In Loving Memory of My Sweet Palmer...

Today I came home from teaching at Mt. Summit and had some lunch. Megan and I were not feeling too good and so we were laying on the couch watching The Office when I got a phone call. It was Micah and he asked if I'd received an email from Stacy. I hadn't. Then he gave me the heart wrenching news that the New England Travel Team had been in an accident and that Palmer did not survive. I don't remember much of what was said after that. I kinda think I just hung up the phone at that point. Constant sobbing and then I finally realized that I needed to call Scott. My best friend Scott Bess, who is serving in Maine and is very close to Palmer. Megan and I made our way to our supervisor's apt to use her internet. I just didn't feel comfortable with the thought of all of these people staring at the American who can't stop crying. I got to the internet and called Scott and found out that the rest of the team were ok. My girls Legon and Leah are also on that team along with Justin.

As I sit here in the dark listening to the rain outside, I begin to think about Palmer. There are those people in your life that bring a smile to your face no matter what. There are those people who are able to have a completely serious conversation one minute and are cracking jokes the next. Those people who instantly make an impact on your life every second that you spend with them. That was my Palmer.

I had not known him very long but the way he lived his life made you want to be his friend. I'll never forget leaving the TN Tech BCM with Scott and telling him, "I really love that Palmer kid!" In the next few months, I grew to love him more and more with each time of hanging out with him. It's no secret that I visited the TN Tech BCM more than any other campus in the state last year and it's because of students like Palmer Maphet who have a passion for serving and a passion for growing. Palmer had a passion for the lost and for loving people. A passion to be obedient to His Heavenly Father in every area of his life.

The first thing to come out of his mouth when I met him was, "Casey Williams! I've heard so much about you! I want to go to Maine this summer and I heard that you're the girl I need to talk to!" We were immediate best friends from that night on! Today as I think back on that night full of pancakes and laughs, It dawned on me that in that moment as we were excited about Palmer possibly spending his summer in Maine, God already knew that he would be taken from this earth on Rt. 25 in Standish, ME. Scott told me today that Palmer's facebook picture is of the two of them sitting on a rock talking and that he remembers in that moment that Palmer said, "I've only been here a week but I already love this place." I find peace in knowing that Palmer obediently went to Maine to serve our Creator and that He is now in the presence of Jesus Christ, the passion of Palmer's life.

A couple of weeks ago, I called my friends serving in Maine to check on them and even got to talk to Marilyn for a bit. I remember the first question I asked her was, "Marilyn! Don't you just LOVE Palmer??" of course she laughed and said,"Yeah, he's alright!" but I knew that he would win her heart, just as he did every one else he met. I then talked to Palmer on the phone and he greeted me with, of course, "Well hello Casey Williams!" :) We only talked for a few minutes because Scott was getting a little demanding for the phone (imagine that!) but the few minutes we talked, he was so encouraging for the work I'm doing here in South Asia and was so excited about the task set out for him there in Maine. He told me of how much he loved Maine already and it blessed my heart. I can certainly relate! I had no clue that it would be the last time I heard that greeting with my full name come from that sweet voice. And even later that day when I looked at pictures that Marilyn had posted of the team, I stopped at one of Palmer and Scott sitting on a rock together and neither of them were smiling. I commented, "Boys, I know you miss me and all but don't cry! I'll see you at the airport!!". And just days before the accident, I'd written him and reminded him that, "There's a boy in Maine that makes a girl in South Asia smile REAL big!!"

I want to encourage the TN Tech BCM family with this. When I think about Palmer and who he was in Christ, I think of obedience and sacrifice. I also think of the pure Joy of the Lord that exuded from him every day. What better way for us to honor our dear friend than to live our lives in complete, sacrificial obedience with the Joy of the Lord!!

As I think about Palmer, I think about how many people were impacted simply by the way he lived his life. Micah 6:8 was the verse that Palmer lived by and it is one that I will never forget. May we all act justly, love mercy and walk humbly with our God as Palmer exemplified with his daily life! We'll never understand why he had to leave this earth so soon or how we're supposed to carry on and we're not supposed to understand. Our human minds can not understand the workings of the Almighty God. But what we're called to do is to trust. That's all we can do. Nothing surprises our Lord and it's to His Sovereign Will that we must cling. Palmer ran the race with endurance and has crossed the finish line!

To all Light Messengers, let's finish the task that has been laid out before us. Run the race with endurance! Palmer would have it no other way.

<3 C