Saddleback Community Church pastor Rick Warren received an outpouring of support from Christians around the world on Easter Sunday, which marked the second anniversary of his youngest son’s death.
Believers took to social networking sites last week to share heartfelt messages of love and hope for Warren, who requested prayer on April 1 via his Facebook page as he prepared to preach at Easter services for four days straight. The post garnered more than 39,000 likes and hundreds of comments.
Warren’s son, Matthew, who was 27 when he died, took his own life on April 5, 2013, after a long battle with depression. In an emotional prayer request to his 1 million Facebook followers, the Purpose Driven Life author recalled his son’s passing as being “the worst day of my life.”
“On this Easter week two years ago, my son Matthew ended his life, and his 27-year battle with mental illness. That day, April 5th, coming 5 days after Easter, was the worst day of my life,” wrote Warren, 61. “On a day where everything in me wants to be quiet and low-key, be alone at home with my Lord and my wife and kids, and just get through the day without having to interact or be “on” or celebrate anything … instead I will be leading multiple Easter services on the biggest Christian day of the year.”
Although Matthew’s death anniversary fell on Resurrection Sunday this year, the Southern California based megachurch pastor still celebrated Easter with his congregants, because as he explained, “the Resurrection IS that unmovable hope, that steadfast reality that soothes and comforts the loss in my heart.” He and his wife, Kay, share two other children.
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SOURCE: The Christian Post
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