Beauty in Suffering- Tammy and Pat McCleod story of the severe brain injury of their son Zack.

"David said to God, "I am in deep distress. Let us fall into the hands of the LORD, for his mercy is great; but do not let me fall into the hands of men.""

2 Samuel 24:14 (NIV)

In this months edition of Worldwide Challenge i read the article entitled Joy in the midst of suffering. Pat and Tammy McLeod are 20 year missionaries serving with Campus Crusade for Christ in Boston.  Their entire world was tossed upside down when their eldest son, Zack, suffered a very serious traumatic brain injury while playing in a football scrimmage.  He lost the ability to speak and walk.  Tammy said she cried more in the first few years of his injury than she had in her entire life. Then she said, " the pain has been so deep that there are no words to describe it." 

Tammy describes things that she had read in scripture and things others had shared with her that suggested to her that God is in control. Pat admitted that grief continues to linger. Pat and Tammy offer some important grief guidelines.

1.)  " You go into marriage expecting that when you hit something like this in life the person you love the most will be there for you.," says Pat, " but they're actually experiencing the same grief .  Because each person goes through that in their own special way, it's hard for the couple to be synchronized.  It is actually irrating.'

2)  Needing others.

     " I learned how much we need people," says Tammy McCleod. " Before it was hard for her to accept help from people, but in this situation, she knew they couldn't make it without help.  They couldn't carry the weight of the situation by themselves.

3) HELPING OTHERS WHO HURT:  People who helped the Mcleods by;

    A) Providing meals.

    B) Stocking their refrigerator with groceries.

    C0. Cleaning their home.

     D)  Praying for and with them.

     E). Helping their boys with homework.

     F). Buying a plane ticket for their daughter to come home from college so she could be with Zack.

     G). offering tickets to ball games or some getaway for the McLeod family.

     H). Creating a website about Zack's progress and maintaining it.

     I.) Organizing fund raisers  to cover medical expenses.

4)  Books on Grief

    " To move through the grief process, it helped for her to write out all of the losses involved and pray through them, allowing tears to flow. She recommends two books on Grief.

a.  Lament for a Son by nicholas Walterstarff

b. A Grace disguised by Jerry Sittser

The Mcleod's learned that there is joy in suffering  because it was in their suffering that made them more sensitive to the needs of others around them. 
They hung onto the promises of God and to the Son who suffered before them and watched as He gathered them up and comforted them.

 If and when you enter into your own period of suffering embrace it and watch God carry you like he had done for the McLeod's and like He did for my family.