What a poignant story this is
Here’s the most poignant story I’ve heard in a long
time. My friend and coworker Scott
Borg’s brother went to the wedding of JB & Emily Burrows last week. They had been childhood sweethearts and
decided to get married.
Then tragedy struck – JB was diagnosed with cancer. The doctors tried everything, but as the
wedding approached, JB’s condition worsened.
They posted this to the website on Aug. 3rd:
“We have
moved the wedding up a weekend as JB is getting
worse each day! His doctors today really encouraged this as
they know how much these kids want to do get married. The
wedding is now this Saturday August 5th at 1pm at the
Christian Church.”
There wasn’t a dry eye in the house as Emily walked down the
aisle to JB seated in a wheelchair. The
pastor pronounced them man and wife. JB
smiled as they took pictures.
That afternoon, having fulfilled his dream, after the guests had gone home,
JB went home too – to be with Jesus.
The wedding video is set to the song “He gives and takes away.”
We struggle to make sense of a tragedy like this. But we all have tragedy in our lives. Many of you are dealing with one right now and it gnaws at you. You can choose to look at God two ways – as
the one who allowed JB to die, or as the one who gave him his dream first.
JB’s web site tells the story.
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Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.
I am glad that we serve a God who is love.
Thanks for sharing this. Since my 12 year old niece Amber is in the beginning stages of fighting an extremely rare leukemia, it was helpful to read JB’s story, and relate to the emotions, fears, prayers, love, battle, friends, challenges…. Prayers coveted (this is one case where I think God won’t mind me coveting) for my precious Amber and her family.