Carried
I know you all are anxiously awaiting the news of the arrangements, and hopefully we’ll have it all finalized by this afternoon, and I’ll update you…but in the meantime, I just wanted to testify to you of the incredible grace of God that we’re experiencing! I want God to receive all the glory that He deserves, so I feel like the rocks are going to cry out if I don’t let you all know how GOOD GOD IS!!!!
I have never experienced the grace of God like I have these past few days. Can’t really describe it except to say that we are being “carried”…like that old Footprints poem. We literally feel carried right now. Every single detail of this whole experience has had the fingerprints of God all over it. The timing alone, for so many of the events, has been miraculous. Over and over we keep seeing how perfect God’s timing is. And then there’s that “sufficient grace” that keeps showing up…sometimes unrecognized in the moment, but always there. Always. God is so good. And even in the “valley of the shadow of death” we can fear no evil, because He Is With Us!! This is no cliche’- His Presence is Here!! It’s so real that it’s almost tangible!! I keep thinking of the words of that psalm: a “very present help in trouble” –He is a VERY PRESENT help!!
My new favorite book is my Daddy’s Bible. I always thought my Bible was my favorite book, but if you could read my Daddy’s Bible right now, you’d know what I mean. Every page, literally, is filled with highlights and notes. Some sermon outlines, some personal thoughts, and some prayers written out in his own sweet handwriting…it is incredible. Words from my Heavenly Father and words from my earthly father, all in one book. God is using that book to sustain me right now.
I hope you all can understand why I’m writing this to you…even though I know you came here to get the information about the arrangements, I had to tell you what God’s doing in direct answer to your prayers for our family. Already this morning over 500 of you have checked this blog, so I know my Daddy would want me to use this opportunity to give God the glory.
In His Grip,
Charity, for all the Rices
We feel happy and sad all at the same time. Sad because Dr. Rice is no longer with us. He was so loved and will be missed so much. But, yet, happy because we all know he is in the presence of the Lord, and there will be no more suffering for him.
Isn’t it a wonderful thing to feel God’s presence so strongly, and to know the HE is carrying you?? Blessed be the Name of the LORD.
Your family will continue to be in our thoughts and prayers in the days to come.
Love,
Teresa and Sam Glenn
Mildred Stewart
Our hearts are saddened to hear of the ongoing of Dr. Rice. However, we are elated to know where he has gone and that he is awaiting you all in Heaven. Dr. Rice was our pastor at Oakwood for several years, and there never was a time when we would see him that he didn’t speak and call our names. I don’t know how he could remember all of his flock like he did. It was a gift from God. Your precious family is in our thoughts and prayers. Your friends in Christ, Nancy and Mel Whitmire
preachers are developed by God his word and the men that they are around. Russell Rice was great friend to me and my family. For four years while i was in college most every friday night after school we would stand around and listen to Dr. Rice pour his life in to ours. I learned many things while in school at tabernacle and no one taught me more than Dr. Rice. So many things i could say but i would like thank his family for sharing him with us and i hope that God would just use me in part the way that he used him. I learned much from him in the years that we were there.
Daniel Harrelson
Pastor of Landmark Baptist Church
Branford Fl
Dr. Rice was my pastor at Oakwood for my entire life until I went to college in 2000. It is sad to hear that he is no longer with us, but as has been said many times, we are glad to know that he has had his homegoing. One special memory I have is his excitement over the song “We shall see Jesus.” He would have the quartet sing it twice most of the time. I can only imagine the joy he had when he saw Jesus.
Please know that our prayers are with your family.
Love,
Dear Charity & Family,
Dr. Rice was a wonderful pastor and influence on my life. He was the one to baptize me and be a constant encouragement during my teenage years at Oakwood. Beverly and Dr. Rice was a great source of encouragement to me and my family when my mom died. I know that they are together in heaven and are celebrating!!! What an awesome thought.
I will forever consider Dr. Rice “my pastor”, because he truly loved the people of Oakwood and it showed everytime you came in contact with him.
Please know that I love each of you dearly and will keep you in my thought and prayers.
Love,
Angie Hammond
Dear Rice family:
I can definitely understand how the Grace of God is carrying you at this time. On a personal note, I remember when my dad went to Heaven five years ago, we were all by his bedside, singing and waiting for the Lord to carry him to Heaven. When he finally made the crossing, at that particular moment, this verse (II Corinthians 5:8) came to my mind. “We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be ABSENT from the body, and to be PRESENT with the Lord.” Notice, there are only 6 small words between ABSENT and PRESENT. Imagine, that quick, that fast. No layovers, no waiting, no getting bumped. It’s good night here, and good morning up there!! What a blessing!
When my dad died, it was almost like you would turn a light switch to the off position…dad was here one second, and gone the next. That scene impressed me so much, that I made the statement to my sister, and I said, “If that is how it will be when I die, then all will be well.” What a smooth transition.
The verse in Psalm 23:4 also came to my mind that day, and it says, “Yea, though I walk…through…the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for thou art with me…” I’m glad to know when that time comes, I will not draw up and be afraid, I will not run, but instead, I will continue to walk…THROUGH THE VALLEY…, and the Lord, our great Shepherd, will be there, waiting to lead me safely over to Heaven’s side!
To the Rice family, “Be not dismayed, what-e’er betide, God WILL take care of you.”
We will see Dr. Rice again in a land where there is no more sickness, no sorrow, no hospitals, no funeral homes, no funerals, no cemeteries, no crying, no dying, no heartache, and so on. We will have one long eternal day, for there is no night there, for Jesus is the LIGHT of that city.
What a day, glorious day that will be. WE WILL see him again. Praise the good lord!
But until then, so long, Dr. Rice, my friend. I’ll meet you in the morning, by the good Grace of God.
May God bless the Rice family and give you His peace through these days.
In Christian love,
Hobart B. Stephens
Romans 8:28
Dear Rice family:
I can definitely understand how the Grace of God is carrying you at this time. On a personal note, I remember when my dad went to Heaven five years ago, we were all by his bedside, singing and waiting for the Lord to carry him to Heaven. When he finally made the crossing, at that particular moment, this verse (II Corinthians 5, and verse eight) came to my mind. “We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be ABSENT from the body, and to be PRESENT with the Lord.” Notice, there are only 6 small words between ABSENT and PRESENT. Imagine, that quick, that fast. No layovers, no waiting, no getting bumped. It’s good night here, and good morning up there!! What a blessing!
When my dad died, it was almost like you would turn a light switch to the off position…dad was here one second, and gone the next. That scene impressed me so much, that I made the statement to my sister, and I said, “If that is how it will be when I die, then all will be well.” What a smooth transition.
The verse in Psalm 23:4 also came to my mind that day, and it says, “Yea, though I walk…through…the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for thou art with me…” I’m glad to know when that time comes, I will not draw up and be afraid, I will not run, but instead, I will continue to walk…THROUGH THE VALLEY…, and the Lord, our great Shepherd, will be there, waiting to lead me safely over to Heaven’s side!
To the Rice family, “Be not dismayed, what-e’er betide, God WILL take care of you.”
We will see Dr. Rice again in a land where there is no more sickness, no sorrow, no hospitals, no funeral homes, no funerals, no cemeteries, no crying, no dying, no heartache, and so on. We will have one long eternal day, for there is no night there, for Jesus is the LIGHT of that city.
What a day, glorious day that will be. WE WILL see him again. Praise the good lord!
But until then, so long, Dr. Rice, my friend. I’ll meet you in the morning, by the good Grace of God.
May God bless the Rice family and give you His peace through these days.
In Christian love,
Hobart B. Stephens
Romans 8:28