Chris Restuccia: A Life Well Lived

In the early morning hours yesterday, July 6th, my friend, Chris Restuccia, left this earth and entered into the arms of Jesus. Chris had fought a courageous battle with cancer and is now at peace and is free from all his earthly body limited him to.

Chris leaves behind his children, Hannah and Joshua, and his wife, Jo, a tremendous woman who has shown a remarkable degree of strength, faith and courage throughout the course of Chris's treatments and as his health declined in recent months.

Although I'm thankful that Chris is now pain-free and is in the presence of our Lord, it is still hard to believe that he is gone. I will miss our times together and our lengthy conversations about theology, ecclesiology, stewardship, politics, football and the ministry that God had called each of us to. As a couple of the only white guys working with The Impact Movement, Chris and I have shared a unique bond for well over a decade. He was a confidant, an accountability partner and a close co-laborer. Mostly, he was just my friend. I will miss him dearly.

Like many of the people I have the privilege of working with, Chris was not a man that went into the Christian ministry because he had limited career options. In fact, I'm quite certain that he would have been a very successful businessman as a result of the keen entrepreneurial spirit he possessed. Unlike so many others, he chose to pursue the calling that God had placed on his life instead of running after the accumulation of wealth and material items. Jesus Christ had dramatically changed Chris's life and he wanted to invest his life in helping to introduce others to Christ.

There are some that would say that instead of being a missionary that he should have made millions and given that to God's work. But Chris followed what God told him and not what the world would dictate. God blessed him with a wonderful wife and children and gave him the privilege of seeing others' lives transformed by the power of the gospel of Jesus. He is now receiving his reward for a life well-lived. I'm thankful that I can call him friend.

My Redeemer Lives

I woke up yesterday with the song "Redeemer" by Nicole C Mullen running through my head. It offers a glorious picture of the Messiah who gave His life for yours and mine. The importance of the resurrection of Christ is particularly significant to me this Easter season in light of the challenges that life has thrown my way in recent months. But I realize some of the difficulties and disappointments that I have face pale in comparison to what many others are going through.

I had the chance to visit my good friend, Chris Restuccia, this morning. Chris is courageously fighting cancer, which is now in Stage 4, and has had some complications recently. He's lost a lot of weight and is in the hospital once again in order to get a feeding tube inserted so that he can get the nutrition he needs. His cancer is of the esophagus, has spread to his lungs and has affected his digestive system dramatically. His attitude is positive but we know that it will take God to intervene to heal him.

I trust that God will choose to heal my friend and he'll have many years together with his wife and children. But whether Chris lives on this earth for many more years or not, we take comfort in knowing that the grave has already been conquered. Jesus won against sin and sickness and death over 2,000 years ago and all those that place their faith in Him have the promise of eternal life. I am so glad that my Redeemer lives.

Redeemer by Nicole C Mullen

Who taught the sun where to stand in the morning
Who told the ocean you can only come this far?
Who showed the moon where to hide 'til evening
Whose words alone can catch a falling star?

Well I know my Redeemer lives
I know my Redeemer lives
All of creation testify
This life within me cries
I know my Redeemer lives

The very same God that spins things in orbit
He runs to the weary, the worn and the weak
And the same gentle hands that hold me when I'm broken
They conquered death to bring me victory

Now I know my Redeemer lives
I know my Redeemer lives
Let all creation testify
Let this life within me cry
I know my Redeemer, He lives

To take away my shame
And He lives forever I'll proclaim
That the payment for my sin
Was the precious life He gave
But now He's alive
And there's an empty grave.

And I know my Redeemer,
He lives
I know my Redeemer lives
Let all creation testify
This life within me cries
I know my Redeemer lives

Here is a moving live performance of this song. Please click here if the video player doesn't show up.