A Race Well-Run

I posted earlier this week about an amazing former pastor of mine who went to be with the Lord on Thursday.  I've been humbled in my memories of him these past few days.  It has been 8 years since we lived in the same state, let alone town, over 9 years since he married Hubby and I. Here are a few memories:

• Steve always had a smile on his face.  He had a great sense of humor.
• Each conversation, Steve directed back to truth about God.  We could be talking about a piece of lint and somehow, Steve would find a truth about God in that lint.
• Steve was never afraid to ask the hard questions.  He sought Hubby and I out when we were newly dating.  He made it a point to challenge us to receive regular counseling/accountability while we dated.  He walked through intense marriage counseling with us and our marriage has benefitted greatly from his care.
• Though we were far away, we have been blessed to follow Steve and the whole Murphy family through the heartbreaking trial of his oldest son, Ian, being in a car accident and in a coma.  Three years later, Ian is still in a coma but being healed little by little.  Steve's faith remained strong through these years.  You can read all about these trials at PrayforIan.com.
  

Mark Altrogge, another pastor of ours, wrote a blog about Steve today.  In this blog, he included  a letter that Steve wrote during cancer treatments.  You simply must go to The Blazing Center to read this letter.  What an amazing testimony from a man who got to hear Jesus say, "Well done, good and faithful servent."