Remembering a (probable) Departed Friend, Mitchell Dahmer (Veteran of Gulf War), and Peace

 

​ I don’t know how recently I mentioned my high school friend, Mitchell Dahmer. But, he may have gone home to be with Jesus in September, according to a call I got days ago; I was one of the contacts on his insurance, and they are trying to confirm this.

It is fitting I’ve been sharing about peace. Mitch professed faith in Jesus as his Saviour. He got assurance of that salvation in ’92, after having been through some really bad stuff in the First Gulf War. There are several levels to this peace I’d like to share.

Most importantly, there’s peace he felt knowing Jesus. I told the insurance person about his profession of faith. Whatever happened in the war, he knew Jesus had forgiven him. Who knows, he may have shot someone up close who was gunning for him or seen buddies die; he said he had PTSD. Whatever he went through with that and a rough home life, he told me about, he knew one day God would heal him and give him a new body, free from pain.

There’s the peace others have, too. God would remind me of Mitch at times when Mitch needed prayer. I don’t have to worry because I know he’s in Heaven, but even then, I didn’t worry. I prayed for him but knew God was taking are of things, and I kept writing a couple times a year for 18 years with no reply. Our vets need that sometimes. Who knows whether he was able to reply, mentally or physically?

There the peace he had here before. Not just because he knew Jesus, but because God used others to help. He’d been through a lot. I think I told a few of you his parents fairly often fought physically when he was young, from what he told me. Mitch told me when we were 12 or 13 that if he ever called me and asked how his own imaginary friend was, I should call the police and say someone was in danger because he had given me that signal. Later, I realized that’s a strategy some kids in families with violence use to make sure they know they or a loved one will be safe. Mitch had to live remembering all this, yet God gave him peace to get through it and whatever post-traumatic stress came from that.

God can use anyone in unique ways. I learned weeks ago of a Presbyterian pastor who raps, his name is Shai Linne and he has a great Youtube video with one of his songs, “Gd Made Me and You.” https://youtu.be/EGyRAQrum4A (I know, easier to just search the name & title.) God knows our every need. He’s just waiting for us to trust Him to supply what we need when we need it. It’s something I’ve said many times, but good to remember. As we enter a new year, we have lots of uncertainty. Mitch had it, too. He might have even been a homeless vet for a time. He only had a PO Box for a while, after all. Yet despite the uncertainty in life, he knew he had a home forever in God’s perfect Heaven.

So, if you wonder if next year will be the same boring routine, remember Jesus Christ is risen from the dead. He has already given us victory. I know not all feel the same all the time. It can seem like some, like Annie in the musical, are always able to say “the sun’ll come out tomorrow.” But, that deals with feelings, and those can change. Heavenly joy lasts forever. And we can plug into that, and know God has a purpose. Look at Joseph in the Old Testament (starting Gen. 37) – or even the story of Annie, which is a great comparison as I show in one of my Annie stories, “To the Rescue,” under Plays at fanfiction.net. Whatever we go through, it may seem bad or even like someone wants to do evil, but God will bring good out of it. That can be for a girl in a horrid orphanage so she could one be the key to getting her friends out, or the true story of Joseph saving the nation of Israel during a famine. And, it’s true for whatever you’re going through now. God will give you peace and get you through, just like He did Mitch. Just remember Jesus is risen. When you know Him personally, He will be your peace.

Have a blessed new year and keep praying.