Today I am taking a prayerful moment to celebrate the life of Ethan Lopez.
Our friends, Sam and Kristen, brought Ethan to us for his newborn, six month and 1 year photos. He was as adorable as can be – honestly, one of the most adorable children I’ve had the privilege of photographing, inside and out.
.jpg "Ethan Collage WEB")
Just this past week, tragedy struck. Wednesday evening, Ethan (now 20 months) suffered from a low grade fever that led to seizures and cardiac arrest. Miraculously, at the hospital, Ethan was revived and remained in a coma for the next several days. During that time, Christ followers from all over the country rallied to pray for Ethan and for Sam and Kristen. The request for prayer reached all across the United States and through out the world. God’s people were praying. We asked God for healing. We asked God to display His power and might by bringing Ethan back to full health.
God chose to answer in another way. Although we may not understand God’s ways, we can always trust that He is a loving, faithful God. He doesn’t allow tragedy in our lives that He will not carry us through.
2 Corinthians 1:3-5
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows.
God comforts us in our darkest hours.
I want to share with you Sam’s words in this devastating time…
Sam’s Facebook Post...At 6:45pm Sunday, Ethan gave his life to save another. After a heart-wrenching day filled with a spectrum of emotions, we have been able to access an indescribable peace. He has been with his Heavenly Daddy in a place of perfect joy and happiness. We have come to realize that the miracles we have been praying for have been all of you. Ethan touched people’s hearts and brought many together to the throne of God in prayer, some taking the step to talk to God for the first time in over a decade, others hearing God speak to them louder and clearer than ever before. If Ethan’s experience has brought you closer to God, don’t allow his passing to be in vain. Continue to seek Him out with the same fervor you sought him out over the past five days. As far as the lives Ethan has saved, a few children will have a new heart, lungs and other vital organs Ethan has donated. Thank you all for your encouragement and support, for it helped sustain us during the darkest valley of our lives. Please continue to pray for the journey that lies ahead of us. We have never been so scared, yet we have every confidence that God’s grace is sufficient.
In the death of their son, Sam’s words to us are…”God’s grace is sufficient.”
In your deepest need right now…God’s grace is sufficient.
I feel God’s burden on my heart to continue to pray for Sam and Kristen in the weeks and months to come as we remember the beauty and joy their son, Ethan, brought to so many during his short time here on earth. I have pondered the events of the past several days and felt God speaking through this situation words of comfort not only for Sam and Kristen, not only for me, but for all believers in Christ.
We were not made for this world.
In fact, my mind goes to a passage in John chapter 16 where Christ is telling His disciples that He must go and return to the Father. In this passage, they are confused and sad about the words He shares with them. They didn’t want Him to go away. So, He begins to encourage them with words of truth and hope. His leaving was not the end. They would be together once again. But for now, they had to make their way through this earthly life with the promise of Christ and heaven on the horizon.
“33 I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” John 16:33
Ethan has gone on to the place we were created for. He is experiencing joys I cannot comprehend now.
I rejoice that he is with the One who offers abundant, eternal life to anyone who will receive it. Sam, Kristen and Ethan will be reunited! Until then, I will think of them and pray.
In times of sadness and loss we are forced to take inventory of where we anchor our hope – where we draw our strength. Am I putting down roots in a place that I’m only to be passing through? What about you? What are you living for? Where do you place your hope?
I want to leave you with a passage from C S Lewis which beautifully describes the hope of those who have placed their faith in Christ to save them…the hope we have in what’s to come. .jpg "Stairway to the Sun"){kind=spacer}
PINIMAGESam and Kristen…hold on, my friends, hold on!
We know not what we shall be’; but we may be sure we shall be more, not less, than we were on earth. Our natural experiences (sensory, emotional, imaginative) are only like the drawing, like pencilled lines on flat paper. If they vanish in the risen life, they will vanish only as pencil lines vanish from the real landscape, not as a candle flame that is put out but as a candle flame which becomes invisible because someone has pulled up the blind, thrown open the shutters, and let in the blaze of the risen sun.” C S Lewis
If you do not have the hope I speak of here, you can. E-mail me if you’d like to know more. tammy@luminosityonline.com
**If God is leading you to be a blessing to Sam and Kristen, I encourage you to help if you can. It is a fund to help with the medical expenses they are facing. Their church is organizing the funds. You can go to this link http://yourjourney.tv/#/give Follow the instructions and Choose “Ethan’s Fund”
There will not be a “My Cup of Tea” this week.
Randi Marie Page - What a beautiful post. I learned of Ethan and his family, through one of Sam and Kristen’s friends. My heart aches for them and the grief of their loss. I also rejoice over God’s Peace to them and the gift of using Ethan’s life to bring Glory to His Name. At the Name of Jesus every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord. Thank you for sharing on your site. May God continue to bless Ethan’s family. May He also continue to Bless you. ~Randi Marie Page
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Michelle - My prayers for Sam, Kristen and the loss of their precious baby Ethan. May God continue to comfort all of your family at this time and the time that’s to come. I pray for comfort and strength and many hugs and support to come your way.
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Bern Ulibarri - Oh, my heart aches. I cannot stop the tears. I have been following the blog posts regarding precious little Ethan and am now left so broken, yet your blog post Tammy is so inspirational and powerful. I will pray that the Lord wrap Ethan’s parents in a peaceful embrace. I will be praying for them daily.
Ginger - Will continue to pray for Sam and Kristen, and their family.
Sam & Kristen…. Do not lose hope… What an amazing thing, to save other lives, too… wow. And to know that your faith may also inspire others… it has, and it will continue to do so. I am so so sorry for your loss. Blessings of comfort, peace, and joy, whenever possible, to you.
Lisa Kerns - I have been following updates on FB and have been and will continue to pray for this sweet family. I am so grateful that they know Jesus! Thank you for sharing their story with us.
AmandaB - this is a beautiful posting. i am so sorry for the loss ethan’s family must be feeling and my prayers will be with them during this dark time. i hope their friends, family and faith will continue to comfort them.
Jennie - May God continue to hold this family in His loving arms…
Faith - Praying for this sweet family… Ethan is an absolutely beautiful baby, and you can tell that he was so full of life and joy!
Mimi Nieves Rivera - We continue to pray & thank God for the strength & inspiration this has revolutionized through all of FB and beyond…..we are with this family in heart, thoughts & prayers.
Tara Greathouse - Tammy, I am always moved by your messages and I believe it is God speaking to you to share His gospel and that is amazing and gives me tears of joy and goosebumps all at the same time. I loved the words in your message: “We were not made for this world”. I also believe that as God has shown us in His own words. After my Father’s passing 3 years ago, God gave me a renewed sense of purpose to life to share the gospel to others, spreading acts of kindness and how to live a life that is praised by Him. Life is temporary and if we can reach out to others in this temporary moment, we are bringing glories to the Kingdom. Very touching message and we will continue to pray for the Lopez family. Please let us know as a church family if there is anything we can do to give our support to them other than prayer. God bless and love to all of you.
Tammy - Although I don’t know Sam or Kristen personally, my heart aches for this couple. I have only seen pictures of their son Ethan, and he was absolutely beautiful! My daughter Ashley knows the Lopez family and speaks very highly of them. It is amazing how strong Sam and Kristen are right now and how God works in people’s lives. As a parent, I cannot even imagine the pain they are suffering at this time. Prayers will continue for the Lopez family, they are a very encouraging couple for everyone around them. Tammy – Thank you for posting Ethan’s story.
Christina Wattenschaidt - Beautifully written! This story will have a lasting impression in the lives of many people! God showed His love, His compassion and His strength to Kristen & Sam….and while in the darkest valley of their lives, they continuously kept pointing everyone to Christ our Lord! I can’t think of a more powerful testimony than this!! My prayers for Sam & Kristen will continue. Thank you, Tammy.
Heather - Beautiful post today Tammy. Even through such sorrow, Sam and Kristen have encourage not only me but thousands of people. They don’t even know who I am and yet, they have made an impact on my life. In such darkness, Gods love and grace has shined through! I will continue to pray for them.
Nana - Thank you for your words of comfort and blessing, Dear Tammy. I am praying for dear Kristin and Sam. They are an amazing young couple, who treasure the time they had on earth with this sweet angel, Ethan! Can we even imagin that reunion, one day….I have a glimpse only, of that. If I allow my mind to go there too far, I will not recover it is so awesome. Treasure each moment we breathe….it is a gift…to prepare for what is to come. He was, He is, and He is to come!
Jessica - Tammy- Beautiful post…I pray that God uses this post in a mighty way. Such words of encouragement for Sam and Kristen, for those of us who had the privilege of knowing and loving Ethan, and a testimony for those who are lost and in need of a Savior.
Kim Jones - My heart is weeping with this family but Praising God for their outlook. so thankful for god’s Word during times like these!
Ginny Thomas - Our world will never be the same since Ethan was here. Isn’t it amazing, only 20 months old, the lives he hs impacted for Christ? This family will be loved by those who have never met them, but whose hearts have been knitted with theirs throughout this journey. I praise God today for His peace, mercy and grace. My prayer is that Sam and Kristen will be overwhelmed by His presence in the coming days, weeks and months. Thank you, Tammy, for today’s celebration of Ethan’s life.
Heather Pancake - So sweet, Tammy. My heart breaks for Sam & Kristen, but I know that they are leaning on God through this. We will continue to pray as well.
Michelle Parrish - Tammy, thank you so much for your sweet words of comfort. I am crying as I write this my heart just aches for the Lopez family. But I am amazed at the strength they are showing and how God’s love flows through them. What a testimony they are and little Ethan has touched so many lives. I continue to pray for them and will do so.
Fran - Tammy: As I wipe the tears from my eyes reading your blog today I reflect on my journey to Christ and I am so blessed that I too will experience that place that has been created for us and experience the joys that I too can not comprehend right now but I know I will! My heart and prayers are with Sam & Kristen at this time of sorrow! I didn’t not have the privliage of knowing little Ethan but I have followed the post and prayed & prayed for the family enough to know & feel what wonderful people they are!