"Remember...…..for I {AM} God, and {there is}none else; {I AM} God, and {there is} none like Me.." Isaiah 46:9
In remembrance of my beloved husband Randy in remembering him on his Birthday April 10 2020...and remembering his New Birth-Day 40 years ago this year...and in remberance of Gods unfailing love.
"Remember....that the LORD your God led you all the ways these forty years in the wilderness, to humble and test you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not." Deuteronomy 8:2
"He will love you and bless you and multiply you...you shall be blessed....you shall not be afraid but you shall remember well what the Lord your God did....the great trials which your eyes saw...the signs and wonders, the mighty hand and outstretched arm, by which the Lord God brought you out....the Lord your God will deliver....." Deut. 7:13, 14, 18, 23
April 10, 1957 - July 4, 2018
Remembering the Cross, our deliverance, the greatness of our God in our life and to look back and feed on His faithfulness that enables us to walk forward in trust and belief and in His sovereignty. God has been so faithful in my life and as I remember Randy's birthday this month and I cant help to remember his salvation, God's hand woven in every detail of our lives...this month as we all are shut in and this Easter.
Randy was born in Linden N.J on April 10, 1957. He claimed Jesus Christ as his Savior at the age of 23 during a Bible Study at Ft. Lauderdale Yankee Stadium after a practice in 1980 in the players locker room led by the team Chaplain. Baseball gave him great joy in playing since he was 5 and all throughout school, he then went on to the University of Miami to play for 4 more years which led to the minor leagues for the New York Yankees...it was baseball that would lead him to his greatest joy ever, Christ. That same year the Lord then led me to Randy and shortly after I was led to the Lord.
After Randy surrendered his life fully to Jesus Christ 40 years ago this spring, things began to quickly fall into place. Being a star athlete for many years was a natural God given gift that became who he was to all who knew him....but after becoming a Christian this became paler and paler compared to his new life in Christ. Many of these same gifts God had given him God would use to now advance Gods kingdom, using the gifts God gave him to now be used as a husband, father and grandfather and servant of Christ. Continuing to faithfully put God first in his life he began serving Christ, feeling from early on the calling God had on his life to be 'set apart' from his past, of the things of this world, and to give his life in service to God, His people and his family.
Twenty three years ago God led us him to Richmond, Va. and to Calvary Chapel Richmond where God would begin a new church. Randy knew that keeping his eye always on home in baseball and always on the prize in the games was the same vision he had as he always kept his eyes on his heavenly home....God would now call him to help Pastor and establish a new church and use all the gifts God had given him as an athlete to now use in God's ministry in and through Randy.
He continued to serve the Lord, to minister to the body of Christ....and share God's Word. He loved raising men up to become the men God had called them to be....believing in the total transformation God had done in his life and that God came down to do a work in each of theirs as well. That God would lead them to be the leaders in their homes as their spirits would be yielded, in that God has called them to,they touch will be transformed as they diligently manage in truth and love all that God has given them. Leaders in the home, church and community who 'out-serve' their families and all those around them because of God living within them and radically transforming their own lives....men who lead by example and have servants hearts.
Randy was the first to recognize his need of Christ each day and his need of God's grace continually. Randy prayed daily for me, his family and all that he knew...He wrote in his journal the last 10 months of his life many quotes and thoughts....
"Help me Lord to watch over my family each day for your glory. May I honor You no matter what" (Randy Guerra)
"I am a pilgrim in the world but home with my God" (Spurgeon)
"What could be more valuable than godly success for our children and a happy home life"? (Billy Graham)
I have paused as you all have over the last 6 weeks. I have reflected on God and seek Him each day in all He is wanting to teach me through this time. Praying for revival in my heart and in the hearts of many. April 10th came as my husband was greatly missed and it was also Good Friday. There are many paradoxes in our Christian faith. Suffering for His Transformation. This too is true when we face death with those we love who are now with the LORD. This too is true as we think of Easter and why Christ came.
As we walk through these days we are reminded of the uncertainties we all face but it is a good time because in our uncertainties, unknowns and pain we know that God is working and mostly in the unseen places in our hearts that He is asking us to fully surrender...to trust Him more. I think of our faith and how our lives as believers are met continually with 'bitter sweet' times. The crosses we are asked to carry and bear come with agony in our flesh but they promise to bring deliverance as we take the cup and drink...Nevertheless. We are reminded of this in this season of Easter...as we think of the cross and the paradoxes in brings. God transforms....Because of the death we have life and because of Jesus' suffering we have joy. Our mourning is turned into the oil of joy. Our heaviness He gives us in exchange a garmet of praise. How we too have to go through death to enter eternal life. How Randy had to walk through death to experience the joy of entering heaven and meeting the Lord. Death is the path to our joy. Jesus suffered but Hebrews 12:2 says "He endured the cross for the joy that was set before Him". He had perfect peace in the midst of trial, He was perfect truth in the midst of lies, He was perfect love in the midst of hatred, perfect innocence in the midst false accusations....and opressed and afflicted He did not open His mouth....and all that He endured He did it for the redemption of us, the world, all mankind who believe.
And Jesus endured pain and suffering more than humanly imaginable. The greatest tragedy since the beginning of time became the most wonderful thing...the forgiveness of our sins. As you go through death we have the promise of the hope that is to come. Randy taught us how to live but also how to die....Jesus example to him was his example to us as he endured for the joy that was set before him...and was determined to live each day for his utmost for Christ.
As Randy's memory is a blessing...and despite the pain of missing him that presses on my heart... I have absolute hope knowing that he is the Presence of the Lord, where his ministry has just begun and where he is experiencing unending blessings and where I know I will see him again very soon. A 'gentle giant' who loved his family and whose daughters and grandchildren gave him the greatest joy....and who gave the LORD to us all every day through his words and deeds, and who would not want none of us to weep for him but to rejoice and to hold on to Christ each day, that we would anxiously await for all that is yet to come!
"Twenty one months have passed since you left this home as we sat by your side each day holding on to every moment God gave us with you....in a time just two years ago where we all were suspended between a place that was defined by what was and what will be, without you. Our greatest privilege to be beside you to the very end and serve you as you served us. To do all for you as you taught us all these many years by your example of a faith that is tested and tried but that allows the glory of the Lord to shine so bright. A faith that waits on God willing to bear all circumstances and to always carry within our hearts questions that often seemed unanswered, questions that bring us to God when the unknowns invade our minds. Your courage and steadfast faith soared higher - never faltering or failing - your life a sermon. You lived, laughed, loved each day and you did so to bring joy and a needed measure of faith in our lives. Jesus knew what we needed when He gave us you. We had you and Jesus has you now. And we have learned more than ever that He always had you. Your life was Jesus' gift to us, our greatest teacher and example who taught us so much in our journey with God; surrender to the Lord, a servants heart, and example of Jesus to us. So much of our lives has been formed in watching you live....and watching you die. God used you to draw us and so many, closer to Him each day in exchange for our will in wanting just one more day with you....But now you worship face to face with the King of Kings and Lord of Lords in a perfect body and in a perfect place with a perfect Savior and when Gods timing is perfect He will unite us all together with you again."
Although we celebrate Randy's life here we know that He has received the greatest celebration and accolades of His Savior, Lord and King who presented him with the Crown of Righteousness. We love you Randy, Dad, Papa and friend.
We and all who knew you will never forget you, "For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain" Philippians 1:21
Michelle A. Guerra
Comentarios