Healed

If I was ever not going to be Mormon, I'd be Baptist.

And I'd go to First Missionary Baptist Church in Lexington Park.

When we moved to Leonards Grant last May, Christian pretty quickly buddied up with Mike. Along with Mike came his brothers Corey and David. Then came summer and we were all off here and there.

When we got back home we found out that Corey had been having headaches and had gone to the doctor. They found out he had a brain tumor. He was immediately admitted to Children's Hospital in Washington DC. He had surgery and for the next 2 months went between the hospital and rehabilitation. He went on to have chemotherapy and radiation. He was unable to attend school having a home tutor come in.

It seemed so sad to me to know that he was missing his whole 8th grade year. He went from a vibrant energetic 8th grade boy to a cancer patient. Frail and sick and home.

I would check in with his Grandma and see how he was doing from time to time. I guess I kind of thought no news was good news. And Mike and David were at our house every day. I asked about him often and thought surely they would tell me how he was. At one point his Grandma told me that Corey was excited to be able to start high school with his class in the fall. I had thought things were on the up and up.

Then last Friday Matt and I had the little girls at the park and saw Mike, David, and little sister Kenya there. They had just gotten back from visiting their mom so I started making small talk about how their trip was and when they got back. Then I casually asked how Corey was.

Kenya looked at me funny.

"He died yesterday," she said.

My jaw dropped. I had no idea it was that bad. How did I have no idea it was that bad? I felt, and still feel, horrible. If I had known... if I had only known.

We had the very singular experience of going to a memorial at their Baptist church last night.

It was awesome. And spiritual.

Seriously awesome and spiritual.

I found myself swaying to the music, nodding to the preachers, and clapping with the congregation.

And don't even get me started on the Spirit Dancers!

After the memorial they served dinner. Everyone went out of their way to welcome and serve us and all the visitors. Matt made the comment that in fellowshipping, they got our church beat, big time.

They called it a Service of Triumph and it was.

That place screamed triumph!

Even through the tears, it was triumphant.

I wish I could share the whole sermon cause it was awesome.

But I'll just a little of it that really struck me.

The preacher said that Corey had prayed to be healed.

And he was.

He was healed.

Not in the way we had hoped, but he was healed.

He also quoted 2 Corinthians 12:9-10.

"He said to me,

'My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.'

Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong."

I am weak. But through my weakness I can be strong. I'm gonna try not to beat myself up about what I could have done to ease my neighbors burdens. I'm gonna try not to let guilt get the better of me. That's not productive and I do that way too much.

Corey's life made that difference.

I'm going to learn from this experience.

I know I can be better.

I know I can be stronger.

You know how sometimes when you experience something and it just seems like it was tailor-made for you to learn this great, life changing lesson. That's what happened last night.

Matt felt the same way, only he learned things that were tailor-made for him.

What a celebration of life!

That's what Corey taught me.

And I feel triumphant.