the loneliness you feel when going through this, but for me there was this guy…

Larry Mayer, was the Lead Pastor at my church, currently the Wellington Campus Pastor of LifeChurch.tv,  and he was a good friend.  It just so happened that Larry had lost his parents three years earlier during the course of one year. He actually understood what I was feeling.  The sense of a loss of history, an ending to a period of life, and never being able again to call someone and tell them you love them.

I remember looking at him through tears and seeing him cry as well and know that he really felt what I felt.  I was not alone! There was someone like me, that went through this, and in him I found hope because I could see that life goes on.

Through all of this God orchestrated a relationship through which Larry challenged me to become a pastor at that church.  Because someone took the time to grieve with me it allowed them the ability to speak into my life and see what God was wanting me to do.

Empathy is a strength that unites us together and works for God’s purposes.

Thanks Larry, your one of my best friends…..

Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.

Romans 12:15