Table Of ContentPRAYING
T H R O U G H
SORROWS
S
DUTCH HEETS
– –
and
J
CHRIS ACKSON
© Copyright 2005 – Dutch Sheets and Chris Jackson
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Dedication
For Alexis
Endorsements
With poetic words of beauty and biblical clarity, Praying
Through Sorrows draws you into the heart of God, gives you a
much needed perspective of pain and suffering, then equips you
to “live again.” This book is a must read for those desiring the
eternal vantage on hardships and the privileged intimacy with
Christ that only comes through suffering.
Norm Willis
Senior Pastor of Christ Church Kirkland
Author, Speaker
Loss is a part of life; how we process loss and reflect faith
in the midst of our grief is one of the keys to life. In Praying
Through Sorrows Chris Jackson and Dutch Sheets give us great
wisdom and knowledge on experiencing the presence of God in
the midst of loss and sorrow. In this book they ask a question,
“Will you be made whole?” This is the time where our future is
being determined. If we allow grief to settle in our spirit, then
we will never have the strength to grab hold of the best that
God has for us ahead. Praying through Sorrows will encourage
you to press through your grief and past your loss into a new
dimension of joy.
Dr. Chuck D. Pierce
President, Glory of Zion International Ministries, Inc.
Vice President, Global Harvest Ministries
Apostolic Director, United State Strategic Prayer Network
Praying Through Sorrowstouches the heart of each of us who
has lost a loved one. Through personal experience and biblical
evaluation, Chris Jackson and Dutch Sheets explore the founda-
tion of individual tragedy. Mr. Jackson opens his own heart to us
and allows us to feel his personal pain, suffering, confusion, and
triumphs in life. His candidness and honesty are refreshing and
allow readers to investigate their own personal life stories with a
new perspective.
Michael Sedler
Author, Speaker
Chris Jackson has weathered tragedy and sorrow while ulti-
mately strengthening his family and gaining a closer walk in
Jesus Christ. Praying Through Sorrows is a roadmap for everyone,
directing us to preserve and grow through situations that might
otherwise destroy the joy that God intends for all of us.
Judge Philip J. Van de Veer
New hope, courage, and strength flow from the pages of
this book to those who have experienced deep pain, tragedy, or
heartache. Pastor Chris Jackson shares the heart-wrenching
story of his family’s loss and asks the difficult questions of life.
The biblical answers are amazing and reveal insight for those in
even the most hurtful of circumstances. Very readable, sensitive,
and original!
Dr. Stan Fleming
Gate Breaker Ministries
Author, Pastor
Have you ever known grief? Has it ever seemed almost
unbearable? If so, Chris Jackson and Dutch Sheets will convince
you that there is hope. Real hope! Your sorrow can be turned
into joy as you read the pages of this wonderful book, Praying
Through Sorrows.
C. Peter Wagner, Chancellor
Wagner Leadership Institute
Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
CHAPTERONE
Loose Ends . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13
CHAPTERTWO
Why Are You Crying? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25
CHAPTERTHREE
Adam’s Triumph . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35
CHAPTERFOUR
You Will Live Again . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47
CHAPTERFIVE
The Biblical Responce to Grief . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59
CHAPTERSIX
A Dangerous Intersection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .75
CHAPTERSEVEN
Reaching Nirvana . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .85
CHAPTEREIGHT
Will You Be Made Whole? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .95
CHAPTERNINE
Pursue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .111
CHAPTERTEN
Anchor My Soul . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .129
CHAPTERELEVEN
Hold Me Tight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .143
CHAPTERTWELVE
Spiritual Midwives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .163
CHAPTERTHIRTEEN
Still Shots . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .173
CONCLUSION
The Things That Remain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .179
ENDNOTES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .185
Introduction
“Pursue, for you shall surely overtake them and without fail, recover
all.” With these words, my world began to unravel. I was sit-
ting in a straight-backed hospital chair when I read them. The
beautiful wife of my youth lay sleeping beside me, recovering
from an evening of hard labor. Nine months pregnant, exhausted,
and clothed in her pastel hospital gown, she appeared to me love-
lier than I dare describe. Unbidden, the words of a love poem
flooded my memory:
To rid my world of its darkest night
A maid from heaven was sent,
An oracle of purest light
Thank God, to me, her gifts were lent.
She lay, stealing more of my heart with every breath. Thank-
ing God for blessing me far beyond my worth, I relaxed slightly
in the stiff chair, grateful for a moment’s reprieve. Jessica had
gone into labor 15 hours earlier, but had progressed so slowly
that she had been given the night to rest in anticipation of an
early morning delivery of our first beautiful baby. In those sacred
moments of silence without the kind concern of nurses and fam-
ily members, I read these words of the Lord to the pre-king
David at Ziklag:“Pursue, for you shall surely overtake them and
without fail, recover all.” It was the late evening of May 13, 1996,
and as I read these words, empathizing with the heartbroken
9
PRAYING THROUGH SORROWS
David, I knew this text would produce a glorious sermon of
inspiration and encouragement for the people of God. As I
savored the Lord’s presence and the stillness of the moment, I
never dreamed that these words would become my lifeline. On
May 13, First Samuel 30 was the text of my next sermon. On
May 14, it became a word of the Lord to which I would desper-
ately cling for the next three-and-a-half years. Today, nearly eight
years later, the words haunt me. I have never preached this ser-
mon, but I have lived it one thousand times. “Pursue, for you shall
surely overtake them and without fail recover all.”
On May 14, 1996, after 30 hours of labor and an emergency
c-section, our first daughter was born. At 6 pounds, 4 ounces
and 18.5 inches long, Alexis Grace was beautiful. She had the
brilliant blue eyes and curly hair of her mother. Never did we
dream we could bond so quickly. Never did we dream how
fiercely and deeply parental love could flow. Never did we dream
of such horror as we faced those first few hours, nights, weeks,
months, and years.
Upon her birth, sweet Alexis entered a world of suffering.
Something had gone wrong. She wasn’t breathing, and as they
feverishly worked to achieve resuscitation, the color drained from
our world.
The first time I touched her was in the neo-natal intensive
care unit. Breathing on a respirator, she lay in the incubator, a
tiny, exposed carrier of my heart. I stooped to kiss her right
knee and as my lips touched the softness of her newborn skin,
raw emotion ripped upward from the floor and enveloped my
soul in pain.
The NICU is a pretty good place to cry. A tender nurse
pressed a cloth diaper into my hand as she left me alone in the
shadows with my darling baby girl. I wept for an hour as Alexis
held tenuously to life and Jessica recovered from her surgery.
There, amidst the ragged sobs of exhaustion, grief, and fear, the
10
Description:Doubts, depression and discouragement are characteristic responses of someone who has endured an experience of "bad things happening to good people." When a promise from God does not come to pass, the aftermath is often confusion about validity of a personal relationship with the Lord. In Praying Th
