Posts Tagged ‘Marissa Irakoze’

God Sustains Us In Suffering!

Posted: March 16, 2017 in Christianity, Family Happenings, Ministry, Prayer, Reflections & Musings
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Writer’s Block or Just Grieving?
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Our last family photo with Hannah

Before my daughter went to her permanent residence in heaven I found it easier to write and post on my blog. I felt like it was cathartic in many ways. It helped me to get the word out and tell the story about all the wonderful things the Lord is doing on the Border, the Baja and Beyond. I also shared some of my personal musings and reflections as I deemed it appropriate.

I wouldn’t say that I don’t enjoy writing now, but I would say it’s harder. In some of the books I’ve read about grief, they mention how many of the things that used to bring us joy are now hollow. I feel that at times, and even though in a few days we will hit the five month mark there are still a rollercoaster of emotions that I experience. I wish there were another way, but I don’t think there is. I believe that all in all Dawn and I are doing well considering what we are passing through. Yet, it’s still painful. There are still those moments where we want to scream out, Why? Why? Why? Fortunately, the Lord doesn’t leave us there he comforts us, and many friends surround us.

God Does Sustain Us in Our Suffering!

A little over a week ago our friend and pastor, Stephen Phelan asked Dawn and me to share in church about how the Lord sustains us in our suffering. I thought I’d share some of that here with you as well, including a dream that our friend Marissa had.

I never really understood how horrible death was until our daughter died
I realize that this isn’t the way it’s supposed to be, and there’s not a day that goes by that Dawn and I don’t feel some sadness, some frustration and like a part of us is gone.
I Miss My Beautiful Radiant Daughter
Our beautiful daughter and beloved sister, Hannah

Our beautiful radiant daughter and much loved sister, Hannah. We miss her dearly

I miss my daughter. I’m glad Hannah is dancing and partying in heaven, whatever that looks like, but I want to hold her and hug her again. I want to see her beautiful radiant smile in living color. There is a hole now that can’t fully be filled. That is my grief, that is my mourning song. I’m learning firsthand how cruel death is.

There is a type of groaning. One of the hard things about death is there are no do overs. No second chances. It is final. When I see pictures of Hannah and I’m reminded of her for a moment I think there must be a way to see her again this side of heaven. Maybe it’s a longing God puts inside of me. A longing for eternity, and a longing for something more and something greater than what this life has to offer.
God is Good, He Holds Me Tight
My anchor and what I’ve had to remember:
God is good
God is love
God is in control
These are simple truths, but it’s what I keep going back to when I get confused and lost on this long and winding road that we are on.
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I love this picture because Hannah took it at Starbucks one of our favorite places to hang out, and she put it on my lock screen on my phone

There’s a lot I don’t understand. I don’t understand why my daughter had to die at such a young age? Now I wonder why just a few months after Hannah’s early home going, why does my dad have to have inoperable lung cancer? Why do we have to endure two hard things so close together?

God made it clear to me that it is good to grieve and it is right to grieve. 1 Thessalonians 4:13 says we grieve, but not as those without hope.
Grieving With My Mechanic
About a week after Hannah passed away I took my car in to my mechanic and he asked me how my family was doing. My mechanic is from Afghanistan, and he’s not a believer.
I told him how my daughter had died, and that it was hard. I said, “my faith gives me hope, and that I grieve, but not like those without hope.” He said, “that is easy to say,” and I responded, “no it’s not really, because I don’t get to hug my daughter anymore, I don’t get to kiss her and tell her I love her. I don’t get to go out for coffee or have any dates with her. I don’t get to walk her down the aisle at her wedding. All our dreams and aspirations are gone.”
He softened up after this, and told me of how he had been struggling with drinking , and his wife forced him to go get help. Then he told me he had a vacation home in Bajamar, which is near Ensenada and offered to let me use it. The Lord used him to encourage me, as he opened up.
Hannah’s home going  made me hate death more, and it made me long for heaven. If I’m honest a big reason I want to go to heaven is to see my daughter again and to give her a big kiss and a big hug. What a wonderful day that will be.
12362973_734515866680367_9062266216563511086_oMarissa’s Dream
I’d like to end this longer post than usual with a dream. An experience that Hannah’s good friend Marissa Irakoze shared with us.
I woke up today feeling a really intense feeling of happy and sad. I had a dream I saw both of you and Jon and David standing by a bench, we were in Heaven from how peaceful and joyful I felt. There was a girl sitting with her back turned towards me, but she had soft brown curled hair just like Hannah would wear hers when she lived with us. I thought “no, there’s no way that could be Hannah”. She turned around and immediately I burst into something that was crying, squealing and laughing all at the same time. I somehow managed to say “I really thought I would never see you again!! I really felt like this day would never come!! I can’t believe this is you!!” And she just looked SO healthy. Healthier, more joyful, incredibly at peace, and everything about her just glowed, and so so content. I wish I could describe it. She hugged me tight and just said “see? I told you it wouldn’t be long until I would see you guys again! I told you not to worry because I’m with Jesus!”
 
I feel encouraged and sad, because we’re still on the other side of this dream and it DOES feel like it’s taking forever to be able to join her. But in the dream, I could tell I had been waiting so long to see her, but once I looked back it was nothing compared to the eternity we now had to catch up. It was one of the strangest feeling I’ve had in a dream.
 
Praying for you all today ❤️❤️
I told Marissa that I shared this dream with our church, and she said that it was the clearest dream she’s ever had. I think it’s God graciously giving us a glimpse of heaven!
“For his anger is but for a moment, and his favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning.” ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭30:5‬ ‭ESV‬‬
Thank you so much for standing with us. Thank you so much for letting me share my heart with you. I pray the Lord’s rich and bountiful blessings on you!
In His Grip, Dave

Hannah Diaso – Celebration of Life

Posted: October 29, 2016 in Christianity, Family Happenings, Missions, Prayer, Video
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Our Princess Warrior – Hannah Diaso
Our beautiful daughter and beloved sister, Hannah

Our beautiful daughter and beloved sister, Hannah

On Tuesday, October 18th our beautiful daughter, and beloved sister went to be with the Lord. A tragic loss! Yet our refrain continues to be, “we grieve, but not as those without hope.” We are a hopeful family, surrounded by a wonderful community of hopeful people. The hope that the Lord has displayed to us is a Biblical hope, which is a hope of certainty that Hannah is with her heavenly Father, and that we will see her again in glory.

On Wednesday, October 26th we mourned Hannah’s loss and celebrated her life at the graveside service and the funeral service. One of Hannah’s close friends, Marissa Irakoze posted the following on Instagram,

Before this week, I never knew that joy and grief could be in the same place. Hannah, your service yesterday was incredible. You would have LOVED it. You lived such a beautiful life, it was an honor to have known you. See you soon, friend ❤️

The service was Christ centered celebration of life. While the service was a time to grieve, yet also a time to rejoice. We grieved that she is gone, and we don’t get to enjoy her presence anymore on this side of heaven. We rejoiced in the victory that Christ secured for us over death on the cross. We have victory through his death and resurrection. Hallelujah! Hallelujah!!!

The House of Mourning is Better

Another close family friend, Heidi Griffith shared a wonderful verse in Ecclesiastes that the Lord used to minister to Heidi when her mother passed away. We found it touched us as well, and I feel it’s a passage we will be chewing on and thinking through for a long time.

“It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting, for this is the end of all mankind, and the living will lay it to heart.”

Ecclesiastes 7:2 ESV

It’s hard to understand how it can be better to mourn than to feast, but there it is. We are finding that the Lord is meeting us in a deep and profound way through the pain that we are enduring. God is present in this trial. He has not abandoned us. He will never leave us or forsake us.

Hannah with her brothers, Jonathan & David

Hannah with her brothers, Jonathan & David

Hannah’s brothers, David and Jonathan put in over 24 hours creating a beautiful slide show. They chose two songs from Rachel Platten that Hannah loved, and that carry a deep significance. The boys shared during the service that the first song, Better Place, speaks of how  Hannah made the world a better place from the moment that she entered this world to the moment that the Lord took her home. Several Friends shared that Hannah would not waste any time to show her love and would make you feel special the very first time you met her. The boys also shared that, Hannah touched many lives on this world and we are confident that her Impact and testimony will outlive her by continuing to bring those still on earth to a relationship with Christ.  Most importantly an assurance that the Lord has given us  is that Hannah is now in a better place. The second song, Fight Song, is a remembrance of Hannah’s fighting spirit. She was and is a princess warrior.

Video: Hannah-Celebration of Life

If you have trouble viewing this video on your browser you can view it by clicking on this YouTube link

We rejoice that death has been swallowed up in victory through the death and resurrection of Christ!

In His Grip, Dave

DiasoLifeOnTheBorder.org