EMPOWERING LIVES WITH PURPOSE:
Guest Writer: Kristy Furlow, Louisiana
A miracle story.
What do you see in this photo below?
I see two young, blissful couples who thought they had life figured out and all the time in the world to live out their dreams. No one ever could have imagined that Clay and Roxanne would both be in heaven before anyone turned 50.
Clay and Johnny met when they were 11 years old. As the only two boys in their youth program at Immanuel Baptist, their parents sat them on a staircase and forced the beginning of a friendship that lasted until the day Clay died at age 46.
Johnny was the reason Clay came to Healing Place Church in 1998, where he met me. Roxanne and Johnny met around the same time and fell in love.
During that coming year, both of us dated, got engaged, and got married. We shared a sweet friendship in the new beginnings of married life. We spent a lot of moments together when the kids were young.
Eventually, Roxanne became ill, and we watched their faith displayed as they endured unimaginable circumstances with ALS. Then Clay’s sudden diagnosis came, and we found ourselves in this unwanted yet familiar place of surrender and sacrifice.
This is not the story you imagine when you are 21 and starting your life with your best friends. At times, it felt impossible.
But God used Roxanne and Clay to demonstrate His power to the watching world. Videos were made. Blogs were written. Messages were preached. Lives were changed. Children were led. Jesus was made known.
Both stories impacted thousands of lives. It was so beautiful to watch.
They are both with Jesus now. Worshipping Him, dancing on streets of gold, and beholding Him in all of His glory. They are in our cloud of witnesses…cheering us on.
Though we may have been surprised by this turn of events, I often consider how God has always known this was our future. We serve the God, who sees what we cannot see and knows what we cannot know.
I hope your faith is inspired today to trust Him with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding – especially if life doesn’t make sense right now.
Your future is in His hands.
Believe Him.
Hope against all hope.
Trust the plan of God.
He is the God who exceeds our limited expectations!
~Kristy~
Thank you, Kristy, for sharing this God story.
Kristy and Johnny are now together in a wonderful relationship and just days ago announced their engagement. We can not wait to see what God will continue to accomplish through His story of love.❤🩷❤