A Tragic Ending

Last Wednesday we received some really sad news from one of Pete's former co-workers. One of the guys in his old department, and a good friend, lost his teenage son unexpectedly. Andrew was 16, and apparently just died in his sleep.

The autopsy reports came back inconclusive--maybe the toxology reports in the next week or so will show something, but the disturbing part is that they may never find a cause.

Last evening Pete, Natalia, and I drove down to Reisterstown, MD to see Ed at his son's viewing. It's hard to imagine his grief and what he'll face in the upcoming days and months. We're praying that he'll be comforted by those that love him, but ultimately that he finds peace with God in the midst of this terrible loss.

Please pray for him and their whole family. Andrew leaves behind his mother, younger brother, his father, stepmother and two stepsisters. We think that Andrew might have been the only believer in his family.

Pete often spent a long weekend each of the last few summers backpacking with Ed, and once Andrew went along. That was 3 years ago, but Pete really enjoyed getting to know Ed and his son in that capacity. Andrew had just been saying to his dad recently that he really wanted to go with them again this year--they were hoping to go sometime in August. Maybe Ed and Pete will still go...we'll see.

It's hard to imagine how God can use something as heartbreaking as this for His glory and our good. In the meantime I will set my heart upon believing what is True--

He alone is sovereign,

He is trustworthy,

He alone is the Source of true peace despite the most violent of life's storms,

and He knows intimately what it means to grieve.