The Saunders Family - my family my friends

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I am writing tonight about my pastors and what has happened to their family... and when I say their family... it feels like I am saying... my family. I am burdened for them... I am sad for them and I love them.

Since Bill and I moved here from Durango about 3 years ago. We have been blessed by them. Dwight, a former lawyer from New York decided to leave his practice and make an awesome case to live for Jesus. He teaches to live to deepen your relationship with God, live to love other people, live to help orphans and those less fortunate. He teaches about living to leave a legacy in life... that will follow you into eternity with Christ. He challenges us all to do that day to day and he has impacted me greatly in reflecting on my own life.

Linn is a pastor's wife, she too has a heart for children, the plight of the orphan and her family and friends. I am glad to call her my friend. Her love of her family, her husband, her kids and her ministry is one of the most amazing examples I have ever witnessed. Every single thing she has ever struggled with in life... points directly back to the God who loves her. She has a memory box that during tough times reveals how God has been faithful to her. She homeschools all ten of her children... and finds joy in everything they do... and she wants to be an awesome Mom to even more children. She is all out living for the Lord.

The past week has been a terrible tragedy for them. They have lost everything in a horrible fire. Thankfully, because of Linn's bravery and quick thinking, all six children who live in the house were able to get out to safety. She is truly a hero. They are a busy family, they pastor our local church, are in the midst of planning missions trips to go to Africa to help the orphans, they are also in the process of adopting a baby girl named Jubilee from China and have brought home two children (Elijah and Elizabeth) from Africa to be in their forever family. They rock.

Right now, they are devestated and understandably so. They know and love the Lord. But they are going through one of the most traumatic times in their lives... so I began to put myself in their shoes.

Linn said today at church that someone had said to her, "well, I guess now you get to have all new things... " to try to make her feel better. She does not want new things. She is too sad about all of her precious things she had. Her house, her home, her stuff... her life.

I think to Linn and Dw, their home was their sanctuary, a place of total peace, a place where they could be themselves. I think pastoring although a complete blessing, can also take it's toll and there are certain expectations the world puts on very "human" pastors.

I think the Saunders home represented a place where they could worship the Lord, be together, grow in relationship with one another and make awesome memories with friends. Their home represented "family" their home was their favorite place to be. Linn taught all of her children in her home, the little things, gifts, items she had hanging around were special to her because she saw each one represented a relationship that God had put in her life and she views her relationships as something special. She mentioned an awesome quilt she got on sale for $40.00 that she missed a ton. I believe she saw that purchase as a gift from the Lord... so it also represented all God had blessed her with.

So, I ask myself... do I see everything I own as a gift from the Lord? Do I operate that way? Do I view my home and the things the Lord has blessed we with as precious treasures? I know... stuff is stuff... but when you live your life with the understanding that the God who made the universe has given you all that you have... is it more devestating when it is all taken away from you?

I am not sure people on the outside looking in understand or can know what it felt like to live in that home. What a place of love and fun and excitement it wasfor all who live there.

Linn loves creating memories in her home, I've heard stories about awesome "food fights" she would have just to have a blast in her home. To Dw and Linn, their home was their sanctuary. They would probably rather sit in their home watching a movie with their family than take a trip to someplace extravagant and tropical to stay in a hotel. And if they had to leave to go somewhere on a trip... I can guarantee their favorite part of the trip was coming home and being in that cozy, cool place where they could just enjoy each other.

I wonder if we all view our homes the same way?

So today, I am reading my Bible, praying specifically for each family member and thinking about what God would have me do to help them through this tough time. I know God put these awesome relationships in my life... for a good reason. I know that God will turn this tragedy into something that will completely glorify him.

But today I am praying... and my prayer is simple.

Lord let me see YOUR compassion for this family. Show me what YOU would want me to do to help them... and most of all Lord... let my legacy and my family reflect your heart for me... in all of it. Please join me in praying for our awesome pastors. Please also join me in continuing to learn from their example, please join me in lifting them up holding up their arms and loving them through all of this.