“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” Roman’s 8:28 NIV
Recently, my husband and I attended the memorial service of a longtime friend and dear brother in Christ. Paul was a man to be admired. He was a Marine Corps veteran from the Vietnam era, a wonderful husband to Debbie (my dear friend), a deeply loved father to Donny and Jill, and a treasured grandfather to Sophia and Olivia. He was a man who loved God and his family deeply–a great provider who lived a life of positivity, even though life was not always easy. Paul was an encourager to military vets who suffered from PTSD and was instrumental in helping them assimilate back into a stable lifestyle. He made lasting friendships and served them as long as he was physically able. He is now missed by so many who knew and loved him.
One of Paul’s hobbies was jewelry making. I will always cherish the sterling silver cross necklace with a turquoise stone in the middle of the cross that Paul made and gifted me many years ago. He was a kind man who was also a master at building large model ships.
During Paul’s Homegoing service, his son, Donny, spoke with deep love and unashamed affection for his dad. Those in attendance were touched as Donny relayed how Paul taught him and his sister many life lessons. Donny said his dad never spanked him or his sister, but he used other teaching methods, all of which were done with great kindness. One example was conflict resolution. I won’t go into details, but according to Donny, Paul had a clever way of getting him and his sister to mend their differences. In their everyday life, Donny shared that Paul repeatedly used a key phrase with three powerful words when dealing with any issue that might arise: “It’s all good!” No matter the family circumstances, pain, suffering, or challenges, Paul looked at life through a spiritual lens, trusting God and believing that He was in control. “It’s all good.” Paul lived life in this manner while teaching his family these qualities.
In his message to those attending Paul’s memorial service, Pastor Ross Hartsfield spoke of Paul and his faith. At the end of his heartfelt and on-point message, he said: “If Paul were here today and could tell you what he is presently experiencing, I know he would say the following: “It’s all true!” Here on earth, Paul adopted the mindset, “It’s all good!” He was the son of a Baptist preacher in Pittsburgh, PA. He was taught about Jesus at an early age and invited Him to be Lord of His life. Paul had been heavenly-minded on earth, knowing that whatever he was experiencing paled in comparison to the promise of what was to come when he left this earth. But when Paul stepped into eternity, his faith became sight. All that he had ever hoped for and believed was before him, even more beautiful than he could have imagined.
I pray that we will all be so heavenly-minded that we don’t let the troubles and trials that come our way here on earth block the assurance that one sweet day, when we are past the trials and heartaches of this life, we will see first-hand that it has been worth it all. Then we can say with great excitement, “It’s all good because it’s all true!”
Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, You are the Giver of Life, and we are in Your hands. I thank You for fellow believers like Paul and Debbie. Thank You for the meaningful lessons that touched our hearts at Paul’s memorial service. I will forever remember these two phrases, “It’s all good,” and “It’s all true.” Help us to live in such a way that others will be able to see Jesus in us as we did in Paul. We thank You for being our constant source of strength and faith. Forgive us when we fail You or slack off from serving You. That is not our desire. We love and thank You for Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. I pray this in His name. Amen.
