The Lord called Cory to come home...

My heart aches tonight for the loved ones of Cory McCool. He passed away this evening after a brief battle with colon cancer. So many feelings have washed over me as the tears have fallen. First came shock, sadness, anger, and frustration. I remembered when I first met Cory many years ago in Aurora, IL. Bro. Spencer McCool came to preach our Youth RIOT Revival Services. Cory was short back then and a little pudgy...I thought he was such a cutie. He played the drums for his dad and Bro. Denny Livingston. During the day services, Cory kept turning around in the pew trying to make all of us girls laugh. Imagine my surprise when he walked into our church in Maryville last month! He was the tallest McCool I had ever seen! His testimony was so touching, preaching so anointed, and his singing was indescribable. Blessed with such a beautiful and talented wife, father to 2 gorgeous children. In frustrated anger I told Clark, "This was such a waste...why?...I didn't expect this...I expected a miracle." I'm sure I'm not the only one who felt this way. As a wife, you can't imagine losing your husband, as a mother, you can't imagine losing your son...and I can't help but think of the loved ones that are suffering in their loss.

I was running late this morning for the office. As we pulled out of the drive way, I remembered that we had not taken time to pray. I turned off the van and told the boys we were going to have a few minutes of prayer. We prayed for Bro. Cory McCool, asking the Lord to heal his body and strengthen his family during this time. The Lord knew when he heard my prayer that He WAS going to heal Cory this very night, just not in the way my fleshly heart was asking. After I told my sons the sad news tonight, Clark and I had another time of prayer. After I questioned and gave my frustrations to the Lord, I was able to feel his presence. I am so thankful that he knows our end from our beginning, and has ordered each of our steps. Sometimes our children go visit with friends or go to church camps, and even though we know they are having a good time, there comes a point when we know that it is just time for them to come home. And tonight, I think the Lord just thought it was time for Cory to come home. Our time on earth is not the complete story of our life. We must wait until heaven for the rest of the chapter...At death we won't leave home - we'll GO home!(Rick Warren - The Purpose Driven Life)...so goodbye for now, Cory...your heavenly father thought it was time to come home!