Lifebridge Church Blog

Tuesday morning we all heard the news that our hearts had sensed was coming. Our sweet little Layla Grace has died and is now with God in heaven. I know we all join together in praying for Ryan and Shanna, and sisters Jenna and Claire.

As Layla’s pastor, I’d like to share with you the hope that we have as Christians, and what that means for Layla and for you. First, let me express my sorrow to each of you as well – even those of you who never knew Layla personally are certainly experiencing tremendous loss. I weep with you. Layla is a precious girl with an amazing spirit, and she will be deeply missed. But, in the midst of your grief, let me share a word of hope from the Bible which tells us “we don’t grieve like those who have no hope.” We grieve . . . but we grieve with hope – Hope in God’s promise that Layla is now in heaven with Jesus where there is no more sorrow, no more pain, no more cancer. Hope that even though we die in this life, we live again, forever. Hope, that even though we will no longer physically have her in our lives here on earth, she will be forever in our hearts . . . and when we someday face our last breath that we will have the opportunity to see her again.

We’ll have time in the coming days, and especially at Layla’s funeral, to reflect on the many different emotions and questions that will almost certainly be raised through Layla’s life and death. I will do my best as a humble servant of God to bring you the hope and the peace that God wants for you in this time. For now, though, let me simply share with you a few Bible verses for you to cling to and cry over. May God be with the Marsh family and with each of you.
– Pastor Michael

Jesus said “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. – John 11:25-26

(Jesus said) “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” — John 16:33

When Mother Theresa first visited the streets of Calcutta, her heart wept over the deplorable conditions that people lived in. Disease was rampant, people were starving to death, women and children were mistreated and abused. If you had the misfortune of being born as a Dalit (Untouchable), you were considered even lower than an animal. Suffering was everywhere.

No doubt she cried out to God to intervene in these situations, and He often did . . . through her. But, the bulk of her ministry was simply loving people in the midst of their suffering. She created a place where the gravely ill could come and die with dignity. She would sit with them, do all that she could to ease their pain, stroke their hair and hold their hand, and let them know that God loved them dearly. Very rarely did God take away their suffering in this life . . . but through Mother Theresa, He let them know that they were dearly loved and that their suffering did not go unnoticed.

Ever since I started writing about precious little Layla Grace and her battle with cancer, I’ve been struck by one question that keeps coming up again and again — Why does Layla have to suffer? In the words of one reader: “Pastor Michael, I too have been following Layla’s story and it has touched some very deep issues with me. I’m struggling to find some meaning. I understand what you’re saying, but it still doesn’t explain why God is allowing her to SUFFER so much. I understand that we can’t take our time on earth for granted, because God could call us home at any time. But why the suffering?”

I wish there were easy answers, and at times my best answer to this is “I don’t know”. Like many of you, I’ve been through some pretty serious stuff in life, and I’ve seen and experienced a lot of suffering. And, like you, I’ve struggled to make sense of it. I don’t have all the answers, but this I know . . . God suffers, too. He doesn’t just watch from far off as our sin infested world wallows in suffering. No – he let go of heaven, came down to earth, and suffered with us. The Bible describes Jesus as “a man of sorrows and familiar with suffering” (Isaiah 53:3) Jesus wept at the death of his friend Lazarus, he knew what it was like to be rejected by his closest friends, he suffered and died on the cross for the sins of the world, and most difficult of all was when he was forsaken by his Father in heaven. We may still shake a fist at God and cry out “Why?!”, but we aren’t yelling at a far off cruel God. We cry out to a God who willingly walked the road of suffering with us.

Ryan and Shanna showed me another truth about suffering . . . without even realizing it. Until the last couple of days, Layla was held almost non-stop by one of her parents. Every time I went over to the house, she was pressed against either Ryan or Shanna’s chest. If they moved at all, she’d say “I want to eat” (code for “don’t set me down”). And they didn’t. They simply held her, loved her, and showed her a compassion and care that words can’t adequately describe. As I watched them love this precious little girl through her suffering, I saw a glimpse of God’s love that could never be seen in good times. Layla wasn’t just wrapped in the loving arms of her mom and dad . . . she was held very closely in the arms of her Father in heaven as well. There is a side of love that can only be seen through suffering.

When you have about 10 minutes, can I ask you to do something? Grab a box of Kleenex and watch the Rob Bell “Nooma” video below, which is a short modern day parable that talks about the storms and sufferings of life. It doesn’t answer all the questions about suffering . . . but it gives us a glimpse of God in the midst of those sufferings. Thanks for all your comments and prayers, and for walking with Layla on her road marked with suffering.

Why doesn’t God just heal her? He could, you know. In the Bible he healed all kinds of sicknesses . . . even raised people from the dead. All it would take is one word and Layla’s cancer would be gone. One word and ALL cancer could be gone. And AIDS, tumors, hunger, divorce, war, rape and murder as well. If I were God (scary though that may be), I think I’d be inclined to take all these wrongs and make them right. Every person would live a healthy, prosperous, joy-filled life til the age of 87, then die peacefully in their sleep and go to be with Jesus.

But I know me. If I knew I had 87 guaranteed years, I would live 86 years and 364 days primarily for myself. The night before my time was up, I’d get to my knees and get things squared away with God. Truth be told, it’s often the uncertainties of life and the ugliness of the world that forces me to deal with the deeper spiritual things NOW rather than later. There’s a passage in the Bible that says “Lord, teach us to number our days, that we may gain hearts of wisdom.” (Psalm 90:12) I’m still praying that God will do a miracle and heal Layla, but the reality that she could die at the age of 2 reminds me that I’m not guaranteed to live to 87. I may not make it to 50. I may not make it to tomorrow. I need to have my spiritual house in order TODAY.

The Bible tells a story about a man who was so consumed with worldly riches and pleasures that he failed to take time to tend to his relationship with God. He had made all kinds of plans for the years of his life that lay ahead . . . but those years never came. That night he died in his sleep. The word God used to describe him was “Fool”.

I’ll be honest – it hasn’t been easy watching Layla struggle the way she has. I’ve been there up close and personal when she was throwing up bile and crying out in pain. I’ve watched her beautiful face and body slowly wither away into skin and bones. I’ve cried out “why God?” just like you. But I always come back to the same truth: God is good. Even in this terrible situation, we have the promise and confidence that “in all things God works for the good of those who love Him.” (Romans 8:28). Layla’s journey, difficult though it has been, has done so much good. She has reminded us to treasure every day, because each one may be our last. She has reminded us to seek after eternal things, because the earthly ones ultimately don’t last. She has reminded me not to make an eternal “fool” of myself. Thank you God, even for the struggles.

“He is no fool who gives up what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.”

I can’t help but smile to think that sweet little Layla Grace may have already done more good in her 2 short years of life than I have done in the 40 years God has given me. As a pastor, I spent 4 years in college, another 4 years at seminary, and the past 15 years working 50-60 hours a week in full time church work . . . all this for the sake of Jesus Christ and all that He means for me. Layla has never worked a day in her life, never earned a dollar, never won a game, never done any of those things that we normally use as markers of “success”. But, the impact of her life leaves me speechless. Because of Layla, how many of us parents have held our children closer at night? How many people have cried out in prayer to their God . . . maybe for the first time in a very long time? How many people have paused to ask those deeper questions of life and faith that often get lost in our busy and noisy world? Because of Layla, how many people will haltingly reach out to God and ask for forgiveness through His Son Jesus Christ?
That’s how God most often does His greatest things – He chooses the weak, the simple, the seemingly insignificant things of this world to make the greatest impact. He’s done that through Layla, this precious two year old who has captured the hearts of so many of us with her strength, her courage, and her dependence on God in her battle against this nasty disease of neuroblastoma. She has taught us so much. Without doing anything, she has made a “Texas size” splash in the hearts and lives of so many people.
Thank you Layla Grace, for letting God’s strength shine through your weakness.

Like many of you, I have been touched in recent days by a little 2 year old girl named Layla Grace, in a fight for her life against neuroblastoma lymphoma cancer. Doctors have done all that they can and have now sent her home on hospice care to simply keep her comfortable in her final days. We, of course, continue to pray that God will choose to intervene and do for her what medicine cannot do. God has, and can, heal — and we will pray boldly for that as long as Layla has a breath in her body.

Lots of people have been touched by this precious girl, and there are understandably a lot of emotions, questions, and spiritual struggles from those who are following her story.   In the coming days, I’m going to share some spiritual thoughts and truths that I hope will be a comfort and encouragement to those who are following Layla. I pray that you find them meaningful — and ask that you join me in praying for this precious girl and her family.

– Pastor Michael Meissner

LifeBridge Church, Cypress TX

www.lifebridgecypress.org

This past Sunday in church I shared a blog from Hal Hammons that had particularly touched me this week — especially given all that is going on with our Haiti relief effort. Several have asked for a copy of it, so I thought I’d simply include it on my blog. Here it is:

MESSY

Some people are absolutely comfortable in their church home. They know their seats will be empty and waiting for them every week. Everyone knows everyone, and always has. The preacher will preach the same sort of lessons he always preaches, the same sort they’ve always heard. Everything is neat and tidy. Everything is in its place.

I feel sorry for those people. I really do.

I prefer messy churches. I want to be surprised constantly. I want to be inconvenienced. I want a different stranger to steal my seat every week. I want to trip over kids. I want to have to speak up so an older person can hear me. I want to battle through tough accents, burrow into tough Bible texts, field questions that have no easy answers. I want personal, social and spiritual challenges.

I know some of the issues in messy churches will be bad; some will even be tragic. Factions will arise and require exposure (1 Corinthians 11:19). Morality will grow lax and require correction (Galatians 5:16-21). It’s a hassle, no doubt about it. Lots of angst, lots of disappointment. But at least messy churches are alive. At least they have growth potential. I’d rather try to stave off false doctrine in a church than try to raise a church from the dead.

Proverbs 14:4 reads, “Where no oxen are, the manger is clean, but much revenue comes by the strength of the ox.” A lifeless church is a lot less trouble than a lively one, but you aren’t going to get much spiritual reward from working with a group like that. If I have the choice, I’ll exchange a clean manger for a sloppy one any day.

When a recent cold snap brought Houston temperatures down near 20 degrees for three nights in a row, the local Christian radio station started issuing pleas for listeners to bring coats, blankets, etc to the downtown shelters for all the homeless who would be seeking refuge. When my wife heard of their plight, she asked me “what are we going to DO to help these people?” I had already responded to several other needs that day, so in noble pastoral fashion, I responded, “Right now I’m tired of helping people. We’re not the only ones in the world. Let somebody else help them.”

Thankfully, my more Godly side won out and after a few phone calls, we ended up with a 7 month pregnant woman and her three sons who stayed in our home for several days until the cold had passed. They had no electricity, their car heater didn’t work, and they were in a pretty desperate situation.

Considering what it meant to this family, our sacrifice was well worth it. We spent a little money, prepared a bit more food, and the kids gave up their bedrooms for a weekend. No big deal. But the lessons we learned were invaluable. Lesson #1 — it’s not our house. God owns this house, and He has been good enough to let us stay here for a while. We’re just travelers passing through on our way to heaven anyway. So, if the house is His, what better way to use it than to help care for those that He cares about.

What if I viewed all my possessions that way? It’s not my car . . . it’s His. How does God want to use His car? To shuttle me back and forth to work — Yes. But how else? And that new lawnmower — it’s great for cutting my lawn . . . but does God have even bigger plans for it?

What would it look like if I’d tithe not only “my” paycheck, but “my” house and “my” car and “my” time as well? Food for thought . . .

It’s 3 a.m. and it is POURING. Normally, I’d just roll over and go back to sleep, but tonight the rain is a problem. Later on this evening we have our Christmas in a Barn. , so all this rain means that mud is going to be a major issue. Where do we park? How do we get people to the barn? Wh? . . . what a MESS.

And, therein lies maybe the most important message of all at Christmas. It IS a mess. The world is a mess. Our lives are a mess. Christmas is anything but neat and tidy. The whole reasons Christmas happened in the first place is because Jesus was willing to let go of the comforts and neatness of heaven to enter into a world where things always eventually end up going wrong.

A small part of me might be envious tonight as we slosh through mud while others get to worship in the comforts of a more predictable church environment. But, the deeper side of me is glad. Glad for the rain, the mud, the hay bales we’ll be sitting on. thankful for the messy reminder of why we needed a Savior in the first place.

Christmas is when you pull out all the stops.  The decorations, the lights, the music . . . whatever it takes to capture the “magical Christmas feel” that we all so crave.  For me, that moment always came at the end of the Christmas service, when the ushers would hand out candles, the lights would be turned down low, and the whole church would sing Silent Night.  Bam.  Christmas MAGIC. 

I still love the beautiful/magical side of Christmas . . . but I’ve started to wonder if that’s really the thing we should be pursuing.  Last year, our church held our Christmas Eve service in a barn . . . and it touched me in a completely different way than Christmas services ever have.  There was an ugly beat up old barn, hay, cow manure, and a bunch of people.   No beautiful Christmas tree, no angelic choirs, not even the candles at the end (though we did sing Silent Night!)  Just the stark simplicity that took us back to the humble beginning that Jesus chose 2000 years ago. 

 In his Divine wisdom, Christ chose a rather plain entrance into the world.  Just a barn, a nothing town in the middle of nowhere,  no royalty or religion to be found anywhere.  He came because the people he loved so much were dying in their sin, and our only hope was a Savior who would step into the mess and the ugliness of our time and space to do something about it.  It wasn’t pretty.  It wasn’t magical.

Of all places, Jesus picked a dirty old barn to start his earthly journey, so we’re going to do the same thing in a little over a week.  Maybe it will rain.  Maybe it will be cold and miserable and there won’t be any of that Christmas magic we all love so much.  Maybe that’s the point.

When we started LifeBridge a little over a year ago, one of our prayers was that we would mark “success” not by the # of people in the seats or dollars in the plate . . . but by the stories of lives that had been transformed by Jesus Christ. We’ve had many, but what we celebrated this past Sunday may have been the most powerful of all.
Most of you have been following the story of the Sirleaf family — how war in Liberia had torn their family apart almost 30 years ago. Adam, the father, had been the first to come to America. Watta, his wife, joined him about 5 years ago. Our church has joined them in praying for the past year that their children would be able to join them. First came Sekue a couple of months ago. Then, last week was the news that their daughter Maima and granddaughter Musukula had been approved. What a joy to partner up with them to help make this reunion possible. For almost 30 years, this family has suffered from the destruction that Satan brings through war. Sunday, we saw God’s healing at work as this family was brought back together again.
Now, our job is to surround them with love and friendship. They came with little more than the clothes on their back, so we were able to take them shopping this week for all the basic necessities. Sekue and Maima will both be looking for jobs. Musukula will be starting school. There will be a LOT that is new and challenging for them, and it will be our privilege as a church to surround them with a caring faith community as they start their new life.
Ultimately, this is about much more than just physically bringing a family back together. As beautiful as that is, how much more important that each person in their family know Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. When that happens, we know that they will be together not only for the rest of this life, but for all of eternity.