Tomorrow's topic in our Hope: When Life Hurts Most Series is "Grief and Hope."  We're going to talk about the believer's response to losing loved ones through death.  It will be biblical and practical.  It will be real.  Having just lost my nephew, Jon Marshall a couple of weeks ago, the message has a freshness to it that can only come through recent loss.  If you've recently lost a loved one, or if you know someone who has, make a special effort to join us, and bring your grieving friend, too.

I am so grateful to God for His provision of a loving, caring, faith family in New Life.  As a pastor, I have been there many times when families have lost loved ones to this life through death.  Over the past couple of weeks so many of you have been there for me, and I deeply appreciate that.  As followers of Jesus, we know that death is NOT the final answer, but when we see a loved one in a coffin, it seems final.  Actually it is final for this life, but the Bible proclaims that God and His Kingdom are not just for this life, our life in Him is eternal.  That's the Good News we know and share in Jesus' name at New Life.

I hope you'll be there tomorrow at 8:45 or 10:15 a.m. at the South Butler Primary School on Knoch Road in Saxonburg, to worship with us--to glorify God and to receive comfort from His word!  I can't wait to enjoy fellowship with You and to affirm the love God has for each of us and all of us together!

Let's pray:  Heavenly Father, each of us knows the hopelessness that comes with losing a loved one to death.  Fill us with the Holy Spirit that we may grieve with hope, because of the resurrection power of Jesus!  This we pray in His holy name.  Amen.