Jesus will still be there....

I have been deeply saddened and grieved by one family's tragic loss this week. Many of you who read this probably received a series of e-mails from me for prayer regarding a little 2-year-old girl named Avery.

Earlier this week, when Avery was with a babysitter, she was standing on her changing table and fell off, severely injuring the left side of her brain, causing a subdural hematoma (bleeding on the brain). She was rushed to Egleston and made it through the surgery. However, the swelling on her brain never went down, and yesterday a series of tests determined that there was no brain activity whatsoever. Avery went home to heaven at approximately 5:10 pm on Friday afternoon.

Although I do not personally know this family, the grandparents of the little girl are long time family friends, and I do remember Avery's father (he was several years younger than me). Anyway, no matter if we personally know people or not, whenever there is such a tragedy, it seems like we all have a moment where we put ourselves in their "shoes," and try to understand how in the world we could ever cope. I have shed many tears over this little girl, and I have never even met her. The obvious "why, God?" is there, whether or not we ever say it aloud, and whether or not we ever really know the answer to it.

I have felt such pain for this family every time I look at my own 2 year old daughter, and can't imagine their grief, anger, frustration, emptiness, sadness, and loneliness without their baby girl. That has been my focus all day today until this evening when I had to make a quick trip to the store. The kids were on the waterslide with their Daddy, so I went alone (which rarely happens), and was able to listen to my "own" music. I was listening to Christian radio, and the song "Jesus Will Still Be There" by Point of Grace just happened to be playing. The words really spoke to me.....

"Jesus will still be there, His love will never change, sure as the steady
rain. Jesus will still be there, when no one else is true, He'll still be
loving you. When it looks like you've lost it all, and you haven't
got a prayer, Jesus will still be there."

Wow- what a message. I've heard that song so many times before, but it had different meaning this time....much deeper, as I ponder the death of little Avery. Although we may not have understanding for ourselves, or words to express our sympathy to the family in such a situation, we can always know that .....Jesus will still be there....no matter what happens.

Please pray for this family, as well as the babysitter who was with Avery at the time of the accident. God can bring healing for them all in time.