“Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.”

These are more than mere words... More than mere suggestions... They are imperative. Part of Paul's longer excursus on the 'marks of a true Christian,' he commands us to 'Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.' I can think of no greater opportunity for the gospel we have been given to be put to work than by doing these things.

I'm writing to you all to invite you into this very thing... To weep and to mourn with our dear family members, Bobby and Lauren Garrison. Many of you know that they've been traversing the difficult news that their [soon-to-be-born] daughter, Ella, was diagnosed with both Hypo Plastic Left Heart Syndrome and Turner Syndrome. I'll let you Google those should you so desire, but effectively that means that this sweet, beautiful, tiny, image-bearing soul will not survive for very long once she's delivered. And working with the counsel of their medical team, Lauren will be headed into the hospital to be induced this coming Monday, August 3.

[I'm not even sure there are words to put here... What can anyone say?]

This feels like a sucker punch to the soul for the Garrisons. Like a cruel, horrendous, and insidious nightmare... And part of it certainly is. We can't ignore that. This sucks in every possible way -- and that's putting it mildly.

But we who are God's elect are not without hope. No. That is the very distinctive of those who have been redeemed by the person and work of Jesus Christ. We who bear His name have been restored as His people... His family.

"The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit."

C.S. Lewis in 'A Grief Observed' states that "the death of a beloved is an amputation." He also says, "For in grief nothing "stays put." One keeps on emerging from a phase, but it always recurs. Round and round. Everything repeats."

And so we press into Him. We weep and we mourn with our family members, the Garrisons, during this moment. We truly desire to be a gospel-centered community practicing the way of Jesus for the renewal of our cities. Every moment of this tragedy has the opportunity to help us work towards that. So I'm asking all of us to be in constant prayer and support for our dear friends over the coming days, weeks, and months.

As news and updates become available, we will fill you all in as necessary and appropriate. Feel free to reach out to Jessica or me if you have any questions.

How Can You Help

Join us as we fast and pray on Monday, August 3. In doing so, we join in an ancient Biblical practice of joining in solidarity with those who are suffering.
Please sign up for a Meal Train starting the week of Monday, August 10. Link below.
Donate DoorDash gift cards as a Missional Community. Talk to your MC Leader about what this might look like.

Meal Train