I just saw my dad’s status on Facebook and they found Nathan’s body. Please pray for the family. Nathan is in Heaven, but his family is left here and I’m sure their hearts are broken. A friend of mine reminded me that the fact he is in Heaven is a miracle. Again, please pray.
“I write to you with a heavy heart. This afternoon, Pastor Nathan Junker and Al “Herm” Hermiston, a long-time youth leader at Faith Baptist Church, were with the Jr. High youth on Pokegama lake. The two of them and 5 of the youth were on a sand bar near Drumbeater Island and were swept out by the waves and wind, unknown to others who were on a beach nearby. They struggled to swim back. Several of the youth and Herm were wearing life vests, but Herm gave his to one of the kids who did not have one. All 5 of the youth made it safely back, but the two men did not. Herm was found face down in the water and taken to the hospital, where he died. At this time, Nathan has still not been found in spite of the search efforts of others in the party and law enforcement. Please pray for Herm’s family, especially his wife Nancy, and for Nathan’s family: wife Samantha (Sam), and children Lauren, Alexandra, Journey, and Lincoln. Nathan’s father Randy Junker is pastor of the Grand Rapids Alliance Church. His mother’s name is Debbie. And pray for the people of both churches and the community who have been affected by these men.” (http://www.hogshadows.com/2009/06/praying-for-nathan-family.html)
Last night we received the news that Nathan Junker was missing. His father pastors my grandma’s church. He is a casual friend of my dad and a fellow pastor from the area. This winter when our church hosted the yearly Missions conference in our area, he was involved in a skit with my dad, another associate pastor, and a missionary that we were sending out. I remember his kids. They were so little. He is only about 30 himself.
It’s so hard to look at these situations as see God’s goodness. I’m struggling today to do just that. Baring a miracle, Nathan is dead, his wife widowed, and children fatherless. To see God’s goodness in such a devastating situation is hard. But no matter what we think or feel, God is good. He is good and this is all in His perfect plan. Even when our heart screams against it, God is still good.
In all… we hold on to the future hope. While hope that Nathan is living wears away more every minute, we have a future hope. “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”(Revelation 21:4) Nathan was a believer therefore, we do not grieve as those that have no hope. “But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep,that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep.”
Please keep the Junkers in your prayers, as well as Al Hermiston’s family. I still am praying for a miracle, but the fact that Nathan had no life jacket and it’s now been overnight… they are only expecting to find a body. But in all of this. God is good.
I had the silly idea that if you started a blog you would end up with thousands and thousands of people reading it, a book deal, and a national conference. My current response to that is… “yeah right”.
) and maybe even a book giveaway! Thank you all for your support and readership, without you I would have no one to write to! God bless!
), and many other things. 
