What a sad and yet blessed day.

This morning I had a meeting with some of my favorite partners. I’m trying to get all my church planting buddies together. It was great to see my brother Tito Ruiz there, along with Drew Grubbs, Paul Reynolds, Alex Villasana and other Spanish pastors and friends from Dunwoody. Barb Newman is the local missions director for Dunwoody Baptist Church. She encouraged me to get the guys together and I’m glad I did. I think there will be some great synergy from this group working together.

Went straight from that to the funeral for Bob Speer. I sat at the very front right next to his wife Gloria. I was just sobbing. It was ironic that the widow was comforting me! Fortunately, I was able to keep it together during my parts of the funeral service. I spoke about Bob’s love for people. How he had made a difference in so many people’s lives because of his caring. Then I read most of 1 Corinthians 13 and had them imagine how many ways Bob had show us these qualities.

Bob was one of the good ones. He was a great example of leadership by servanthood.

I got home about dark and went for a 4 miles run. I hate running in the dark. But I really needed to run. Get all that sadness out of me.

Peace.

I had a fun day with Alysia and Adrian Crawford and their two kids Anna and Silas.  They are folks who really love the Lord and are passionate about our refugee population.  I enjoy helping people along on their journey.  It was fun to talk about missions in Clarkston and all the work that needs to be done there.

Went over to visit with Bennett at Willow Branch.  We’re trying to help determine the best use for the new folks coming into Clarkston to work with us.  I also got to talk with Susan Coker, one of my favorite volunteers!

Stopped by FBC Doraville to pick up the usual stack of bills for the missions then shot over to Azalea to work with the kids.  I helped Fameda, one of our little Bengali girls with her perimeter and area math homework.  She seems to be getting it, albeit slowly.  I’m just looking for progress.

Went to vote this evening.  Pretty cool techno-voting chip/cards.

I needed to run this evening, but I was just too tired.  This funeral I’m doing on Wednesday for my friend Bob Speers has really taken a lot out of me.

I talked with my Dad in Georgetown this morning.  He said my brother Jim has had a really bad muscle spasm in his back that has kept him bed ridden.  LORD, please help my brother feel better and let his medication be effective!  AMEN.

Just got an email from my good friend Chip Sweeney from Perimeter.  He told me that one of my favorite youth was just killed in Colorado in a car wreck.  She was in a mission training school.  Jessica was on the front cover of the Whirlwind Missions brochures for years.  She really exemplified a life lived in the service of others and the Lord.  What a loss for the Kingdom!

LORD, please comfort Jessica and Bob’s families as they go through this time of grief.

What a week for tears.