In times of immense trial or personal loss, it’s not uncommon for people to lash out in anger towards God, questioning the event, God’s goodness or life in general. However, for one Georgia pastor, Kevin Royston, who suffered unimaginable loss recently, his time of trial only drove him closer to God’s embrace.
Pastor Keven Royston of OutReach Church recently suffered the loss of his two precious sons due to a vehicular accident. The two boys, Kahlil, aged 17, and Josh, aged 16, were leaving their father’s church when a tragic accident occurred on the roadway. The boys, who were on their way to get a haircut at a local barbershop, lost control during their trip on Smokey Road, hitting two trees. According to Georgia State Patrol, the driver, Kahlil, was speeding when he lost control of the car and struck the trees. Sadly, Josh died at the scene of the accident and Kahlil also died later after great efforts were made to save his life at Atlanta Medical Center.
Although Kahlil suffered extensive injuries, Pastor Royston was praying for a miracle, hoping his one remaining son would recover from his injuries. After he was transported from the scene of the wreck to Atlanta Medical Center, Pastor Royston issued a call to prayer via Facebook.
“My son Kahlil Royston is in critical condition,” the pastor wrote on Facebook at the time. “Please pray that God does a miracle in his body. He has body injuries and head injury. I’ve released my faith, please release yours. Thanks!”
Pastor Royston later issued another post, citing scripture and declaring his faith:
“I speak life to those things that do not exist as though they did. I speak a creative miracle over Kahlil, now every part of his body is healed perfectly, and his brain is operating normally in Jesus Name! Romans 4:17.”
Unfortunately, despite the best efforts of the highly trained medical staff and the prayers of so many loved ones, Kahlil lost his life a few days after the accident that took his brother Josh’s life. However, despite the heartache Pastor Royston must have been feeling, his faith remained resolute. In fact, he even praised God in the loss.
“We would like to thank everyone for all your prayers for Kahlil,” Royston wrote after he learned the news. “Kahlil and Joshua will be missed dearly. God performed a miracle in a different way than we thought, but He still performed a miracle. Kahlil’s organs will be used to be a blessing for persons in need of them. We have to have faith to change a situation but we also have to have faith to deal with a situation when God doesn’t do it the way we thought. Continue to pray for our strength as we move forward.”
The community as a whole has been deeply touched by the loss of the two boys, way too early in life. The principle of Newman High School, where both boys attended, wrote a message pertaining to the tragic event via the school’s Facebook page. It reads as follows:
“Please continue to keep the Royston family in your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time. Both Joshua and Kahlil will be missed dearly.”
Despite his pain over the loss of his precious boys, Pastor Royston remained unyielding in his commitment to God and his personal faith. His words and the way he is dealing with this personal event is admirable and worth emulating by all believers whose hope is in God.
“Sometimes life will throw us blows that seem unbearable. But these are the times where we must make ourselves stay connected to the only source of life, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,” the pastor said. “We move forward by faith, not by disappointment, grief, or misunderstanding—no ‘by faith’. That does not mean we don’t acknowledge our pain, our disappointment and our loss of understanding, but we don’t move forward from that place. We go to our source and we ask Him how to move forward so our life will continue to bring Him glory. We have to remember He’s God and He has a ram in the bush.”
~ 1776 Christian
