Memorial for Cody in NC

Just a reminder - there will be a memorial / celebration of Cody's life this Thursday, Oct 23rd @ 6pm in Terrace Hall.

Biltmore Baptist Church
35 Clayton Rd
Arden, NC 28704

Thank you all so much for the many prayers that went out on my behalf yesterday.. and thank you for all the encouraging emails and comments.

Honestly, it was a peaceful day for me. I went up to Pink Beds where we were married and at first, had a small derailment. I just found a bench and started reading my Bible and writing in my journal a lot of things about Cody's last days that I didn't want to forget.

I will treasure those 2 years that God gave me with Cody for the rest of my life. We were a gift from God to each other. We had an amazing time getting to know each other in Honolulu, Hawaii - dancing under the stars at the end of the street or climbing up on the roof to watch the sunset or walking to McDonald's to buy $1 dollar ice cream cones because it was all we could afford. We didn't care, we just wanted to be together. One thing I loved about Cody was how he pursued me. I didn't have to do a thing... and ladies, that's how it should be! :)

The day before Cody met Jesus face to face, I gave him a bed bath, clipped his toe nails and finger nails and then covered him in his favorite coconut lotion. I had a passing thought that "I'm anointing him for something special." I had no clue really just how special that something was! I was preparing him to meet Jesus, because less than 24 hrs later he was with Him.

Something really interesting that God showed me the other day was that even Jesus was told "no" to His prayers. When He was in the garden of Gethsemane He prayed THREE times for the cup of suffering to be taken away from Him. But God couldn't take it away because He saw the bigger picture. He knew it had to be that way. Finally, Jesus said... "ok, not my will but your will be done." I remember finally saying that same thing to God right before Cody left. Not my will, but yours be done. Trust me, that was NOT an easy thing to say.

"I am helpless and in Your power, do with me as you think best." Jeremiah 26:14

I sensed God's love yesterday. His peace and presence were with me. I felt Him in the warmth of the sun and the sound of the leaves falling to the ground all around me. He was there. He is here.

It's my hearts prayer that Cody's testimony will live on.. changing lives and invoking others to consider this God who died for them. But not only to just consider, but to say yes to Him - and to radically follow Him because He is worthy.

"Now we see things imperfectly as in a poor mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God knows me now." 1 Corinthians 13:12 (NLT)