His Master Plan

By Inece Hughes

This is the story of a talented athlete, Brendon Hughes, who had a heart condition that had not been detected. As a result of strenuous exercise, playing football, baseball, basketball, and track, he suffered a fatal heart attack.

After Brendon's death, I felt compelled to write this book for the sole purpose of being an inspiration to others who may have suffered a loss such as ours. Death is always difficult to deal with especially if it is the death of a young person.

It is always a comfort to know that we are not alone in our pain, and there are other people that have experienced the same thing. I sincerely hope that this personal account, which is written from the heart, will be a help to everyone who reads it.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Aug 30, 2010
• ISBN: 9781453557792

Inece Hughes

Inece Hughes is a retired public school teacher. She spent twenty-six years teaching English and history on the secondary level. She lives in Woodville, Texas with her husband, Jesse, to whom she has been married for fifty-five years. They have two children, eight grandchildren, and eight great grandchildren. Inece and Jesse have been actively engaged in pastoral ministry for fifty-three years. For the last twenty-three years they have been pastors of Abundant life Fellowship in Dam B which is located in the lakes area of Southeast Texas. Besides her pastoral ministry, she enjoys family activities with her children and grandchildren.

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Copyright © 2010 by Inece Hughes.

Library of Congress Control Number:   2010911965

ISBN:   Hardcover   978-1-4535-5778-5

ISBN:   Softcover   978-1-4535-5777-8

ISBN:   Ebook   978-1-4535-5779-2

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted

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without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This book was printed in the United States of America.

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CONTENTS

Part One

1.     The Doctor’s Report

2.     The Truth Is Difficult to Accept

3.     God’s Will Is Done

4.     God Has Plans for Our Lives

5.     God’s Grace Is Sufficient

6.     God Will Reveal the Reason Why

7.     God’s Approval in the Midst of Our Grief

8.     God’s Sorrow in Our Sorrow

9.     God’s Timing Is Always Perfect

10.   God’s Glory Will Be Worth It

Poetry By the Author

His Master Plan

Reflections of Life

Seasons of Life

Nothing Lasts Forever

The Flower

Part Two

Letters to Brendon

Dedication

This book is dedicated to Brendon's brothers, Jarrod and Kyle. These three brothers were very close. Most of the time they could be seen together and enjoying each other's company. All three were athletic in nature, and they spent most of their time involved in sports in some way. A special dedication also goes to Brendon's sister, Jessica, who is the oldest sibling. She spent much of her time caring for little brother, Brendon.

A special thanks goes to my husband, Jesse, and to our son, Kermit, for their help and expertise in helping me prepare this manuscript.

INTRODUCTION

This is a book of hope. At the death of a loved one or friend, whether it is expected or unexpected, we say our good-byes. In the days and weeks that follow, our emotions are tossed like the waves of the ocean. For a while we experience feelings of calmness, but before we know what is happening, another wave of grief has taken its toll leaving us devastated and feeling hopeless.

My intentions in this book are to show through personal experience, how we can always have hope. Though death and the grave seem so final, they do not have to leave us feeling that we will never see our loved ones or friends again. We can rest in the fact that our dear ones are very much alive. They just do not live on this planet with us any longer but in another place called Paradise that has been prepared for the children of God.

I will, with God’s guidance, attempt to show how He has so graciously poured His peace into our hearts when it seemed that we would not be able to overcome the grief when our seventeen-year-old grandson, Brendon, died suddenly of a massive heart attack. God is Shalom. God is Peace, and he has proved it time and time again.

I will be sharing with you how we have been able to accept God’s sovereign will and the joy that we have experienced through letters that I have written to Brendon. I realize that I will never receive a written reply, but this is what keeps his memory alive in my heart. Go with me as I tell the story that I have lived every day since his death. Writing letters to Brendon brought about healing and acceptance of his death in a way that only God can do.

My prayer is that the poetry that I was inspired by God to write and by reliving and recalling through letters to Brendon those memorable, as well as, tragic times that you or someone you know will be blessed, and hope will once again spring eternal in your hearts.

His Master Plan

The doctors came into the room,

The words we heard were words of gloom.

But in our hearts we knew the truth,

The God we serve was on the move.

And though we did not understand,

We knew He had a master plan.

That plan was made before our birth,

When God in His power created this earth.

And so we walk each day in the wonders

Of His grace.

Looking forward to the day when we

See His face.

It will be then that He will hold us close,

And He will speak the words

That will let us know.

You did not retreat nor doubt my word,

But you held fast to the two-edged sword.

It pierced your heart and mine alike,

And together we won the fight.

So be patient my dear child,

It is yet a little while.

And you will see my glory shine,

And all will be well in my own time.

This poem was a message from God in the dark, early morning hours as I sat in the ICU waiting room. Little did I know that Brendon had already crossed over from this life to an eternal life with the Lord. The heavenly Father was letting me know that we had bravely put our trust in Him, and He would see us through whatever lay ahead. I picked up a piece of scrap paper and quickly wrote as the Holy Spirit prompted me. I will be forever grateful for that personal visit from an almighty God.

CHAPTER 1

The doctors came into the room,

The words we heard were words of gloom.

Your loved one is no longer with us are words that no one wants to hear. But be as it may, they are words that all will hear at some point in his or her life. They are much easier to grasp if that loved one is an aged parent or friend who has lived a full life and longs for the day when he or she can say good-bye to a frail and folded tent called a body and go to meet their maker. However, I must say that it is quite different when that loved one is a healthy, robust child, teenager, or young adult with a bright future ahead. We find ourselves questioning the fact that life is not fair and surely by some reasoning beyond our comprehension that God has made a terrible mistake. But let me reassure you, God has never made a mistake, nor will he ever make a mistake in the future. Though we may not understand God’s plan, we can take comfort in the fact that his way is best. I have come to realize the greatness of a loving God. Even though the grief at times seems unbearable, and I still feel a tremendous loss, I know that God will always be faithful.

My story began on a warm June night in 2002. This is how it happened. Jesse and I both sleep well at night, but on this night it was different. Somewhere about 3:00A.M. I could hear him tossing and turning, and I was doing the same. Finally, I asked him if he was having trouble sleeping? He replied that he was, and I agreed that I was also and for no reason or so I thought. However, the sound of the telephone caused us to sit up in bed and wonder who could be calling at that time of the morning. You see God in his plan had already awakened us so that we could be fully aware of the message that we were about to receive. Jesse answered the phone and came to tell me that our son called to let us know that Brendon was in the ER at St. Elizabeth Hospital and that he was on life support. He