Well it’s Monday morning and while I have a lot of subjects going on in my head, including my blog series that will compliment my sermon series, “Love me tender,” I have to stop and pay a tribute to my brother-in law Mike Pinkerton.   For those of you who don’t know, Mike has been battling terminal cancer for some time now.  His courageous fight epitomizes the passage that says, “Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession.”

Last Wednesday night, Mike called us together to ask us to let him go.  In that meeting he announced that God had given him a peace about going on to his eternal home.  He has proceeded over the last four days to urge us all to “get our conscience clear,” “settle differences with one another,” mentor the younger and be mentored by the older, and most important, “be content with what you have.”  (Contentment is his favorite subject these days.)   All of these messages have come from a body that is obviously weak and racked with pain.  This unique platform of terminal cancer has become a stage for broadcasting the important, the profound, the transcendent and the eternal.

In a culture that worships sexy, physical fitness and health it ends up that out of weakness and pain comes the greatest wisdom.  It’s the paradox of faith.  Louis Giglio called “suffering the megaphone for hope.” Louie is right.  Even if we get that miracle we are asking for I don’t want to let go of how profound and deep the last four days have been. Thanks brother for having the unselfishness to force words out of weary vocal chords that I believe will change the trajectory of some of our lives.  I am sure that because of the way you have faced death it will change the way I face life.  Thanks friend.