“Stay Strong” (Nathan Part 2)

Our hearts ache

Our bodies are exhausted

Our eyes are still filled with tears.  Tears that come at unexpected moments of memory.

The more we try to get our minds off of what has happened, the more frequent are the remembrances of a life that once was.

I’m not sure we realized how much Nathan meant to us, until now. His smile, His energy and His friendship. Never was there ever a thought that he would not be around to kick the soccer ball or have fun in the snow. Never did we dream in a million years that he would no longer be with us.

He was 13

13

Death surprises us sometimes.  The quickness is shocking taking our breath away.  It strikes at times without warning and changes all of our plans.  Our lives are fragile. It seems we are not as strong as we think we are.

But from the “little” voice of Nathan Clark comes a message of encouragement “stay strong…” he would say… “Stay strong in the Lord.”

Maybe, it was because He knew the Lord was stronger than our pain. That somehow he believed that the Lord was strong enough to see us through any circumstance. Maybe, he had heard a preacher or someone he trusted say it or  maybe, it was just something he found to be true in his own life. Regardless, he knew that The Lord was where real strength came from and now he understands by experience what resurrection power really is.  He understands what it does and how it changes things.  He has experienced the strength of the Lord and has found it to be stronger than death itself.

If he were able to speak to us today, words that would be meant to comfort our sorrow he would say, “Stay Strong in the Lord.”

“Stay Strong in the Lord.”

So, on this day, that is in-between days, we will take up that banner, trust in the Lord and stay strong in Him. It’s what Nathan would want for us to do and it surely is what God desires as well.