Looking Forward to Dancing with Emily in Heaven
Friday, October 3, 2008 at 1:34PM Here is video of our friends, Terry and Juanita Stauffer, remembering their precious daughter Emily at Emily’s funeral held today.
If it was not for the prayers of God’s people and for the arms of God holding us up, we would be puddles on the floor. God gives strength to the weak, and we are weak.
—-Juanita Stauffer
When Emily’s death was confirmed on Saturday night, I was shocked and bewildered. And when I got on my knees, all I could pray was, ‘Oh Lord, help, help, help.’
But right into that, one of my first thoughts was, ‘If this gospel I’ve been preaching is not true today, it was never true at all.’
We will see Emily again. I said to my daughter, Petra, last night, that this clumsy, self-conscious dad is looking forward to dancing with Emily in heaven as we celebrate God’s glory together.
—-Terry Stauffer
[Source of these quotes: CBC News]
Pray that our heavenly Father will use their witness to the power of the gospel to bring many people to himself. I am watching CTV NewsNet this afternoon, and every half hour, when the Stauffer story comes up, they are quoting different bits from the Stauffers’ words at the funeral, and I stand amazed at their testimony to the truth and hope of the gospel and God’s gift of strength in terrible suffering.
Continue to pray that God will continue to comfort them and give them strength. God is certainly carrying them, but they have much more to be carried through in the days, weeks, and months ahead.
Reader Comments (4)
I'm standing amazed along with you.
They are in our prayers even now through the veil of our tears. I just cannot comprehend. God bless and continue to comfort them in the days, weeks, months, and years ahead.
May God comfort them in this terrible sorrow. My heart aches for them.
As someone who has also buried a daughter, my heart breaks for this family. May God grant them the peace that only He can give.
Those of you who are close, please consider sending a card or note on the special days in the coming months (e.g., her birthday, special holidays or family occassions, etc.). All of the "firsts" will be especially difficult.