Comments on extraordinary ordinariness: Remembering Phil Penner

Wow, what a tragedy. We will keep you guys and hi...

2008-06-26T13:13:00.000-05:00

Wow, what a tragedy. We will keep you guys and his family in our prayers.

i knew phil through rodney. while my interactions ...

2008-06-18T23:21:00.000-05:00

i knew phil through rodney. while my interactions with him were short and sporadic at best, i knew any friend of rodney's is a friend of mine. that is why i mourn with him and all the loved ones touched by this godly man. in college some other friends of mine and i would come to chicago for the weekend. on one of those occasions we were walking along LSD when we ran into phil and rodney rollerblading. as i now live in chicago and run along LSD nearly everyday, i naturally use this time to empty my thoughts and pray for my friends and family. penner's, know a prayer is being lifted up for you each time i run along LSD.

I think I remember meeting him once back in colleg...

2008-06-18T19:39:00.000-05:00

I think I remember meeting him once back in college . . . I'm so sorry for your loss and I'm praying for you guys and his family tonight.

The Nelsons are praying for Anna and Esther. And ...

2008-06-18T16:49:00.000-05:00

The Nelsons are praying for Anna and Esther. And we love you all too...So sorry.

I echo what Ben and Gina said. Phil was by far on...

2008-06-18T00:12:00.000-05:00

I echo what Ben and Gina said. Phil was by far one of my favorite people at Moody. He was constantly challenging me in my faith, and at the same time loved to have a good time.

Some of my favorite memories of Phil are of him dressing up as Butch the homeless man, or putting vaseline under the door handle and steering wheel of my car. But my all time favorite memory is when he got me to go to Brooks Brothers on Michigan Avenue with him. He put a small water balloon in his pocket. Then proceeded to pop it making all the sales people that were around think he had peed his pants. All the while he was yelling at me in a Scotish accent that I had kept him from finding a bathroom.

Phil loved people... whether it was his little brother from Cabrini, kids from his youth group, or his friends and family. I still remember when he found out that my plans for Thanksgiving had fallen through and he on-the-spot invited me to McPherson, KS to spend it with his family.

My prayers are with his parents and wife and daughter. I so hope that his little girl knows that her dad was a man after God's own heart. I feel so blessed to have been able to call him a friend.

Gina:I wholeheartedly agree with yours and your hu...

2008-06-17T22:00:00.000-05:00

Gina:

I wholeheartedly agree with yours and your husband's assessment of Phil as a Godly man and a saint. I am one of Phil's friends and floor-mates from Moody. I was shocked to learn the news from a fellow friend from Moody today, and decided to google Phil's name after reading his wife's blog. I found your blog and appreciated it immensely.

I have not had the pleasure of meeting his wife and child, but my heart hurts for them. I pray for them. Phil was an encouragement to me on so many occassions and I always respected his love for Christ, his love for the lost and his faithfulness to obey Christ no matter the cost. Phil and I mentored inner-city kids from Chicago together and we would often take our "little-brothers" out for pizza and other activities together. Those kids loved and respected Phil. I wish I kept in contact with them to let them know of Phil going to be with Jesus.

Phil made all of the guys on the Culby-10 (our dorm floor) laugh so much and had a heart that was genuine and sincere. I look forward to the day I can worship Christ face to face with Phil. God bless you both.

Ben Moore

BenjaminCMoore78@juno.com