Phil is Home!

Psalm 116:15 - "Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints."

Phil went Home around 8:00pm this evening. He was surrounded by family and many friends in his final moments. God was gracious and took him Home very peacefully.

A Celebration Service is scheduled for Sunday, at 3:00pm at The Oaks Baptist Church in Grand Praire. A graveside service will be held sometime Monday - final arrangements will be posted as soon as they are made. If you would like to give a gift in Phil's memory, you can give in one of the following ways:

-Phil's passion was to do mission work in Kenya. One of his driving forces for receiving a new liver was for his health to be such that it would allow him to travel to Kenya. To give to Buckner Kenya in his memory, please make your check payable to The Oaks Baptist Church and notate Buckner Kenya in the memo line. You can give your check at the church, personally, or mail it to 801 E-I-20, Grand Prairie, TX 75052.

-If you would like to give to the liver fund, please do so as posted in a previous blog. These funds will be used towards any outstanding medical bills, funeral expenses, or flights for family.

-If you would like to give flowers, please contact Special Occasions by Vicki at (972) 296-5587.

Above all, may God's name continue to be made great - continue to seek Him fervently as He continues His work in us. The thing that will honor Phil's memory the most is for all of us to draw closer to God and recognize His work in all of this. We would love to hear from you as to how God is moving and working in you - we ask you to share deep from your heart and to not be afraid to empty yourself before Him and allow Him to stir you deeply. If you are willing to share, please send it in an email to phil@discovertheoaks.com.

In closing, please pray over this verse and remember Phil in a prayer of celebration, as He is now Home with his Heavenly Father and wholly healed.

I Thess 4:13-18- "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. For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore encourage one another with these words."