While one young person is In Raleigh winning souls for Christ, the other young person is in heaven welcoming home those in Christ.

The heavens are declaring the glory of God, and their expanse shows the work of his hands.

Psalm 19:1

This has been an awesome beginning to a great week ahead. My son joined 40 other youth from New Hope Church traveling to Raleigh, North Carolina where they will be taught the skills of sharing Jesus with people who do not know Him.   They will be encourage to use their story.  Every young person on this trip has a story. A story of hard times where God helped them through difficult situations. Every family has a story.  Job loss, a house that burned down, a spouse who might have permanently left the family, a disabled child, or even the death of a child are just some of the examples of stories that God can use in bringing people to experience a new life in Christ.

I was thinking tonight the contrast of what my son is doing and what my daughter in heaven is doing at this moment.   My son, on the one hand, is seeking God through ministry in Raleigh and trusting God to bring people to Christ. My daughter, who would have been 16 1/2 if she still lived  is in heaven busily decorating the 'Welcome home' room for men and woman who's earthly lives have ended and welcoming them home. My daughter loved parties and I can really picture her getting into the role welcoming home those who belong to Christ. 

One young person with his group are winning souls for Christ while the other young person is on the other side of the veil welcoming home those who belong to Christ. One is being empowered with the holy spirit while the other is experiencing the real thing.

The earthly death of a child puts a new perspective on life as a whole.  It is as though you can see more clearly the things of heaven. Less fuzzy and more focused are the things that God wants us to see. It is perhaps why it is the hardest, most difficult times in our lives that helps us to feel God's presence.  It may  not feel like that at first. The pain we feel when we are in the storm really stinks, but in time we will see that God is helping us through those difficult times.

Whatever difficult time you have been through, God wants to use your story to bring others home to heaven. He will never waste your pain  

While my son is reaching the loss for Christ, my daughter is welcoming home those who belong to Christ. Now that is a beautiful ending to a very good story!