Forrest Gale Wahl

Andre begivenheder:

• Beskæftigelse: Insurance Claim Adjustor
• Religion: Presbyterian

Notater:

(Research):In life and death, open-minded friend shows us how to value other faiths
by Rev. Greg McDonell, Austin faith communities.
A Native American, to a rhythmic drumbeat, directed the people to face first to the east, then to the south, west, north and back to the east again as she led them in responsive prayer to the Four Directions. As incense burned, one friend read from the Hindu Gita and another chanted words from the Buddhist Sutra of Loving Kindness. A Christian read Scripture from the New Testament, and a jazz trio filled the air and lifted hearts with the scintillating sounds of Duke Ellington.
What was the occasion?
The occasion was the memorial service of a dear friend and member of Central Presbyterian Church, Forrest Wahl. Although the service was different from any I have led or this church has experienced, it had an energy and vitality and power that could only have come from the God of us all.
Some at the service might have wondered if Forrest died before he made up his mind about which religion to choose. That was not the case. Forrest was clear about his path. Seminary-trained and steeped in a contemplative life-style, Forrest's spiritual path was clearly Christian. Yet his desire to be drawn closer to God drew him closer to others whose faith was different from his own. I suspect that this happened because in his search for God, he chose to see, and therefore, saw all that we have in common rather than all that separates us.
What made Forrest's path so wonderful was its width. Forrest, unlike many others, was able to walk down life's path alongside others, for he knew that there are many wells, but only one river. (Read One River, Many Wells by Matthew Fox.) His deep-seated spirituality brought him in contact with all things spiritual. Those seeking after a more intimate relationship with God were people whose heart beat with Forrest's.
I suspect Forrest was uniquely capable of accepting other beliefs because he was clear about his own. He knew what he knew and yet was always open to new ideas. He lived and worked out of faith rather than fear. His faith was secure enough to allow him to explore his neighbor's belief system without the anxiety of losing his own. He was free enough in his own theology to explore another's. His understanding of God was that God cannot be contained in any one set of beliefs, that richness and reward abound as we learn from and live up close to those who are different from ourselves.
Forrest's prayer life was his key to living. Hours spent in the silent presence of God brought about a close, intimate relationship. This relationship allowed Forrest to withstand the brutal war that cancer waged in his lungs and brain. Forrest Wahl, in his dying, taught us all how to live. The grace, humor and dignity with which he faced his death points explicitly to his relationship with God, a relationship that was formed and shaped by his Christian faith and nurtured and nourished by Native American, Hindu and Buddhist thought.
The Spirit blows where it wills. We are so grateful that it blew Forrest Wahl into our path. Thanks, Forrest, for sharing your life and your death . We will never be the same.
So it is when we are in relationship with one another and the one who created us all.

Familie/Ægtefælle/Partner: Living Irwin. [Gruppeskema] [Familietavle]

Forrest blev gift med Willyn Cobb den XX jun. 1980 i Laredo, Webb, Texas, USA. Willyn blev født den 4 apr. 1955 i Laredo, Webb, Texas, USA; døde i 1991. [Gruppeskema] [Familietavle]

Forrest blev gift med Doris Jean Doyscher den 12 sep. 1966. Doris blev født den 28 feb. 1938 i Jackson, Beaverhead, Montana, USA; døde i 2015. [Gruppeskema] [Familietavle]

Familie/Ægtefælle/Partner: Living Lawrence. [Gruppeskema] [Familietavle]