Happy Birthday Travis

Today is Travis's birthday. We will be going out to dinner with a lot of the family, but Travis won't be with us. He is in heaven. Travis passed away June 30, 2013. SUDEP - Sudden Unexplained Death in Epilepsy. He was only 23. I have a lot of questions jumbled in my head. I have a few Bible verses floating in there too. Trying to put answers to the questions isn't easy. Some things are incomplete. That is where faith and trust come in. I will believe God knows all things. I will trust God in all things. I will love God in all that happens in this life.  He is LOVE.  He is FAITHFUL. He is GOOD.  He is JUST. 

Why did God let Travis have epilepsy? 

Psalm 139:13-14

¹³ For You formed my inward parts;
You covered me in my mother’s womb.
¹⁴ I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;^[a]
Marvelous are Your works,
And that my soul knows very well.

-God made Travis. God knew the family Travis would belong to. God knew Travis would have epilepsy.

Why do I have to feel this pain? Why did Travis suffer with epilepsy? Why did we have to worry about his epilepsy?

Romans 8:18 

¹⁸ For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

-I won't always feel this way. Travis isn't suffering now. This life cannot compare to the next.

What is God thinking? What is God doing? What is the purpose of this?

^{Isaiah 55:8,9}

⁸ “For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord.
⁹ “For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways,
And My thoughts than your thoughts.

^{Job 1:20-22}

²⁰ Then Job arose, tore his robe, and shaved his head; and he fell to the ground and worshiped. ²¹ And he said:

“Naked I came from my mother’s womb,
And naked shall I return there.
The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away;
Blessed be the name of the Lord.”

²² In all this Job did not sin nor charge God with wrong.

^{Romans 8:28}

²⁸ And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

 Revelation 21:4

 ⁴ And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”

-The death of Travis was a shock. I have trouble putting my grief into words. I know that God is in control. I still praise God. Sin has hurt this world. Look forward to the future.

 (*Disclaimer* I am not a theologian and I have fibro fog. I know "context is king" and things may not answer all the whys but I've tried my best. God's comfort is what I seek and hope I can help someone else.)