Here's an email that I have been wanting to send out but I just can't and its because my words can't do this situation justice...so I'm just going to post it and hope someone reads it and hope lives are changed like mine has been....I wrote this last weekend (Aug 20ish).
Hi friends -
This email is almost a week overdue as I really hoped to get it out on Wednesday morning after my return from Nashville. The last two weeks were extremely hard and just kind of confusing regarding Josiah's death. Josiah Berger was in a car accident on Tuesday night August 11th on the way to meet some friends at Sonic before moving into UT the next day. His jeep flipped and hit a tree and he was quickly taken to Vanderbilt's neuro ICU unit where he would spend the next three days.
The next day Vanderbilt was so flooded with visitors for the Berger family that they had to usher everyone to a conference room where most of our church (TN church) assembled to pray, worship, and beg the Lord to spare Josiah's life. People all over the world were petitioning the Lord for a miracle because the doctors ruled him as medically dead. On Friday August 14th (his 19th birthday) Josiah went to be with the Lord forever and immediately was a miracle for five lives who were waiting for organ donations. The Bergers were told that these people were about to die also and Josiah was their miracle. His body was also given to 77 other patients and aided in their recovery in the hospital.
On Tuesday August 18th there was a memorial service to celebrate Josiah's life at Grace Chapel in Leipers Fork, TN. There were over 2,000 people gathered to celebrate his life in the auditorium at church, another 1,000 in the fellowship hall, and there were said to be over 4,500 logged in online to watch the service. Two of Josiah's friends spoke about their friendship with Josiah and what he was like as a teenager, then his youth minister spoke and then his parents.
His best friend Will talked about how he had moved to Nashville in middle school and didn't know anyone. Josiah became his best friend and they had so many memories together. He laughed and cried and shared memories of his friend. His greatest memory was Josiah's life lived for Christ.
His father Steve spoke about his life and about how much we had prayed for a miracle. "We prayed for the healing of Josiah to be our miracle but instead we were required to be the miracle for other families." It was unbelievable to hear Steve talk about his son and talk to the hundreds of high school students who came to honor Josiah plus the youth group. "I am not a preacher right now, I'm a Dad...and I want you to know that Jesus Christ is the most important thing in your life." I believe his mother said it best, "Don't let Josiah's death be in vain - GO and LIVE for Christ as he did."
This experience has taught me to pray in times of need for everyone who asks you - pray expecting a miracle and know that the miracle GOD intends will happen - not necessarily the one I intend. This is also a reminder to live every life with JESUS as your source for everything, not things or people on this Earth. Josiah's life was an amazingly well led life and so many have benefited from it - I don't know why we don't get to enjoy him here on earth a little longer but I know 5 families who get to enjoy their family members because of Josiah. Thanks for reading ~ Ashley
Here's a great article and video in the Tennessean that is a quick read and a great video!
http://www.tennessean.com/article/20090821/COUNTY090101/908210320/Faith+is+father+s+refuge+when+death+takes+his+son
There's a few words for ya!
3 comments:
Wow. That's so sad but also so encouraging at the same time. Only the Gospel of Jesus makes that possible!
Thanks for sharing your heart with us Ashley. All for Christ...
Ashley, I found your blog from the Downs's blog. That story brought tears to my eyes, but in a good way. Thank you so much for sharing your e-mail. Such an awesome reminder that God has a plan for everything.
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