First off, hi again everybody. Please accept my apologies for disappearing on you again, but a lot's been going on, and I haven't been able to focus much on talking as a result. I feel it's about time I come back on to let you all know that there are people in need, though.
Not long ago, my mom and I received news that a pastor who used to work at the church I grew up at had a massive heart attack. Unfortunately, they were not able to revive him. We know that he's experiencing God's infinite care and love firsthand right now, but it's still hard for everybody who's still here. He really was like a family member to my mom and me, and we've never met anybody more loving than him. My mom honestly said that if she'd gotten married, she would've wanted him to either perform the ceremony or walk her down the aisle, because he really was more like a father to her than her biological one. When I was born, he became part of a reason why I have my real name, because my mom partially named me after him (I have two first names). He really was the definition of a cheerful giver, who only ever wanted to see other people blessed and come to know Christ whether they acknowledged him or not. Please say a prayer for his family, and the people who grew up at my church that knew him. Eventually, he went on to become the senior pastor at another church, so please pray for that church too. They really are grieving hard, as they've lost their senior pastor.
Later the same week that we received that news, one of my cats passed. I'd had him for 15 years. He really was an important part of my childhood, and it's been so hard to adjust to life without him. I do have memories from before him, but he was part of me for so long, that I honestly don't even remember how it felt not to have him in my life.
So, as you can imagine, things have been tough for mom and me, as well as a lot of people we know. But we know that the Bible says "blessed are those who mourn", so we'll hold tight to that right now.
Thank you, and I hope to see you guys more often again.