Lindsay's 27th Birthday!

Lindsay at Donner Lake in California, near Lake Tahoe.
Summer 2004 (I love this picture!)
Today is Lindsay's birthday... she would have been 27 today! I wish I would have had the chance to get to know her. I had only met her once. At least I know that I will get the chance to know her in heaven! All of eternity awaits us. :) So, this year... to honor her memory, I asked her family to write something for me to post here. Here is a note from her father:

"On Lindsay's birthday, four years after being taken from us, our thoughts are focused on her past earthly life with us and her present eternal life with the Lord in her heavenly home -- but that's not too different from most days. Our great love for our precious daughter will never diminish but her beauty in Christ will continue to increase. Kathy and I recently returned from a visit to California where we spent time with the family that was converted to Christ because of Lindsay and Jason. Once again God proved Himself faithful to the promise that He causes all things to work together for good to those who love Him and are called according to His purpose, which is being conformed to the image of His Son, Jesus Christ (Romans 8:28-29). We also visited our detectives who are still very committed to our case. We discovered that they needed to see us as much as we needed to see them. It was a time of mutual encouragement. We continue to be very proud of them. We also visited the camp where our children served so faithfully when they were taken home. There at the memorial we wept and glorified God together for His sovereign grace. Kathy and I continue to be very proud of Lindsay and Jason. They lived well and died holy and live forever! And we continue to hallow the name of our Father in heaven and exalt the name of our Savior and Lord Jesus Christ. Thank you for your prayers for us. God has been good to answer them. May He greatly bless you."

There's an awesome song by Steven Curtis Chapman called "With Hope" that is about the painful loss of someone dearly loved. In light of the devastating tragedy that he and his family have recently endured, I'm sure these words mean much more now. Here is the main chorus of the song that I love... and I wanted to share it now to reflect what Lindsay's father wrote above:

We can cry with hope We can say goodbye with hope 'Cause we know our goodbye is not the end And we can grieve with hope 'Cause we believe with hope There's a place where we'll see your face again...

And because of God's promises, we know that to be true. As believers in Christ and His death on the cross to pay the penalty of our sins... we are now clothed in righteousness before God. We cannot earn it... it is a gift that only Christ could give. And in accepting that gift, we are promised eternity in heaven. We can rest assured in that.


♥ Happy Birthday Lindsay! ♥