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death

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THE NORMAL THAT NEVER CAME

The “first” first, was a hockey game in September 2014 and it wasn’t by any means welcomed. My daughter Shyla wore her dad’s jersey for warm up and I didn’t make it through the second period. The inaugural normal was even before the funeral and was followed by many unsought more. Recitals, hockey games, birthdays, anniversaries, holidays and even a high school graduation all came and went without him. Alisha writes with a gentle vulnerability. If you allow her to, she'll bring you along on a journey through the hardest time of her life. She helps me be a better pastor. I see life and faith through her eyes. Alisha became a single mom on September 18/2014 very suddenly. With…
Bob Jones
April 6, 2016
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OVERHEARD IN A WAITING ROOM

Waiting rooms are funny places. They are confined areas with very little privacy, making it too easy to overhear conversations you would normally avoid. It was in one of these waiting rooms that I overheard such a conversation. Sue Glover is a wife and mom and a member of North Pointe's Writers Group. The group's purpose is to help support aspiring writers of all ages and stages in a monthly meeting. This true story is Sue's first published piece. We're proud of her. Old Friends Two elderly gentlemen (one stated that he had just turned 88) happened to meet after not seeing each another for a good number of years. It started out as the type of conversation I would…
Bob Jones
February 3, 2016
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ALISHA’S STORY: 5-4-3-2-1

Thank you Alisha Jans-Lemoine for this guest post. Your vulnerability and candor are courageous. 5..4..3..2..1.. The count down has started. It actually started 360 days ago, give or take a couple hours. Like the countdown on New Years Eve, there’s nothing to stop it. At midnight the ball drops, everyone sings and we start a new year of hope, promises and resolutions. It starts whether or not we want it to. But we can prepare for it, make plans and be more or less ready for when it arrives. No Warning My ball dropped almost 365 days ago with no countdown, no warning, no notice. I was unprepared in every sense of the word. I couldn’t prepare or sing or…
Bob Jones
September 16, 2015
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RELATIONSHIPS: WHAT WAS, WHAT IS, WHAT WILL BE

On September 18, 2014, with only 57 minutes notice, my family as I knew it, died. Within an hour of CPR that failed, my four children lost their father, his parents lost their son, and I lost the relationship I was supposed to grow old in. The grief was so thick I couldn’t see through it. In the days that followed, I began to realize how much was missing and would be affected going forward. It wouldn’t be just George who would be grieved, there was so much more. It was all the relationships built along the way. Lost Relationships Each of the children had a unique relationship that was lost. Shyla no longer had Dad in the stands watching…
Bob Jones
June 10, 2015
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LIVING WITHOUT JIM

“My best friend was in heaven. And I was still on earth.” Sue Keddy chose those bittersweet words to begin the story of her husband, Jim’s, sudden death and her life without him. What unfolds is an inspiring, raw account of grief, faith and courage. She has my gratitude for sharing her journey. Sue's story is personal for me. MARRIAGE, MINISTRY AND MISSIONS I attended Bible College with Jim Keddy for three years. His quit wit, winsome smile, artistic talent, gentle spirit and positive attitude won him the admiration and respect of classmates and profs, alike. Jim was our Student Council President. He married Sue Ozard, a pastor’s daughter, three months after I married Jocelyn. We graduated together a year…
Bob Jones
November 8, 2014
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THE FAULT IN OUR STARS: 11 REALITIES OF LOVE AND LOSS

 “The Fault in Our Stars” is a widely popular young adult novel by John Green about teens finding love in a time of cancer. “This is truth - sorry!” says Hazel Grace at the outset of the story. Hazel is the 16 year-old central character and her warning sets the stage for the anticipation of heartbreak. She has managed to hold lung cancer at bay thanks to an experimental drug, but breathing tubes and a portable oxygen tank remind us of cancer’s constant threat. Hazel's Hero With Feet Of Clay Hazel is sent by her anxious and caring parents to a cheesy, church sponsored, cancer support group where she meets the love of her life. (How come church sponsored support…
Bob Jones
June 8, 2014
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WHAT’S WITH COMMUNION?

Everyone wants to be remembered for at least one thing after they're gone. Jesus told his disciples, then and now, one thing to do to "remember him." One Thing The night before Jesus was crucified he called his disciples together. He knew what they didn't - this would be their last supper together. He wanted to make a lasting impression on them. He knew losing focus or getting sidetracked from their faith would be a threat. Jesus took unleavened bread and broke it and told them to eat - this was "his body." He took wine and gave it them and told them to drink - this was "his blood." Then he told them to repeat this practice in remembrance…
Bob Jones
September 23, 2013
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GOD NEVER WASTES OUR PAIN

God never wastes anything…not even your pain. The pain we experience in life is precious. God cares for you, so He will never waste your pain. Greg and Sherry Stevens understand that truth. Their 13-year old daughter Cassie passed away on July 17, 2013 after a courageous battle with cancer. I knew Cassie only “from a distance.” She lived in Nevada and made summer visits to our church, North Pointe, to be with her grandparents. She was there when her grandfather, Richard, was baptized in water. Then there were the prayer times when she was hospitalized in California after the onset of brain cancer. Though distant, she was close to our hearts. Cassie passed away in July 2013 from cancer.…
Bob Jones
August 13, 2013
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FAITH, HOPE AND JOY

"Faith, hope and joy to you." These are the words I write on the dedication page of each copy of the book Ornament. They aren't offered lightly. The words are tested and true. Kristen Fersovitch a thirty-year old wife, and mother of three boys under five, facing inoperable cancer, showed me over and over again how powerful the words are. Even in death they ring true. GREEN BALLOONS AND HOPE Kristen passed away on October 4, 2013 after a two year battle with cancer. The day after Kristen’s funeral I accompanied her body with John Davediuk from Serenity Funeral Services, to Garth Evangelical Cemetery - a small, countryside, cemetery. In preparation for the graveside service three green-coloured, star-shaped balloons had…
Bob Jones
January 14, 2013