Peace in Christ: The Story

The best way to get to know Rebecca Harper is to go to her home.  Drive up to her beautiful house and watch as she throws the door open wide and stretches out her arms like you see in this picture.  “Have I done some great favor to her?” you wonder, as she is positively giddy giving you and yours hugs and talking about the fun we’ll have together.  Somehow, us coming to her home to benefit from her hospitality seems like the best gift we could have given.  As Nathan and Rebecca play right along side your littles over the next few days, you wonder where they get there never-ending-energy.  From hot tubbing to building Kinex to dancing her heart out, Rebecca is in the center of the action and delights in making us all feel special.

In the last post, I talked about the heartache of finding out that Aunt Rebecca had died in a car crash and family members were in the hospital.  Our hearts ache for the months and years ahead for Rebecca’s sweetheart, Nathan, and son, Dallin without their sweet Rebecca.

Though we didn’t know that it would be possible when we received the sad news, we were blessed to be able to gather as a family despite the COVID 19 restrictions (outdoor graveside/funeral) last weekend.  As we we shed tears together over Rebecca’s passing and talked about the past and the future, this scripture seemed to be the only way I could explain the way I felt:

“And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”  ~Philippians 4:7

The peace we felt was beyond what made logical sense.  In the wake of such tragedy, how is it possible to feel such an overwhelming sense of love and hope and peace?  The feeling of angels surrounding us and the strengthening power of Jesus Christ were real and evident in a way I had never experienced before.

There is a scripture in the Book of Mormon that I read while I was in Idaho that described well the feeling I have had since I returned home:

“And I will also ease the burdens which are put upon your shoulders, that even you cannot feel them upon your backs, even while you are in bondage; and this will I do that ye may stand as witnesses for me hereafter, and that ye may know of a surety that I, the Lord God, do visit my people in their afflictions.” (Mosiah 24:14-15, Book of Mormon)

We as a family, too, have been visited “in our afflictions” and now I stand as a witness of the reality of Jesus Christ, His power to sustain, lift, strengthen, and comfort all of us.  It is the truth that “When there is no peace on earth, there is Peace in Christ.”

I hope you enjoy this recording as much as we enjoyed recording it (not possible 🙂 ).  It was a gift that all of the sister-in-laws on both sides of the family could gather and sing together.  We presented this musical number at the graveside service.

Peace in Christ