My dear, sweet husband, Craig, quietly slipped away and went to be with his Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ on June 16, 2010, at 8:30am in South Korea. I was able to be with him at the end (with my mom and our friend Marg), and the nurses even put his bed rail down and let me sit in his bed and hold him as he met Jesus for the first time. I miss him more than words can say and my body physically aches with sadness. But his body was so hurt, and it would have taken so long for him to heal, and even then he might not have been "our Craig", as his brain was so damaged. This way he never even knew he was hurt. As far as he knew, one minute he was walking home, and the next minute he was walking towards Jesus. He is fully healed and healthy, he is happy, and he probably doesn't even need his glasses anymore. :) His life was not near as long as I would have liked it to be, but I guess God needed him more, and He is going to take good care of him until I/we get there. He was the best husband a girl could ever ask for and I wouldn't trade our 10 month marriage for anything in the world. We had more adventures and excitement then some people might ever have, and I have those memories to keep with me forever. Thank you so much for your prayers while he was in the hospital. God didn't answer them the way we wanted, but Craig is healed, and that is an answer to prayer. Please continue to keep me and our families in your prayers as life without Craig just doesn't seem as fun as life with Craig, but we will never forget him and we will always love him.
Love,
Kristin for our families
I came across this on facebook..I dont' really know how, but I did. You dont know me, but I wanted to just say how sorry I am for your loss and that I will be praying for you and your families. Death is really not about the person who has gone to be with Jesus. We know they are doing better than they ever were..It is about the ones left here missing our loved ones. Keep praying Kristen because God is there and loves you. You are amazing and now it is time to grieve and say goodbye. God Bless you.
ReplyDeletedebbie in ontario
I also just came across this on facebook and don't know how I did, but your story over the past days has brought me to tears. You are an incredibly strong woman and I am so so sorry for your loss. You and your family will be in my thoughts and my prayers. Thank you for sharing, and I will be praying that God brings you through this with his awesome strength and love.
ReplyDeleteI am Heather-Mary Peixoto's aunt in Nova Scotia and we have been praying for you through this time. We will continue to pray that God will give you the strength and grace that you need. We know He loves you and will never leave you.
ReplyDeleteKristin,
ReplyDeleteI was in shock to hear about your loss. And as many on here before me have said it was all of "our" loss. Craig was a great guy and always had my back no matter the issue/time of day. I understand completely when you talk about the adventures and excitement he always brought into people's lives.
Craig was a great man, and an even better friend. He will be sorely missed!!!
I am also a Heritage Alum and came across your story on some mutual friends facebook pages. I wasn't at Heritage when you guys where there but still feel connected somehow. i am praying for God's peace for you and your family. I pray that everyday a new special memory of your beloved will be brought to mind and it will help you get through that day. Till we all get to meet in heaven
ReplyDeleteAnne Mobach
Kristin,
ReplyDeleteWe are so sorry to hear about your loss.
I am so glad that Craig got to do the marriage thing and he got to do it with you. Thanks for you love for him and your care.
We all think that our lives are meant to be long time...and yet ...God has a time set appart for each of us to live and Craig got to live his to the fullest. Thank you for serving people in Korea together with Craig.
Thanks for the impact you made and are making.
I am thinking of your parents and of Jordan as well as of Craig parents.
Many are praying...so it is a priveledge for you to see how much peoplelove you and how much our Father loves you.
Our family is praying for you all,
A and K /belgium
Kristin,
ReplyDeleteI don't know you very well, but the strength and wisdom of your words are both admirable and encouraging. I pray that you and your family will continue to find peace in knowing without a doubt how many llives Craig blessed during his time with us. Like you said, he's with Jesus now and he couldn't be in a better place. I wish you great peace and rest. May God bless and carry you through this loss.
Again: Thankyou Kristin for loving my Nephew> I knew from your wedding that Craig was so happy and complete and that gives me peace. I will miss him always. You too will be in our heart always What you did was more than any family could ask and we love like crazy! Aunt Chris,Bob,Garett and Katie!!!
ReplyDeleteOut of such saddness, you still manage to find the good in life. You truly are a gift to this world Kristin!
ReplyDeleteAh Bambi,
ReplyDeletethis is beautiful. You are an amazing woman. I continue to pray that God grants you comfort and strength as you go on.
Trixie
You don't know me, but my husband knew Craig when they were younger. I am so sorry for your loss and I am praying that God will fold you up in his arms and comfort you every second of every day.
ReplyDeleteDear Kristin
ReplyDeleteI just checked in tonight to see if there was an update.
I wept again for you and your family as I read your moving note and could feel your pain in every word
As I read it, I wanted so badly to say the right words that will encourage you all and would just wish that the words would spill out all over the page and that as God heard the prayers of so many people that were praying for a miracle, that He would look down on you Kristen and say “ Craig's work is finished and I have taken him home to be with Me forever.
We know He is Sovereign and that you and that your family are also in His hands so we will continue to pray for your conmfort and strength in the days ahead.
I close with a little excerpt from a devotional fromOur Daily Bread
The Lord heals the broken-hearted and binds up their wounds. —Psalm 147:3
When people ask, “Where is God?” the answer is, “Right here.”
God is here; He stands beside you.
God is here; He wants to guide you.
God is here and He will help you
I just received a devotional message recently and I am going to close with an excerpt from it.
It is called
Always Waiting
What that man told me has helped with the pain of death.
He said, “I’ve been to the bottom and it is solid.”
He meant that his own suffering was greater than any he had ever experienced before in his life.
He feared that he simply could not bear it.
But he found that in the great darkness that followed, the worst of it—the “bottom,” —was survivable.
God waited for him there, and somehow he received the comfort and hope he needed to go on living.
God is always waiting for us, especially when we find ourselves in a dark place.
He doesn’t put us there, but He is waiting to comfort and strengthen us at those times in life when we feel like we just can’t make it.
His arms are open, always open.
He waits.
Lord, help us to live without fear,
That we may rest in the promise of your encircling arms
For whatever darkness may come.
-Amen-
by~~Bill Kolb
I leave you with this PRAYER THOUGHT FOR TODAY
Deuteronomy 18:18-22
Father, You know what we need for today and all our tomorrows.
Help us trust You and rely on Your Words.
Amen.
With much love and continuing prayers
Caro-Claire and Martin Wiles
( Ashleigh Winder's grandparents )
Hi Kirsten,
ReplyDeleteI knew Craig briefly, we talked on facebook once maybe twice. I am Craig's fathers cousin. I have followed your blog these last few days amazed at the strength you have displayed. My heart breaks knowing the sorrow that you must be experiencing. I am in awe of your courage and your beautifully written words about your husband. Thank you for sharing your story with all of us. I will continue to pray for you. God bless Kirsten, you are not alone!
Kristin I am so sorry for your loss, my prayers go out to you and your family. Be strong, Craig is with God and at peace. Helen Sgro
ReplyDeleteKristin, thankyou for making Craig so happy and showing him such love. He loved you and was proud of you and somehow I believe he feels the same way in heaven.
ReplyDeleteI am so very glad that Craig came into my life and the life of my family. What a positive influence.
Love, Prayers and hugs
Monica Henry
"Surrounded by friends
ReplyDeleteyet all alone
the one I loved
God has called home
the hugs of friends
helps ease the pain
and I know my loss
is my loved one's gain
but tears now flow
across my face
as I long for just
one more embrace
then comfort comes
and I see Christ's face
He hugs my loved one
and I feel God's grace."
Know that many of us here in Canada (and Forest) and around the world are praying for you and are sending our love to you. Craig left a huge impression on a lot of us... we had him for a few years here with us, in our home, as part of our youth group. Craig has run the race... and is safe in the arms of Jesus.
What a comfort to know that one day we will see him again. Until then, may God's comfort and peace surround you and hold you and bless you Kristin.
God bless.
Anne Morris
Kristin,
ReplyDeleteAs I read this note, my heart breaks for you but at the same time, I am so inspired by your strength and strong faith. Craig was a wonderful man, always enjoying life and having the desire to serve the Lord. Sadly, we had lost touch, but I will never forget the times he spent with my family, the encouraging talks we had and the fun we had at youth group as leaders together. He will be sadly missed but its exciting to think of him in heaven free of pain, free of his glasses...and just enjoying being with his Lord!!
I love this quote "When a loved one becomes a memory, then their memories become a treasure"
We will all treasure our memories of Craig without a doubt.
Know people are praying and thinking of you often during this sad and difficult time.
Laurie Carnegie
May God grant you an over abundance of comfort.
Kristin,
ReplyDeleteI was so saddened by your loss that it brought me to tears. You may not remember me but I am friends with Erin Jackman and met you when you were living in Kitchener. I am so sorry for your loss and not having had the pleasure of meeting Craig I now realize from reading your blog that Erin was kind enough to share with me how wonderful a man he was and how much he was loved by everyone who knew him. He is with the Lord now and is rejoicing and waiting for you to join him one day. We are all praying for you and for your families. God Bless you!!
My deepest condolences, Kristin.
ReplyDeleteMay Craig rest in the peaceful arms of the Lord.
- A reader of the blog of a friend of a colleague
When the Lord closes a door, he opens a window. All I know for sure is He will have to open a whole lot of windows to fill Craig's void! He did such amazing things, was such a healer in his own way and Kristin, I truely feel your spirit is a strong one and the Lord will give you a way to use all of what is happening right now in a positive way!!
ReplyDeleteKristin,
ReplyDeleteMy condolences to you and your whole family. I went to school with Craig and lived with him in residence for a number of years. I remember so many good times with him.
Craig had such an incredibly positive impact on my life during the brief time I got to spend with him, and I was so shocked to hear about what had happened.
Both my wife and I have been praying for you and your family, I have confidence that God will bring about comfort to you... in time.
May God bless you, and keep you,
Rob Tyo
Kristin,
ReplyDeleteI don't know if you would even remember me, but my family and I met you and your family when we went to Friends of New Tribes in Missouri for about a month in 1998. I believe it was for the month of February and it was during the winter olympics and in the evening all the kids would hang out with popcorn in the tv room to cheer the Americans on. I am also Ryan Mortinson's cousin.
That aside, from the beginning I have followed your blog after Ryan's mom (Sandi) posted on facebook about it. I have been praying from the moment I read about Craig and am continuing to pray for you everyday. My heart hurts for you and I cannot begin to imagine what you must be feeling. I pray that God would comfort you and fill you with tremendous peace. I know there are really no words that I can say that will make it better, but please know that I am also praying for you along with so many others.
"May the Lord bless and keep you, may He make His face to shine upon you and bring you peace, and may you love Jesus first, above all else."
In Christ's Love,
Jennifer (Degel) Olney
kinipeli18@yahoo.com
Kristin,
ReplyDeleteI am Haniel's mother's sister. Ever since I heard about the accident, I had been praying for you. I was grieving over my 76 year old mother who passed away two months ago when I saw your blog and what you wrote above. I cried a lot and asked God to take care of you. My mother suffered a lot of pain in bed for 9 years. Now she is with the Lord with no pain. Earth—the land of trials; Heaven—the land of joys. May God be with you, comfort you and guide you. My prayers are with you.
Usha Lalson Charles
ushalc@yahoo.com
Kristin, there is nothing more painful than saying goodbye to the love of your life, I'm sure. The tears stream down my face everytime I think about your pain. You are such an inspiration as I read your blogs and I feel your ache. God is carrying you through this long dark valley and we know He will give you strength to carry on. Lovingly,
ReplyDeleteEsther (& family)
I too am an Heritage Alumnus and I was just poking around Facebook when I came across this story...your story of love and faith.
ReplyDeleteThank you for being a source of inspiration on a day where I find myself wondering if I am capable enough...capable enough to Love God to a point where all that is of this earth is secondary.
I pray that because of your faithfulness, God will honour your by giving you His peace; that peace that passes all understanding.
You are a credit to your husband's memory. May you be richly be rewarded.