"faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen..." these are the words that have been repeating themselves in my head since mark's death last week. i've been wanting to write, and keep composing blog posts in my head, but except for that verse, the words have been few. but here a few things that keep coming back... ...mark believed in the hope of the resurrection. i don't understand everything that entails, and i don't understand everything about healing and death and life, but i do desperately want the hope that he is whole and restored and that we will all be resurrected some day. most of the time, that hope is loud and clear. the rest of the time, well, i guess that's what faith is all about. ...mark believed in community. i've been so proud of the landing place and larger community in the past weeks and months. they are strong, and they will survive, and i love them. somehow, any minute differences and disagreements don't seem to really matter anymore. this is a community that knows the meaning of hope and endurance. ...mark believed in jesus. i need more of jesus.