Growing Our Soul Through Loss with Jerry Sittser

[@sereneong2464]

Thank you for this Jerry. My 21 month old daughter died in her sleep in between Christmas night and the morning of boxing day 2022. There is no cause until today. She was perfectly healthy, a robust, cheerful and wonderful child. God spoke to me the night we found her dead. I was crying out why God, and he said that I prayed for my children be used for his glory. And he said this is how I will use Savannah for my glory. I wept so hard. He spoke to my sister the same thing that night, that many will come to know jesus because of Savannah's death. We have seen the impact of just even her funeral service as we shared our hope in God, people wanting to search and learn more about Jesus. I see it in my friendship, friends saying they see through my groaning and yet praising of the one who is caring for my child in heaven, the nature of Jesus and how he could be true to them. I see God's will slowly unfolding though i know I'm just seeing the very first few pages of this heavy painful journey he has for me. Yet my heart lays broken, sorrowful but each moment, each day I come to the Lord asking for his daily bread and to drink from the living water realising I am completely and utterly dependent on him. Thank you for sharing this, it has deeply encouraged me.

[@ChristopherDavidMoyer]

Dear Jerry, I was deeply touched by your story, once again, as I heard you reflect on the tragic event of 30 years ago. I was filled with wonder as God's story unfolded in your life, and how, instead of shaking your fist at God and holding on to resentment towards Him over what happened, you chose instead to forgive, to trust, to hold onto the hope that is God, even though the temptation of the flesh is to lose hope, get lost in the chaos of our confused, bitter, and hopeless feelings. I too shook my fist at God, but I couldn't hold on to that anger. I knew it was spiritually immature for me to do so, and that by always getting angry at God or the Bible or some misperceived injustice I felt I saw there, or in my life, It truly was not until I let go of my compulsive desire to control God, to tell Him how things should go, and to think I could wrap my mind around the mind of God, that I finally found peace, and sanity in my life. I couldn't see how the puzzle pieces were fitting together, I couldn't see God at work in my life, day to day, but somehow, I just knew that He knew what plans that He had for me, and that one day I would find my way out of the darkness, but only by giving up hope in myself, 100%, coming to the end of myself, and realize that it was either TRUST God, or Die. I knew I was hopeless beyond belief, but when I called out to God from the lit of hell, He heard my cry. He guided me, step by step, out of that terrible place, and brought my soul into a place where there is such peace, such joy, that I wish I could declare God's love from the rooftops with a loudspeaker. In fact, sometimes I did, but the world was not ready to hear it, so I ended up in mental institutions. Again. And Again. About 50 times in total, if I recollect properly. Yet each time I came out, I was one step closer to accomplishing the mission I believed God had put on my heart from long ago. To see strangers praying for each other on the streets. To hear sounds of praise and worship erupting spontaneously from flash mobs that form out of nowhere, and with no planning, where God's praises are being sung, people are being prayed for, strongholds are getting released, deep healing are taking place, both spiritually, emotionally, and physically. I see a vision of Heaven on earth. The enemy will not like it. He will do everything in his power to stamp it out, crush it, destroy it. But the harder he tries, the more God will move in the world, and the more they persecute us, the greater the numbers will grow. I am not ashamed of the gospel.. Not anymore. It saves, it heals, it nourishes our mind body and soul. I love you Jerry. Thank you for your prayers. I was so desperate, on the verge of suicide even. Had you not taken so much time to read all that I wrote in a way that was Godly, soul affirming, and instructive on how I should continue, and what I should do with these thoughts and feelings, I don't know that I would have stopped myself from going all the way on the suicide. Your kind words gave me hope, and strength, when my hope had all but won out. And had that disaster not happened to you and your family, you may not have been there during my first visit to the mental hospital, when, for the first time, I realized that salvation was a process. I thought it happened all at once, and I had finally got it. But then when you told me the truth, it made me realize that there was a journey ahead of me. Not just a one time spiritual moment or high. I needed that, and without that instructive teaching, I have no idea where my life might have evolved into. If you would like to communicate further, I sent you a message on messenger, and invited you to install the app. I know you get thousands of messages, and you said on video that you keep most at somewhat of a distance and give them healthy wisdom and tell them ways to get in touch with pastors or people from their church. But you have meant so much in my life, that I feel a deep connection with you, and if you are open to it, I would like you to consider an ongoing friendship with me. I know you are busy with life, but if you think you may just have enough room in your heart for one more friend, please consider me. I would like to call you a brother in Christ. If you do not have time to download messenger to see my message, you can give me a response to what I wrote at my email account [e-mail] I understand if you are too busy to have an ongoing relationship with me. But even if you are willing to respond to any email I might send you, it would thrill me in the depths of my soul. I want to change the world for the better through Christ. I'm sure you do to. Let's work together to start the work of preparing the minds and hearts of believers worldwide to meet their Jesus. God's Church will be ready for her King when He comes. But how do we get to that point. There is so much brokenness, so much corruption in many churches worldwide, so much loneliness. I want to help change that, with all the tools that God has given me. Let's prepare the Church for Jesus, so that when He comes, we will have our act together, and our wedding gown will be radient with love and good works, done joyfully in His name to bless the world and grow His Kingdom on earth, until His Kingdom from Heaven floats down to earth in our future home, the New Jerusalem. Amen and amen.

[@yvonnekneeshaw2784]

Honestly I can’t believe that there aren’t more comments or views. This is PROFOUND and thank God He led me to this interview. Every word IS meaningful in my life of chronic pain for 45 years & other losses 🇨🇦 ❤ PS would love to hear a chat on the word “redemption”THANK U

[@jcgodwin7792]

I highly recommend you read the book, since the interview was profound and meaningful to you. I read the book several months after losing my husband and it helped me so much. I plan to reread again soon. In terms of "redemption", are you looking for a chat pertaining to these individuals' redemption story and/or that of God's redemption story?