God Only Takes The Best...

In the last 3 weeks two of the strongest, most amazing and inspirational women I know have been called home to God after battling breast cancer. After attending Karen's memorial service a little over a week ago I still battled with why God took her. And today, Andrea Lohr went home to her heavenly father. Again, I'm battling with this. My heart is breaking like never before. After reading Matt's Caring Bridge journal entry last night I began to understand God's plan for Andrea. He said that the only reason he believes God is taking her at such a young age is because he has bigger plans for her in heaven then on earth. And so I've come to the conclusion that God only takes the best.

Karen's husband Andy posted this song earlier and I couldn't help but repost it. This song is so beautiful and powerful.

Blessings by Laura Story

We pray for blessings, we pray for peace
Comfort for family, protection while we sleep
We pray for healing, for prosperity
We pray for Your mighty hand to ease our suffering

All the while You hear each spoken need
Yet love is way too much to give us lesser things

'Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears?
What if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You're near?

What if trials of this life
Are Your mercies in disguise?

We pray for wisdom, Your voice to hear
We cry in anger when we cannot feel You near
We doubt Your goodness, we doubt Your love
As if every promise from Your Word is not enough

And all the while You hear each desperate plea
And long that we'd have faith to believe

'Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears?
And what if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You're near?

And what if trials of this life
Are Your mercies in disguise?

When friends betray us, when darkness seems to win
We know that pain reminds this heart
That this is not, this is not our home
It's not our home

'Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears?
And what if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You're near?

What if my greatest disappointments
Or the aching of this life
Is the revealing of a greater thirst
This world can't satisfy?

And what if trials of this life
The rain, the storms, the hardest nights
Are Your mercies in disguise?

Andrea was one of a kind. I hung onto every word she said. Her testimony is one of the most powerful things my ears have ever heard. She had such a love for her family, God, and finding a cure for cancer. I never thought I'd see the day Andrea Lohr went home to heaven. If anyone could beat it, it was her. And in the end, she did beat this horrible disease. She won! And now she is celebrating in heaven and we'll start celebrating her life!

That smile gets me every time! You'll always be in my heart Andrea! Your light will always be shining down on us!