A day that changed my life

Today is the one year anniversary of my friend Ryan's plane crash in Kenya. It's hard to believe that it has been one year. This year time has not gone by quickly, it has seemed long. It doesn't seem like yesterday that the accident happened it seems like a long time indeed. August 1st last year was a day I will never forget and one that changed me as a person.

One year ago today I was in Minnesota staying with our in laws packing up our bags to return from furlough. I got on email and someone had posted something about a crash with pilots involved. It's one of those moments when you say "It's probably someone I don't know", isn't that the way it usually is. A day later I got a reply as to who had been involved and was just shocked. That whole week I desperately tried to get in touch with my good friend Dawn to find out how badly her husband had been injured. During that week Ryan continued to go down hill and eventually was airlifted to a burn hospital in South Africa. It was there that he succumbed to his injuries on August 7th. We tried to get back earlier but it was just too expensive to change flights. We got delayed in Chicago overnight and I ran down to a Starbucks to connect on the internet and I had a feeling of dread. I learned then that Ryan had died and now I had 16hrs of being on a plane back to Kenya to think about it all. I was so angry I couldn't have gotten there sooner for my friend but it was just the beginning of realizing God's bigger plan for me and how he wanted to use me in my friend's life last year.

We arrived Monday night and Tuesday morning I went over to my friend's house. I can remember not wanting to go, being afraid of what I would encounter, and mostly not having any experience with this type of situation I had no idea how to be. Isn't that how it is with God and our journey with Him. Him calling us to do life with others and seeking Him in the midst of it. Being open to what he has to teach us through difficult things in life and letting Him work through us. And so my year with my friend began with many tears and deep felt anguish. I can't remember crying so much in life as I did at Ryan's funeral as I'm sure as many of us in those situations realize that this is how life would be for us if we lost someone near and dear.

My life will be forever changed for knowing Ryan. From his death I have only just begun to learn about a new side of God. One of compassion and provision. A God who mercifully takes those who are suffering to be with Him. A God who provides for those that are left behind, one who leads and protects the widows/widowers, and one who calls us to Him in the midst of our deepest anguish. Romans 5:3-5 has come to me a lot this year. We rejoice in suffering, not because we like pain or deny its tragedy , but because we know God is using life's difficulties and Satan's attacks to build our character. Thank you Dawn for showing me how to continue walking with God in the midst of severe anguish and for Ryan's example of a Godly man pursuing God on the missions field. Ryan you are still missed one year later and you would be proud of your wife.