Written Fall of 2012

During this joyful expectation of the advent season, it seems wrong to think of death, but many of us are grieving the loss of Emilee Laverty, Wendy and Jim Laverty’s daughter on Nov 1, 2012. She was only 19, but died tragically of dedifferentiated chordoma. I didn’t know her as well as I would have liked, but her sister, Lindsey has spent a lot of time in our home since she is one of our daughter’s friends.

We as a church body prayed tirelessly for Emilee’s healing, keeping abreast of the current obstacles she was facing through her parent’s diligent efforts on caringbridge.org. It affected our church and the whole community as we patiently waited for God’s miraculous hand of mercy. He did show himself in small healings along the way, but Emilee did not receive the ultimate healing we were all hoping for. It felt like a hard pill to swallow so close to the holiday celebrations of November and December. How could a merciful God allow this to happen?

For a while after she passed away, I found myself doubting my prayers for others. Was God really around? Did it really make a difference that we pray?

I found the words of this Kutless song encouraging:
Even if the healing doesn’t come
And life falls apart
And dreams are still undone
You are God You are good
Forever faithful One
Even if the healing
Even if the healing doesn’t come

And in Galatians 2 (The Message):
Christ lives in me. The life you see me living is not “mine,” but it is lived by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I am not going to go back on that.