Christ the King

Christ the King is the church I attend while in Raleigh. I visited this church both my freshman and sophomore year, but in the end regularly attended different churches. This year, however, Christ the King feels like home, really meets me where I am, and I can see Jesus living in multi-colored members of the church. Let me give you a glimpse...

Tuesday evening Shannon Dod, a young mom to her two adopted boys (one Chinese with down syndrome and another little boy from India), died after fighting cancer for 14 months. Her memorial service was yesterday and today in church the pastor preached on 2 Corinthians 1: 3-7, which talks about how suffering brings God's comfort and then how anyone who has experienced suffering and God's comfort is now equipped to comfort others.

After the service we sang the song "It is Well with My Soul", and as we sang I watched Shannon's husband in the mist of his grief. He was sitting with their little boy who has down syndrome in his lap helping him to follow along with the words of the song, as any normal parent would do, and as her husband sang, though he was also crying, he was proclaiming the words "It is Well with My Soul...". Despite his suffering, he has found hope and comfort in the Lord.

This is evidence of Jesus. And this is why I go to Christ the King.

"It is Well with My Soul" Horatio Spafford, 1873

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

Refrain

It is well, with my soul,
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.

Refrain

My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

Refrain

And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
Even so, it is well with my soul.