January 2020

January 2020 small.jpg

Dear Friends, 

January 13th marks the one-year anniversary of Tom’s first breath with Jesus. I find it hard to believe that Tom has been gone from this earth for a whole year. Throughout the past months many of you have shared times when your grief felt so heavy and you REALLY missed Tom: 

  • Remembering those special text messages, coffee meetings, phone calls or conversations with Tom

  • Wednesdays or Thursdays when you would have been at Priority Living

  • “Tom-isms” that pop into your head at seemingly random times

  • College Football Season - and WOW!  How about those Hawkeyes!! Not only a bowl game, but a win! Go Hawks!

  • As you draw closer to Jesus in thought, action and words because of something Tom taught 

  • Unique ways that Tom encouraged you to re-orient your life, marriage, parenting, career and/or faith walk    

God undeniably used Tom in an amazing way.  Tom’s messages and life touched each of us, altering the trajectory of our eternity and pushing us to live out our faith in God at our homes, workplaces, communities and churches. Tom was an encourager and an example for us all.  

Tom showed us that “to live is Christ.”  We saw this in his life and in Tom’s weekly teaching. Tom demonstrated how to be a man after God’s heart. And he did it well.  Yet, now, I see clearly that “to die is gain” because not only is Tom out of pain and with Jesus, but also because so many of you are listening (and watching!) Tom’s teachings.  AND, Tom is still bringing people to Jesus as they hear the gospel through his many messages. Philippians 1:21: For to me, to live is Christ, to die is gain.  God IS good.  Always.  

Tom taught us to grieve as those with hope: 1 Thessalonians 4:13-14: Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. 

So, as the calendar turns to January 13, 2020, I have a few assignments for you.  

  • Take 43 minutes and watch Tom talk about grieving with hope as he shares his grief journey of Susan’s passing below. (This is also found on the prioritylivingaz.org website at https://www.prioritylivingaz.org/video-archives, Thessalonians series 5 of 5) 

  • Watch the College Football National Championship (Clemson vs. LSU) game on 1/13/2020 and eat some ribs and brownies, knowing Tom did exactly that last year for the National Championship game.  (Go Clemson!)

  • Smile and thank God for Tom and all that he taught us.   

In the coming weeks, I hope you’ll explore the video section of the PL website at https://www.prioritylivingaz.org/video-archives. There are a bunch of videos that have been uploaded for you to watch and share with others.  (As you go into the video section, click on the left side of each of the videos and note that there are several additional videos in each series.)  They are great to watch, learn and remember Tom.  I guarantee you will laugh, smile and shed a few happy tears.  

Thank you for your generous support and gifts to keep the website up and running. Because of you https://www.prioritylivingaz.org/ will continue for years to come.  Thank you.

In Him, 

Sandy Shrader
Executive Director
saeps2@yahoo.com 

Sharon Coleman