"While We're Waiting Weekend" Eve

Tomorrow night will mark the start of our second "While We're Waiting Weekend" for Bereaved Parents.  We'll be kicking things off with dinner around 5:30 -- a group of strangers with nothing in common but the indescribable pain of losing a child.  Well, no...that's not really the only thing we have in common.  We also share faith in God -- a faith, that for many of us, has been shaken and tested by our life experiences.  We have lived I Peter 1:6-7:  "In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.  These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith -- of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire -- may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed."  (Thank you, Robyn, for reminding me of this passage!  Your timing was perfect!) 

I want to ask you to pray for this weekend.  First of all, that Jesus Christ would receive the praise, glory, and honor as described in I Peter 1:7.  Secondly, please pray that this weekend would be a time of refreshment, renewal, comfort, and encouragement as we come together to share our children's lives and to learn from each other.  Even though we will be arriving as strangers, I believe we will leave as dear friends.  Finally, please pray that God will take care of all those little details that can arise during an event like this.  We want to be able to keep the focus where it belongs...on Him and on our guests. 

Every time we have one of these While We're Waiting events, I have trouble sleeping the night before.  My heart is always filled with a combination of excitement, anxiety, anticipation, inadequacy, exhilaration, and even some fear.  Sounds pretty conflicted, huh?  So I just have to remind myself that I am but an earthen vessel, and that the excellency of the power is of God, and not of me...a little paraphrase of II Corinthians 4:7.  Knowing that you are praying will help me with that...so "Thanks" in advance for your prayers!