25 April 2023

Our Son

 

James Frederick Thoelke
17 September 1996 - 24 April 2023

Our precious son took his life yesterday. He had struggled for many years with deep feelings of worthlessness, and alcohol, a dangerous combination. The demons who tormented him wore him down to where he couldn't take anymore.

He leaves a huge hole in our hearts and will be missed until we all graduate from this mortal boarding school and meet again. My mother was with us, by my bedside, when James was born, I think she held him first. His was the only one of our children's baptisms that my parents were able to attend. I hope they were the first to greet him on the other side.

I'm so grateful for the bedrock of my testimony and can say, like Job of old, "I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God." (Job 19:25-26)



1 comment:

  1. Oh no! Rozy, I am just reading this as I catch up in my reader. I am so, so sorry to hear about your precious son. I can only imagine the heartbreak and sadness you feel, missing your boy. I am sure your parents were there to embrace him, and I wish they could embrace you too, in these hard moments. I will be thinking of you and praying for you, my friend.

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