Lions

Written by cycleguy on March 15th, 2016

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I do not know what it is like to lose a daughter. I have never experienced the horror that Levi and his wife, Jennie, went through a few short days before Christmas in 2012. After finishing his Christmas sermon (which he would preach 9 times) on a Thursday, Levi and family planned a Friday Family Day. Thursday night their five-year old Lenya suffered an asthma attack which took her life. I simply cannot imagine what it would be like to have that happen and STILL preach those services. To preach those services with the medical personnel and EMS people in attendance because they “saw” something in the trauma that night (Levi also followed his wife’s prompting to invite them).

This book is part of autobiographical as he details their emotions. It also part “here are the lessons we are learning.” What it is NOT is a pie-in-the-sky-everything-is-hunky-dory- book. If you are looking for that go to the health/wealth garbage of you-know-who. If you get disappointed because “men of the cloth” are normal, cry, get angry, and question events, then you won’t to read this either.

Levi does none of that. He is honest. He is vulnerable. He is a daddy who still misses his daughter. He is a daddy who still visits her graveside. But he is also a daddy who has had to move on…and as he has moved on he is taking the lessons he has learned and is still learning and leaving them with his readers. And I’m convinced the way God has blessed his ministry in Montana and elsewhere is testimony to his ability to trust God through this most difficult time.

I plan to use a soon-to-be-published post to share some of the wisdom/thoughts from the book. But until that happens…I cannot tell you how quickly you need to go out and get this book! Did I say…like yesterday? You will cry. You will chuckle. You will underline. YOU WILL LEARN how to handle tough times.

By the way: have you ordered or bought it yet? 🙂

 

18 Comments so far ↓

  1. Sharon says:

    I’m with you, Bill. I can’t even imagine this sort of sorrow. But this book, and the testimony of Levi and Jennie, sounds wonderful. Especially since I am NOT a person who is disappointed by authentic emotions, or struggling with difficult questions on the journey toward deeper faith – whether one is in the pulpit or sitting in the pews.

    Thanks for sharing about it.

    GOD BLESS.

  2. I cannot fathom being able to do that. Wow.

  3. TC Avey says:

    Sounds like a powerful book. My heart aches just thinking about loosing a child.

  4. Lisa notes says:

    This sounds like a very moving book. It’s been 23 years since our middle daughter died, and I’m still not sure I’d be ready to read everything he writes in it. I’ll look forward to the pieces you’ll share from it.

    • cycleguy says:

      I’m not sure the hurt ever goes away Lisa, no matter how long it is. Hopefully my pieces will help introduce the book and his thoughts more.

  5. Linda Stoll says:

    After the loss of our little grandson last fall … well all I can say is that nothing, absolutely nothing prepares you for the immense tidal waves of grief that come.

    And yet peace, by some grace of God, flows mingled with those waves.

    • cycleguy says:

      You are so right Linda. That is one of the things Levi mentions. Nor does anything prepare for it. But as you state peace does come.

  6. My pastor and his wife went through this tragic loss years ago when they lost their little boy. He has testified often to us that it was only by God’s grace he was able to keep going forward even in the depths of grief. This does sound like a “must-read” and I will certainly add it to my wish-list.
    Blessings, Bill.

  7. floyd says:

    With that kind of admonishment, how can I resist? Thanks for the heads up, Bill.

  8. Pam says:

    Your enthusiasm alone is enough to intrigue me about the book, Bill. Looking forward to your upcoming post.

  9. Ceil says:

    Hi Bill! This sounds like a terrible situation…’saw something’? How awful to think someone would even consider that you would do something to harm your own precious child.

    I’ll be writing this one down,
    Ceil

    • cycleguy says:

      Nothing insidious at all Ceil. They saw the family worship & give Lenya to God. As I mentioned, Jennie encouraged Levi to go back in and invite them to the Christmas Eve service. Please forgive if I gave the wrong impression.