I believe that nothing in life happens by chance. From the time we’re born to the time we die, our lives are planned by the all-wise God. Because he is the Creator and all-knowing, nothing surprises him; he has a plan and purpose for everything. Yes, everything: even following the death of a spouse. King Solomon, the wisest man to have ever lived, describes it this way: Starting at Ecclesiastes 3:1, “To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.” It also states, “A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; 2023 was a time of weeping and mourning. But with God’s help, I also found time to laugh and dance.
In the early morning hours of October 16, 2023, Ursula, my wife of 28 years, passed away following a brief hospital stay. Losing a spouse is one of the most painful experiences imaginable. In fact, the Holmes and Rahe Life Stress Inventory (which rates stress levels in life-changing events) states that the death of a spouse is the number one life-changing event, with a stress score of 100. Facing this crisis, I found comfort in the words Christ spoke to the apostle Paul in II Corinthians 12:9a (KVJ): “And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.“ My prayer is that, as you read this book, you find strength, hope, and purpose in Christ amid whatever you are facing or will face. God knows before we do, and will use it for his glory. “We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28 (CSB). That’s what this book is about: How God used a Demotion, a Confirmation, and a Dream to prepare me for loss and purpose.
-John Lee Allen
Labor with the Creator 