There are several updates that I will share later this evening, but I wanted to give you an update on Pastor Bill.
Cherri just called and Pastor Bill continues to decline. He is working at with his breathing and has been given more morphine to rest. He is on 100% oxygen and his oxygen saturation levels are declining. The nurses have stopped the feeding because his body is not absorbing the food.
I think it is safe to say that at this point our prayer should be that the Lord graciously and quietly welcome Pastor Bill home.
Pray for Ruth and the girls. Jan and Judee are here but Karen is still in Michigan and praying about what to do. These are very difficult hours for the family.
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29 comments:
Dear Ruth, as you are supported by your family and so many who love you annd Pastor Bill, we pray along with you knowing that our Lord who has been your strength and hope these many years will be that for you and yours at this time.
Love you, Laurel
Dear Ruth and Family,
As hard as it is at times to"accept" God's will, in all events we have no alternative. God is God and he knows what is best for us, even if we don't. It is our wish that it is God's will that this wonderful man stay with us! We continue to be in prayer for you.
In Christ's love, Marjorie and Neil
Dear Ruthie, Karen, Cherri, Judee & Jan...
We've been praying for the Lord to have His Will with Bill-Dad (and all of us)...
Now we pray for the strength that only He can give, as you'all, along with your loving family members, experience His Will in the life of your dearly beloved husband and father.
We love you'all
Paul & Chris
Dear Raws family--I have been praying for Pastor Raws since I read of his sudden hospitalization. My heart grieves with you as I now pray for the Lord to take him home. What a wonderful man and Godly example he has been! I am grateful to have had the opportunity to see him at Keswick over the years. His legacy will live on because of his dedication and service to our Lord--Judy M
Dear Family - we continue to uphold you in our prayers, especially at these difficult hours. Know that others care and are interceding on your behalf. May God's mercy and strength be exceedingly, abundantly beyond all we can ask or imagine.
The Gibsons in CT
Dear Ruth and family, We have been blessed by Pastor Bill's ministry so many years, but it is never enough. The picture on this blog reminds me of the joy of talking with him and it is one I will cherish. The Lord just brought a comforting hymn to mind:"Wonderful Peace". The third verse says "I am resting tonight in this wonderful peace, Resting sweetly in Jesus' control, For I'm kept from all danger by night and by day,And His glory is flooding my soul. Peace!peace! wonderful peace, Coming down from the Father above; sweep over my spirit forever, I pray, In fathomless billows of love." That is my prayer for you and for us all as we want so much for Pastor Bill to remain with us, but know we must say, "Thy will be done." "In quietness and in confidence shall be your strength." Is. 30:15 May you all feel our love and prayers, and rest in His loving arms. Bea
Bea said it so beautifully, there is nothing to add. Still praying for you all.
Heartfelt love,
Sue Mercer :)
Dear Ruth and family,
I pray that that the Lord will lift Pastor Bill to be with him in glory where he will suffer no more.
I pray the Lord will comfort you and strengthen you at this time.
With Love and Prayers
Mary
Continued prayer for all of you! We love you!
Brian, Donna & the children
Dear Ruth, Judee, Karen, Cheri & Jan...We are constantly lifting you up before our Heavenly Father this weekend, and want you to know how much we love you all.
Glen, Genine, Melinda & Jenna
Judee, Gary and Kids--the Wennens are praying for God's comfort and strength for you during this tough time!
Love,
Brynn (for all the Wennens)
Dear family,
We love you and are keeping you before the Lord in prayer - reflecting with Jordan tonight on the privilege he had of sitting through Pastor Bill's class at the Colony of Mercy - the history of this very special place. We love you and will continue in prayer -
Love, Robert, Joyce, Jordan and Carter!
Dear Ruth and family...I am praying as I have been since the start of all of this...I hope that the morphine is givng Pastor Bill all the comfort he needs...I also pray for your comfort and look toward the Lord for His will to be done...God bless, Melanie Vara
Dear Ruth and family,
We love you all so very much! You all have been such blessings in our lives! You continue to be in our thoughts and prayers during this time. Pastor Bill, we love you!
In His Love,
Evonne, Michael & Jonathan
DJ & Sandy
Dear Ruth and family,
I have prayed for Pastor Bill for Twenty four years and continue to do so.Even the Saviour went through this trying experience with his friend Lazarus.I am praying that the Holy Spirit will sustain you spiritually and physically.The Lord be with Pastor Bill---a man of God.Alfred Barrett
We continue to hold you all at the throne. Praying that the Lord's perfect will, will be carried out. Also praying that God will strengthen each of you during these difficult days.
The Mumma (Sharon)
May the peace -shalom peace- wholeness of God, comepletely cover you; may you be fully aware of His tangible presence in the air that you breathe today; may you lean into Him, lean on Him and allow Him to be Comforter and Minister to your aching souls, and may you remember that you are (all of you) not alone.
We are all with you, standing in the gap!! Daily, as we have thoughts of you -the collective multitude of us- are seeking God for you.
Whether we blog or not, please know that our hearts, our thoughts and out prayers are with you.
You are loved with an everlasting love and underneath are the ever lasting...EVER, EVER LASTING arms of Abba Father.
Loving you from here,
Stephanie P.
Dear Raws family,
May the Lord give you his grace and peace at this time. We are praying for you. Having served with Bill for 30 years on the PBU tustees, has given me ample opportunity to see how he loves the Lord, his family, and other people. May God comfort your hearts.
In Christ, Bob Reid
Even though I just posted a blog I had to blog again.
As I was exiting and back on the AK page with Pastor Bill's picture, I paused to look at his face. I love his face. Every since I first met your sweetheart and father, I was drawn to the kindness in his eyes. It has always been a comfort to me to see him and give/receive that occasional hug.
Tears easily well up in my eyes as I look at him and see his eyes, his gentle smiling face looking out at us from the blog page.
I guess I wanted to share that with you because, for me it isn't any of his accomplishments as Pastor, teacher, etc., that mean the most. It is the heart of the man, that reaches out to me -as me- and is grace in motion.
It is the open heart of the man that also, openly received from me...(and I would dare to say from so many others)love.
In all of our hearts there is an ache for all of you and oh how we wish we could aborb all that you are going through..in the same way that I believe Pastor Bill would.
Anyway, I just wanted to share "the real" that was on my heart concerning him and remind you again that you are not alone.
The saints surround you and we pray that you feel the strenth of His Presence.
Abiding in hope,
Stephanie P.
God never said it would be easy He only said you wouldn't be alone. He will never leave you or forsake you. His strength will be there for you to do those things which are impossible to do on your own. Nothing can seperate you from his love and He will do far more than you can ever think or ask.
Love
Allen & Marilyn
My prayers are with Ruth, the girls and with everyone that Pastor Bill has touched over the years. Even though I only found him only a year and a half ago from searching my family tree, I realized that I really have a friend in Bill and the rest of the Raws family. Unforunately, work has kept me from visiting Keswick as much as I would have liked. Prayer is a very strong tool and mine are being uplifted to the Lord to work whatever miracles are needed and may His comfort surround everyone at this time.
Barbara Lynch
Pastor Bill, Ruth, Jan, Judee, Cherri, and Karen:
Continuing to pray for all of you. May the Lord give you peace, strength and all that you need during these difficult hours.
And the Lord, He it is that doth go before thee; He will be with thee, He will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed.
With love and prayers,
Susan M.
We love you, we love you, we love you. We're asking God to wrap his strong arms of comfort and strength around you and hold you tight during this very difficult yet precious time. Special prayer was made for Bill and for you all this morning by the men in chapel for God's perfect will to be accomplished. Wow! Is he missed already! Dottie & Jack
My heart is heavy as I read about Pastor Bill and his recent weeks of suffering. I so appreciate the impact he has had on my life since coming onto the staff in 1999. I love the Spirit of Christ in him that he has unabashedly shared with others. I appreciate his gentle and kind spirit and his humor. Even when he corrected my theology he did it with much graciousness.
I pray that you and he will experience the arms of Jesus in tangible ways, wrapped around you giving great comfort and abundant peace. Diane Hunt
Dear Raws Family,
Our deepest sympathies to all of you during this time. Please know that you will remain in our constant thoughts and prayers.
In Christ,
The Sheldon Family
Dear Ruth and family...it is so hard to have the right words at a time like this...I know that Pastor Bill is now at rest and I have no doubt that he is already in the arms of his precious Lord...may God bring the peace that passes all understanding to you and your daughters...I will continue to pray for all of you...God bless, Melanie Vara (Whiting Bible)
May the extreme grace and comfort of Abba Father guard all of your hearts and minds now in Christ Jesus.
May His care be evident in estreme ways as each of you, step-by-step walk through the minutes, hours...to come.
Dear Father, cloak these precious ones of yours with the abundant care of your people and the never-ending comfort of Your Holy Spirit.
We greive and mourn with you.
With deepest sympathy,
Stephanie and Sesky Paul
There are never the "right words" at a time like this, but we know the Lord will continue to be faithful to all of Pastor Bill's family in the days ahead. Such a faithful servant will be welcomed HOME with angels singing praises to the Lord Bill served so faithfully and loved so deeply.
Sadness? Yes, of course.
We reach out to you with heartfelt love, keeping you in our thoughts and prayers..Diane & George Nichols
Dear Raws Family,
We are deeply sadden by the loss of Pastor Bill. We will continue to pray for you all during this very difficult time. We loved Pastor Bill very much and we love you all too.
Love,
The Bargers
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