Christian Womanhood

He Makes No Mistakes (Part 2)

by Sue Grumley

Sue is a member of Northstar Baptist Church in McMillan, Michigan, pastored by Paul Williams.

Shortly after the sudden death of my husband, we left the hospital and went to a friend’s house for dinner and to make funeral plans. Pastor Williams asked me if I had any ideas about what I wanted at the funeral. I remembered a conversation Dan and I had about the song, “Wish You Were Here.” The song is about Heaven, and part of the song says,

I know if they could talk to me now,

Here’s what they’d say to me,

“Wish you were here, It’s such a beautiful place,

Wish you were here, nothing but clear sunny days.

It never rains, and no one complains,

We haven’t seen a tear, we’re having a great time,

Wish you were here.”

Dan told me he wanted me to sing that song at his funeral. I remember saying, “No way am I going to be able to sing that song at your funeral! I would be a basket case! Forget it!” I remember laughing, and never in a million years believing that day would come. I knew the song had to be included. Because neither of us was reared in a Christian home, it would be perfect.

Our pastor’s son, Michael Williams, and his wife Brooke were here at the funeral because of an unexpected cancellation in their schedule. At the time they wondered why, but then they knew why. Brooke played the piano for us, and she and Michael sang Dan’s favorite song, “It Is Well With My Soul.” Brooke also sang a song she had written entitled “Hold On.”

Sometimes I feel afraid and seem to be blinded by what I can’t see and what lies before me; then Jesus comes, and He says, “My child, I’m here; hold on.”

When the dark of night surrounds, and loneliness and emptiness invade my heart, and there’s no one to guide me, Jesus comes and He says, “My child, hold on.”

“Hold on through the dark times; hold on though the way seems too long. My grace is sufficient for thee.” He can take your life and mold it into something new. He took nothing and made something out of my life.

How did Brooke know exactly what I was going to be feeling? I have listened to that song dozens of times on the CD “The Value of One” that she and her sisters made. It has brought me much comfort. God is good.

I also wanted to include in the funeral a copy of a poem that Dan carried in his Bible entitled “He Maketh No Mistake.” That poem mirrored Dan’s outlook on life. Dan’s death was no accident; it was part of God’s perfect plan for Dan’s life and mine. God makes no mistakes! God is good.

My brother Bill who lives in Traverse City came to stay with me. I thought I wanted to be alone, and I didn’t feel like entertaining anyone. I then realized that Bill needed to be here—for Bill. He wanted to help me, and he felt so helpless at home doing nothing. He was a big help to me. God is good.

The funeral was beautiful—comforting to Christians and challenging to the lost. On Dan’s last Wednesday night at church, he and Pastor Williams prayed together. Dan had asked Pastor to pray that his dad would go to church with him while he was in Tennessee. Instead, in God’s perfect providence, Dan’s dad, all of his family, and all of my family were in our church at Dan’s funeral on Monday. God is good.

People asked me if we would move “home.” We had purposely moved to the Upper Peninsula to get involved in Northstar Baptist Church. Moving here was the stupidest financial decision we could have made; yet it was the best spiritual decision we could have made. We wanted our girls reared in a church where it was “cool” to do right. God knew that Dan was going to die, and this is exactly where he had placed us. We did not want to move. Some people thought I would never survive up here. We are 70 miles from the closest Wal-Mart and the closest traffic light! When Dr. Hyles was here for our church’s twenty-fifth anniversary in 2000, he said teasingly that God does not even know the location of McMillan, Michigan! I’m so thankful God does know where McMillan is and where I am every second of the day. God is good.

Three weeks after Dan died, I found my recipe for happiness in John 13:1-17 which tells the story of Jesus’ washing the disciples’ feet. He told them that He had given them an example and to go and do likewise. “If ye know these things, happy are ye if you do them.” (v. 17) If I want to be happy, God tells me to serve others! Everywhere I looked, I seemed to find people who were hurting. Yes, I had lost my husband, but others had lost someone dear to them as well. Some had lost a dad, a friend, a co-worker, a song leader, a fellow church member, a church treasurer, a neighbor, a son, and a brother. I found that when I was trying to encourage others, I didn’t have as much time to think about myself. God is good.

He Maketh No Mistake

My Father’s way may twist and turn, My heart may throb and ache,

But in my soul I’m glad I know, He maketh no mistake.

My cherished plans may go astray, My hopes may fade away,

But still I’ll trust my Lord to lead, For He doth know the way.

Though night be dark and it may seem that day will never break,

I’ll pin my faith, my all in Him. He maketh no mistake.

There’s so much now I cannot see, My eyesight far too dim,

But come what may, I’ll simply trust, and leave it all to Him.

For by and by the mist will lift, and plain it all He’ll make,

Through all the way tho’ dark to me, He made not one mistake.


		He Makes No Mistakes (Part 2) by Sue Grumley Sue is a member of Northstar Baptist Church in McMillan, Michigan, pastored by Paul Williams. Shortly after the sudden death of my husband, we left the hospital and went to a friend’s house for dinner and to make funeral plans. Pastor Williams asked me if I had any ideas about what I wanted at the funeral. I remembered a conversation Dan and I had about the song, “Wish You Were Here.” The song is about Heaven, and part of the song says, I know if they could talk to me now, Here’s what they’d say to me, “Wish you were here, It’s such a beautiful place, Wish you were here, nothing but clear sunny days. It never rains, and no one complains, We haven’t seen a tear, we’re having a great time, Wish you were here.” Dan told me he wanted me to sing that song at his funeral. I remember saying, “No way am I going to be able to sing that song at your funeral! I would be a basket case! Forget it!” I remember laughing, and never in a million years believing that day would come. I knew the song had to be included. Because neither of us was reared in a Christian home, it would be perfect. Our pastor’s son, Michael Williams, and his wife Brooke were here at the funeral because of an unexpected cancellation in their schedule. At the time they wondered why, but then they knew why. Brooke played the piano for us, and she and Michael sang Dan’s favorite song, “It Is Well With My Soul.” Brooke also sang a song she had written entitled “Hold On.” Sometimes I feel afraid and seem to be blinded by what I can’t see and what lies before me; then Jesus comes, and He says, “My child, I’m here; hold on.” When the dark of night surrounds, and loneliness and emptiness invade my heart, and there’s no one to guide me, Jesus comes and He says, “My child, hold on.” “Hold on through the dark times; hold on though the way seems too long. My grace is sufficient for thee.” He can take your life and mold it into something new. He took nothing and made something out of my life. How did Brooke know exactly what I was going to be feeling? I have listened to that song dozens of times on the CD “The Value of One” that she and her sisters made. It has brought me much comfort. God is good. I also wanted to include in the funeral a copy of a poem that Dan carried in his Bible entitled “He Maketh No Mistake.” That poem mirrored Dan’s outlook on life. Dan’s death was no accident; it was part of God’s perfect plan for Dan’s life and mine. God makes no mistakes! God is good. My brother Bill who lives in Traverse City came to stay with me. I thought I wanted to be alone, and I didn’t feel like entertaining anyone. I then realized that Bill needed to be here—for Bill. He wanted to help me, and he felt so helpless at home doing nothing. He was a big help to me. God is good. The funeral was beautiful—comforting to Christians and challenging to the lost. On Dan’s last Wednesday night at church, he and Pastor Williams prayed together. Dan had asked Pastor to pray that his dad would go to church with him while he was in Tennessee. Instead, in God’s perfect providence, Dan’s dad, all of his family, and all of my family were in our church at Dan’s funeral on Monday. God is good. People asked me if we would move “home.” We had purposely moved to the Upper Peninsula to get involved in Northstar Baptist Church. Moving here was the stupidest financial decision we could have made; yet it was the best spiritual decision we could have made. We wanted our girls reared in a church where it was “cool” to do right. God knew that Dan was going to die, and this is exactly where he had placed us. We did not want to move. Some people thought I would never survive up here. We are 70 miles from the closest Wal-Mart and the closest traffic light! When Dr. Hyles was here for our church’s twenty-fifth anniversary in 2000, he said teasingly that God does not even know the location of McMillan, Michigan! I’m so thankful God does know where McMillan is and where I am every second of the day. God is good. Three weeks after Dan died, I found my recipe for happiness in John 13:1-17 which tells the story of Jesus’ washing the disciples’ feet. He told them that He had given them an example and to go and do likewise. “If ye know these things, happy are ye if you do them.” (v. 17) If I want to be happy, God tells me to serve others! Everywhere I looked, I seemed to find people who were hurting. Yes, I had lost my husband, but others had lost someone dear to them as well. Some had lost a dad, a friend, a co-worker, a song leader, a fellow church member, a church treasurer, a neighbor, a son, and a brother. I found that when I was trying to encourage others, I didn’t have as much time to think about myself. God is good. He Maketh No Mistake My Father’s way may twist and turn, My heart may throb and ache, But in my soul I’m glad I know, He maketh no mistake. My cherished plans may go astray, My hopes may fade away, But still I’ll trust my Lord to lead, For He doth know the way. Though night be dark and it may seem that day will never break, I’ll pin my faith, my all in Him. He maketh no mistake. There’s so much now I cannot see, My eyesight far too dim, But come what may, I’ll simply trust, and leave it all to Him. For by and by the mist will lift, and plain it all He’ll make, Through all the way tho’ dark to me, He made not one mistake.