Yet again I’ve found myself in a deep state of mourning. I haven’t lost many that were close to me, in fact I still have all 4 grandparents, the youngest of which is 82. But last week we lost a dear friend, the first person I met at freshman orientation when I moved to Chicago 12 years ago. We were roommates at one point. Phil Penner died doing what he loved most, serving his Lord and savior Jesus Christ in Southeast Asia. There aren’t a lot of answers, but in short, he caught dengue fever, which led to a bacterial infection that became septic, killing him suddenly.
Janet and I are discussing tonight these defining moments in our young lives–losing two close friends (Nathan Taylor) in a year and a half, both men of strength and faith, fathers, husbands, men who truly lived for what was important. It is hard to cope, hard to swallow, and yet, defining.
God is so good to me, He provided a ticket for me to go home for the funeral. Surely stories and pictures will follow in the days to come, but please watch this short video clip of my friend, Phil Penner. It was an honor to know such a great man.
