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We lost so much more than flesh and bone….and on Wednesday night, over 250 people met up at our weekly high school youth gathering to remember Taylor and Jessy, 2 uniquely unselfish souls.   This spiritual anguish is real… but somehow it was a chance for the students of Celebration Church to show their love not only for these 2 that we lost, but also for their family &friends.

Our students, volunteers, and staff were so blessed to be able to host both students’ families. Students were on the campus from 6-9.  From 6-7, they wrote cards, cried together, and shared stories.   From 7-8, we had a short time of worship, remembrance, and encouragement.  From 8-9, they poured their love onto the families of our 2 we lost.

One of our bands led us in 2 songs…”You Deserve” and “From the Inside Out”, both by Hillsong.  Lori Schumaker sang, “Hear You Me” by Jimmy Eat World.  The lyrics are at the bottom of this post.  Pastor James Price gave a word of encouragement as a representative of our 8 other campuses of Celebration Church, and students put together a slideshow of photos that we watched.   My wife Rachel shared some words of encouragement from our other youth pastors, John Wyatt and Josh Turner.

I had the chance as our Element Pastor to speak a few words and say a prayer with the friends and family in attendance.  I was blessed to share some memories of both students, and spoke from Mark 12:28-31. When asked what 1 thing we should do as Christians, Jesus replied simply that we should love God with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength and our neighbors as ourselves.  I spoke about how Jesus doesn’t ask us for us to love God with as much heart as Dr. Billy Graham…or with a whole untainted heart…whatever pieces are left of our heart, whatever clarity is left in our minds, whatever vibrancy is left in our souls, whatever is left of our strength….to love Him with all we have left.   Many right now have so little heart, soul, mind, and strength left…yet a majority there concluded the service by responding to Jesus by committing to love God with all that we have.

Funeral Services will be this weekend for both students . . .

They will be:  Friday night at 7pm for Taylor at Craig Funeral Home in St. Augustine; Saturday afternoon at 2pm at Hardage Giddens Funeral Home on San Jose for Jessy.  Thanks so much for your prayers.

“Hear You Me” by Jimmy Eat World

There’s no one in town I know
You gave us some place to go.
I never said thank you for that.
I thought I might get one more chance.
What would you think of me now,
so lucky, so strong, so proud?
I never said thank you for that,
now I’ll never have a chance.
May angels lead you in.
Hear you me my friends.
On sleepless roads the sleepless go.
May angels lead you in.
So what would you think of me now,
so lucky, so strong, so proud?
I never said thank you for that,
now I’ll never have a chance.
May angels lead you in.
Hear you me my friends.
On sleepless roads the sleepless go.
May angels lead you in.
May angels lead you in.
May angels lead you in.
And if you were with me tonight,
I’d sing to you just one more time.
A song for a heart so big,
god wouldn’t let it live.
May angels lead you in.
Hear you me my friends.
On sleepless roads the sleepless go.
May angels lead you in.
May angels lead you in.
Hear you me my friends.
On sleepless roads the sleepless go.
May angels lead you in.
May angels lead you in.