Halloween has been an odd and difficult holiday ever since a wonderful young girl named Nicole died totally unexpected from a sudden medical complication the week before Halloween eight years ago. Nicole was a major part of the high school ministry I was leading, her parents and sister were (and still are) a very major part of my life and the church's life. Ever since then, when Halloween rolls in with all the glamorization of the macabre, gruesome things for "fun" and death - it is now much more an unpleasant and sobering reality of the sting of death and the reality of this life being short. I was reeling with emotion on that Halloween and it had a whole different feeling that year. Nicole knew Jesus and is with Him now, but Halloween has never been the same since.
Two years ago today
, the day before Halloween, Mike Yaconelli died tragically in an auto accident. Mike was the founder of Youth Specialties and someone that I was getting to know as I had been speaking for several years in a row at Youth Specialties events - and I was also in various meetings with him and late night hang outs. I remember one time staying up in Mike's hotel room after everyone else left, until around 1 AM or later. He was so kind and giving me advise about the publishing world and books - which I ended up taking his advice and it turned out for the best. But, this tragedy with Mike happened the day before Halloween and my heart ached (and still does) horribly for his loss to his wife Karla and his family, and to my friend Mark and others at the YS staff. Halloween again felt funky as it rolled in. But, I know Mike is with Jesus and his writings and heart lives on and on....
Now today, the day before Halloween - I got an email from Mark who told me about the tragic loss of Kyle Lake that happened this morning. Kyle is the pastor of University Baptist Church in Waco, Texas which is the home church of David Crowder and band.
Kyle is really young, yet God has gifted him tremendously as a pastor and writer. He has written two great books, and I wrote the foreword in his brand new one (Re)understanding Prayer that just came out about 2 weeks ago on Relevant Books. It is probably the most honest and realistic book on prayer I have ever read.
The details are not all in yet, but somehow during this mornings worship gathering at his church, he was electrocuted in the baptistery. At least that is the initial report. He died leaving a young wife, and three kids. I cannot imagine the church's emotions as it happened during a worship service, nor the loss nor the grief that is happening now and will be happening ahead.
I am supposed to be preparing a sermon tonight for our church which meets in 3 hours from now. But I can't concentrate. I am emotionally just wondering "why" and although I know all the usual Christian answers and even the mystery of it all - it still just makes no sense. I don't feel like doing anything but just feel like going outside and thinking and praying and stopping. But I can't right now. I am not even sure why I am blogging this, but I think writing these feelings and thoughts out on this are helping me process this news and what I am feeling...I don't know. But this is what I am thinking as I sit here preparing to teach later in less than 3 hours.
I have absolutely no thoughts of any tie-in to Halloween with all this, it is just a date and a season that these things have happened (in case there is any speculation in what I was saying about Halloween).
Please do pray for Kyle's wife Jen, and their three children. And for his church......
Kyle's first book "Understanding God’s Will" seems very appropriately needed right now in thinking about such things that we don't understand nor like when God allows the things He does.
