August 22, 2000

Dear Family,

It is Tuesday morning in Atascadero. I am sitting on the bed in
our hotel writing to you. The news is sad beyond telling.

Yesterday a counsellor and a nurse from a hospice came to Skylar's
home and talked with us. Their task is to help tend to Skylar's
and the family's needs in the waning days of Skylar's life.

It grieves me greatly to report that at this time, it appears as
though God has blocked every intention I have had to help Skylar,
every plan I have planned, every effort I have made. I agonize
at times, wondering if I might have taken some more direct action.
I don't know, and so my only consolation is from the word of God:

"The mind of man plans his way, But the LORD directs his steps."
-Proverbs 16:9

At the present time I can only conclude that the LORD wants to
take Skylar home to be with Him. May the LORD's will be done.

I will miss Skylar more than I am capable of expressing; the
rest of my life in this present evil world will have an unfilled
void, and every day when I pray "Thy kingdom come" one of my
chief desires will be to see the LORD bringing Skylar with Him,
according to His promise;

"For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God
will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus."
- I Thessalonians 4:14

Mornings are very hard, because waking up means a return to the
conscious awareness of what is happening. I read John 11 this
morning and am reassured of these things:

*)The purpose of Skylar's sickness is not ultimately death, but for
the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified by it. May
God grant us the grace to see His glory.

*)Just as Jesus loved Martha and Mary and Lazarus, He loves us and
he loves Skylar. Skylar will rise again, because Jesus has said,

"I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me shall
live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me
shall never die. Do you believe this?" - John 11:25,26

*)Jesus sees our grief, our weeping, and I believe that He is still
deeply troubled by it, that He has compassion on us.

"When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her, also
weeping, He was deeply moved in spirit, and was troubled."
- John 11:33

*)When God puts us through such suffering, although it is an expression
of His love for us, it is not a joyful task for Him any more than it
is a joy for us fathers when we train our children in difficulty.

5)We must keep our eyes on the goal of all of this;

"that He might also gather together into one the children of God
who are scattered abroad" - John 11:52

O LORD God, please come to comfort Skylar in his suffering. Please
grant him rest and peace. May he see Your face and be satisfied.

Thank you, family, for your love and prayers.

-Dann (for us all)