My heart aches. In the past few days I’ve seen a surge of people who are suffering. I have counseled those I can, but I know so many more out there are brokenhearted, suffering almost unbearable sorrows.

Just this morning I read about a two-year-old toddler killed in Chicago, the third child shot in that blood-soaked city in three days.

It is often stated that there is no greater pain than losing a child. Betty and I never imagined we would face such indescribable heartache. Then, four years ago, we lost our precious daughter Robin to the ravages of cancer. We experienced truly unbearable grief. The reality is this is not something we get over as parents. It is something we live through in the shelter and shadow of the only Shepherd who can lead us beside still water and through “the valley of the shadow.”

Those who experience such grief have gratitude for every expression of comfort only love, compassion and truth can provide.

With so many currently in pain I felt led to share some words from our close friend Rick Scarborough born from his own great grief.

Rick and Tommye Scarborough lost their daughter Kathryn when she was just twenty-five. Before her funeral, in the piney woods of east Texas where he went often to pray for her healing, in a moment of supernatural inspiration with an undeniable Divine enabling, Rick penned the following words; words that offer healing streams to all with broken hearts.

A PLACE OF NO PAIN
By Rick Scarborough

On Wednesday morning, October 27,
2004, our Kathryn went to Heaven.
Between 7 AM and 7:15,
She left us for Jesus and places unseen.
But she did not leave us without any hope;
For everywhere we look we discover more notes,
That she wrote down on paper while depression she fought.
She leaned on her Savior in word and in thought.
She learned how to worship while fighting to live.
She learned how to love, how to pray and to give.
Each day was a labor with less sunshine than rain;
But now she’s with Jesus in the place of no pain.

At 25 some say her life was cut short.
That her prayers went unanswered and even ignored.
But to those who were privileged to know her up close,
There is evidence abundant that she was the choice;
Of a God who responded to her greatest obsession.
To know Him and love Him with reckless abandon.
Hundreds of pages of journals of prayer,
Assure us that Kathryn is living up there.
Praising Her Savior with thousands of Saints,
Her victory secured in the place of no pain.

The sorrow of loss crashes into our lives;
When we least expect it, we suddenly cry.
But quickly our Lord gathers us unto Himself,
And reminds us that Kathryn, at last, has her health.
She’s running the race that she cannot lose;
We move forward with life and despair we refuse.
We know where she is, and we know how to find her.
We live each day with this blessed reminder.
To live is Christ and to die is gain.
New life, forever, in a place of no pain.

May God bless you and others with whom you share these words.