Stories of Coming Home

Earlier this week I became acquainted with the life and death of Pastor Chuck Obremski of Kindred Community Church in Anaheim, California.

He was diagnosed with sarcoma in 2003 and died on September 18, 2005. Chuck was the chapel leader for the California Angels and other southern California sports teams throughout the years.

Chuck spoke at the Angels chapel as well as in church right up until his death, and he delivered some challenging messages. The quote below is from a parishioner in August of this year concerning Chuck's faith during the cancer,

"I can honestly say...I've never heard, "Why God?". But instead, "What?" What are you going to do through this cancer Lord? How will you use this to further your kingdom? What would you have me to do next Lord? And most importantly, "Not my will, but thine be done Lord.""

http://www.kindredcommunitychurch.org/index.cfm/pageid/250

The link will take you to Chuck's last messages before his death. If you look at the list you can see that God was teaching his people how to die gracefully through Chuck's example. I listened to KM 119, A Lesson On How To Die, and was blown away by Chuck's attitude at such a difficult time.

Chuck had the heart of Mary when she said to the angel in Luke 1:38,
"I am the Lord's servant, and I am willing to accept whatever he wants. May everything you have said come true." And then the angel left.

To journey home is to make space in our heart in order to want what God wants, to go where He would have us go, to do what He would have us do. When we can see with God's perspective the situation we face begins to take on a new form.

"Appreciation is a powerful tool to shift perspective. Finding something to appreciate during a difficult situation quickly moves the perspective to the big picture from the little picture. " Doc Childre and Bruce Cryer

Listen carefully for the mesage of God in your life. Open your heart like Mary and say, "I am the Lord's servant, and I am willing to accept whatever he wants."