Today I WILL celebrate Life, despite CANCER.

Today I celebrated a life of a forty something year old man who left this world too early.  Today I laughed at the political jokes and the childhood memories his sister shared about her beloved brother who is now with Jesus.  Today I watched a widow wife mourn the loss of her best friend and soul mate, while still offering comfort to her two young children.  Today I watched a teenager say goodbye to her only earthly daddy. Today was a hard day for many...

As I sat in the church, several things ran through my mind.  My eyes wondered to and from, but continued to be drawn in on the wife, the mother and my sister in Christ who was hurting.  Through her pain, I watched the courage that she had as happy and sad tears streamed down her face.  I watched her hold herself together as she mothered her two sons and then turn the other way to lose it when she saw her husband's smile on the slideshow.

I cannot imagine the pain.  

However, there was joy.  There was lots of joy and peace that surpassed all understanding.  The peace that is described in the Bible and the only real peace that would ever get you through something like this.  A peace that allows you to lay down all the "why's." 

I don't know why bad things happen to good people.  I don't know why cancer has to rob so many people of their life.  This man was a Kingdom Changer, a fighter and he was probably one of the most influential, highly respected men I have met since moving here.  I watched him pour into other's lives, including our own, without ever missing a beat.  He was truly special. He must have been prayed for 1 million times.  I don't know why...

But one thing remains.

God is good.  This very statement is proven true when you look at TODAY.  Today, the auditorium was filled with people that Sean had forever changed.  Today, we celebrated heaven and all that Sean had done for His Kingdom.  Today, we surrendered him over to the highest place, he can now call home.  His mission is not over.  He is still a Kingdom Changer.  He is just doing it from the other side. 

Sean impacted our lives drastically in just 20 months of knowing him.  He impacted more people in that short of a time than some people do their whole lives.

Cancer did not defeat him.  The enemy lost.  God used his circumstances and his fight to change the lives of many.  Death lost it's sting when Sean dedicated the last part of his life with full surrender to His Heavenly Father. He did not allow any earthly circumstance stop him from his God-given mission to make this world a better place.  Sean was victorious through Christ Jesus.

Life won.

We are not promised tomorrow...

What will you do with TODAY?