Before and after Mount Saint Helens- our recent trip to Washington state and the stories we learned.

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” 2 Corinthians 12:9

Sunday morning, May 18, 1980,  8:30 am Mount Saint Helens blew. Total casualties were 57 dead. Spirit Lake in the shadows of Mount Saint Helens was the sight of many camping experiences of Boy and Girl's scouts and countless campers and hikers. It was home to resorts, a place where many came from afar to enjoy all of the beauty Spirit Lake had to offer.  To see the devastation of this area was distressing, especially after hearing the stories of those who perished. Some didn't want to leave this area thinking that the warnings were false. 

After a half day of hiking in this still devastated area, now a memorial to the dangers of volcanoes, we had dinner in Castle Rock, Washington.  As my wife went in to place our name in for a booth, I walked over to the Mount Saint Helens motel to see if there were any rooms at the inn. The lady who worked at the front desk was an older woman I learned opened the motel one year before the volcanic eruption. I learned through the art of questioning that her family, as well as others in the area, often frequented the Spirit Lake and all of its beauty on a regular basis. It was home to a YMCA day camp and frequent camping trips of the boys and girl scouts. Sadly, she remembers long gone friends who perished in the eruption.

Life, it seems, involves taking risks that for some results in death. It seems cruel to have to suffer through the grief process each time someone we know dies and those emotions were not accustomed to bubble up from within causing us to feel we are in the land of grieving, not the land of happiness that we would rather be. Perhaps there is grace in the art recovering from grief- the hug from a friend, the kind words of support from a stranger you do not know, or those sweet dreams you think you heard the comforting words of the Lord reminding you that he is walking with you through the shadow of death.

When grief hits us, often it is God's opportunity to draw near to you and you to him. In a perfect world, there would no death, nor sadness, nor sudden pangs of emotions. However, the world we live in an imperfect world filled with sudden losses. The good news is that God sent his son, Jesus Christ, to dwell among us, to walk with us in those sad moments we face in this life and to remind each of us that He alone conquered death on the cross and we will see our loved ones again.

While your loved one may be forever gone from this earth, you still have a mission to fulfill in life- a mission to allow God to use your story to lead others to the His saving grace. You have a story to share with the world around you.

 So let the Lord build your foundation of which your story can be told and watch him bring others to the free gift of salvation. Your life is still worth living even in the face of profound grief.