heart breaks

are never easy. i guess that's why they call it "breaks". as i type this my pastor is dying. it's terribly sad. his family is such a close family, he's been pastor of my church for almost 37 year (out of my church's 58 years), and half of his family are hard workers still in our church.

i never knew how to treat or be treated by a pastor that wasn't my own father. bro richard is like a grandfather to me. no, i haven't always liked things he's said, done or wanted done. that's human of us all. he's such an amazing man! a strong fighter, faithful, loving, serving, smiling man.

he's 75, fighting his 2 battle of renal cell carcinoma. he developed a bleeding ulcer and things haven't been the same since late july early august.

they hospital called his family in sunday morning early, the day of our church's homecoming service, and he's not been responsive since.

he's the first real pastor i've had since my dad. my old church had called a pastor after my dad left, but it was so hard for me b/c of everything that had happened with my family and church at one time. i felt he was a miserable replacement of my dad. i really think God moving to NSBC and away from the church where i, literally, grew up in was a blessing for me and WBC.

bro richard has been such a silent, strong, faithful, loving, smiling, praising, teaching, passionate pastor and i'm going to miss him so much. at least i know i won't be alone in the sadness. my whole church family is close, and i know that loosing him is going to affect us in many ways.

please, if you're a believer, pray for my precious pastor, his family, our church family and friends ... this is not easy.

with sadness, yet joy ... knowing where he is going, and just thinking of how wonderful his first day of Heaven is going to be thrills me and makes me somewhat jealous.

joy comes in the morning ....
britt