I’m posting this on the three-year anniversary of my dad’s death, though what was written was around one year after his death. I’ve held off posting this because it’s a less “polished” post that reads more like a journal entry.
Continue reading Thoughts On Grief that LastsTag: Hope
Don’t Lose Hope in Hardship
One of the many lessons I’ve learned from David’s time in the wilderness is not to let present hardship rob me of future hope.
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Hold on to Hope: Eight Elements of Biblical Hope
“Hope is like the sun. If you only believe in it when you see it, you’ll never make it through the night.” Leia Organa in Star Wars: Episode VIII
“Remember, Red, hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies.” Andy Dufresney in The Shawshank Redemption
What is Hope?
In the Bible, “hope” is not a wish, dream, or something that has a chance of happening. Hope doesn’t spring from optimism about circumstances but confidence in God. It’s something we can expect and anticipate, even have assurance of, though it might require much waiting and trust. Biblical hope is anchored in the character, promises, and work of God, which is why the Bible calls God our hope (Ps. 71:5; 1 Tim. 1:1) or the gospel a gospel of hope (Col. 1:23; Rom. 15:13).
“For you, O Lord, are my hope, my trust, O Lord, from my youth.” (Ps. 71:5)
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Remembering My Dad, John Crowe
John Thomas Crowe
(5/14/1952-6/25/2022)
“You can’t give yourself over to love for somebody without giving yourself over to suffering.” Wendell Berry from Hannah Coulter
My dad died on Saturday, June 25th. He had battled in the hospital for over seventy days. When he had no more fight in him and he could tell his time was up, he wanted to return to his own house and enter glory with loved ones around him. I had the privilege to be standing next to him, holding his hand, both ready for him to enter the fullness of joy in God’s presence but not ready to have him gone from earth. Though it’s not what he or we wanted, we trust in the loving kindness, infinite wisdom, and perfecting timing of God. I’m thankful for his life, the man, dad, and grandpa he was, the memories I have of him, how he has shaped me as a person, and for these last few days and the chance to be next to him with people who love him.
Below is a eulogy of sorts that I wrote for his memorial service. There is so much more I wanted to say and I had to cut a lot out, but I hope it gives a glimpse into both who he was and what it looks like to be both sorrowful and rejoicing in this time.
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