The past few months have been very challenging for this ministry and our family.
In June my wife, Kathy, was diagnosed with breast cancer. She had surgery on the 13th of July and we are very happy to be able to say she is now cancer free. The week before her surgery, on the fourth of July I had a minor heart attack and spent a couple of days in the hospital. Again, we are so thankful that it was minor enough that there was no damage to my heart. Actually our challenges started last year when our youngest daughter, Jennifer, was diagnosed with advanced cervical cancer. In February of this year she moved into our home with her children (Destiny who will be 15 this month and Cisco who is now 11). Her health declined over time. She was in terrible pain that finally ended with her death one month ago today, the 5th of September. Her children are living with us and we are all working through some major transitions in our lives including Cisco being in his first year of middle school and Destiny starting high school. Through all of this God has proven that Paul was right when he wrote in Philippians 4:7 about the peace that surpasses all understanding (what I like to call the peace that doesn't make any sense). That peace from God has truly "guarded our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus." What a blessing it is to
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Today is what we know as Good Friday, the day we remember what Jesus did for us by dying on the cross. Some ask why the memory of a horrible death is called "good."
For me, this is a great day because the death of Jesus is the reason that I know that my sins are forgiven (what an amazing blessing) and that I can look forward to spending eternity with God. What a blessing! Incredibly, when we read the Bible we find in Isaiah 53 that it actually PLEASED God to see His Son go through this. One translation puts it, "Yet it was the will of the LORD to crush him" (ESV). As a father, I cannot imagine being pleased by seeing any of my children hurt, much less killed for things they did not do. But, God loves you and me so much, that it actually gave Him pleasure knowing that this was the only way that He could look forward to eternity with all of us who are sinners. So, this is a Great Friday and we are looking forward to celebrating the amazing resurrection of our Savior on Sunday. Duane for HIVHope |
AuthorDuane Crumb is the Founder and Director of HIVHope. He travels around the world teaching about HIV and AIDS and is the author of, HIV Hope for the Nations. Archives
October 2012
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