He Gives and Takes Away

"The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; 

blessed be the name of the Lord.” Job 1:21

Me, Holly Hall and Jenni after a night of prayer

Today, my friend Jenni Kufahl met Jesus face-to-face.  God fulfilled the promises He had given to Jenni and to her family; it just didn't look the way we had all hoped.  God is faithful, and in times like these I can only cling to the things that I KNOW to be true; the things that God's Word tells me are true.  I am trusting that He is who is says He is - that He is the Blessed Controller of All Things (I Tim.6:15).

My heart does not hurt for Jenni.  Jenni is healed and whole and she has completed all that God had planned for her to accomplish on this earth!  She is spending eternity with her Father.  I do not pray for Jenni any longer because she is complete.  But, my heart cries out for her family as I imagine what they may be facing.  And to Jenni's momma, my Coach, my heart bleeds because I know the pain. I too have watched my daughter come into the world and leave this world, and it is sometimes too much for one to bear.

I keep thinking of my favorite memory of Jenni as we were brought together these last few years.  My favorite memory is a sorrowful time - when Jenni, suffering from stage four cancer, came up to the hospital to be with me and with Ellie Kate on Ellie's last day in the hospital.  Jenni sat with me as I cried that day, as they went over instructions on how to care for Ellie's port, which Jenni also had for her chemo.  Jenni helped me carry things down that day.  She went with us through the tunnel the nurses had made for EK, cheering her on as we left.

Jenni took a picture of Ellie and I in front of the big Christmas tree in the lobby of the hospital.  It was the last picture I have of me and a conscious Ellie Kate.  She helped me load Ellie in the van and she even waited in her car to leave until we pulled out.  I hope her family will one day know of this story because Jenni's presence that day meant the world to me.  I knew she was sick.  I knew her own body was failing, and yet she still served, loved and prayed over us.  That was a picture of who Jenni was.  Jenni was like Jesus. 

 And you know what?  God has been faithful.  Jenni would want you to know that.  Even in death, He has been faithful.  I have so many little things that I could share of how He has tied things together in beautiful ways.  I'm sure so many of Jenni's friends feel the same way!  He has brought us all together for such a time as this, and we have been able to witness a great testimony of God's faithfulness through the Merrell's and the Kufahl's.  What a great honor!

Please take the time to watch Jenni's testimony.  I pray the Holy Spirit will move in Jenni's words even now.  I pray that your heart would be moved and that you would be pointed to Christ.  Jenni knew where her eternity would be spent.  She would want you to have that security as well, Friend.  Jesus - The Way, The Truth and The Life.  No one comes to the Father, no one has eternal life, no one has abundant life, apart from Him (John 14:6).

Jenni's Testimony

Thank you, Father for healing Jenni.  Thank you that she is with you and with My Ellie Kate, complete and whole forever! Thank you that we can trust you as the Blessed Controller of All Things.  It won't ever make sense to us here on earth, Father.  We believe; help our unbelief (Mark 9:24).