Sadness and joy

We've had a tragedy in the Cornerstone family this week. Our senior pastor's son Ryan was tragically and senselessly killed the day after Christmas.

Some of the details are fuzzy, but they do know that he was in a sports bar celebrating a friend's birthday. One of the girls in his party set her drink down on a pool table where a trio of men were playing. I guess the other party got rather irritated which started an altercation. Ryan tried to make peace with them and shook hands and thought they had resolved it. However, as they were leaving the trio came around the back entrance, jumped out of their truck and stabbed Ryan and a friend of his brutally. Ryan passed away before they could get to the hospital and luckily his friend survived critical injuries and is now home.

What a sad loss - a 22-year old kid who was quite intelligent, kind, respectful, and about to graduate from college.

This family has been such a blessing in our lives and we know how much that whole family gives all of us. They are so very kind and giving. They make personal sacrifices for everyone that attends church or school there.

The memorial service was just beautiful.......and well attended. I don't think I've ever seen that place that busy - the parking lot full, the football field full, the strip center parking lot full. So full in fact that the rest of us had to park on both sides of the surface street in front. I think they figured that over 5,000 attended. If that's not a testimony to the family I don't know what is.

I guess sometimes we wonder what purpose this can have in life....or what good can come out of it. I know that there is some comfort in knowing that Ryan is now home with our Heavenly Father. I do know that this tragic event is being used to help everyone grow and learn.....and that pain here is temporary.

Our response defines who we are and what we stand for. They have made the choice to praise and thank God for the time that Ryan was here on earth, and for the fact that he's home now. We just hope that the Armstrong family knows how much we love them and how the Cornerstone family is pulling up beside them to help them when the way gets so difficult.

Never did I know so transparently that good things come out of tragedy. We have seen so many kindnesses come out of such an ugly situation........surely God is using all of us towards His purpose for us.

Our prayers are with you.......