My dear friend, and saint, Ivar Overgaard, went home to be with the Lord this morning. My initial shock was heart-stabbing and grief. My next thought was peace and elation that He can know the Lord fully now, there is no dim glass to look through to see the Shikinah glory of our Maker! What fun, to dance before the throne of the Most High!
Ivar was key to my first overseas visit to Norway. He made sure that I saw the amazing sights of the Norway mountains and fjords, and that I tasted the foods of the best of Norway culture. He wound around dangerous roads as we passed through mountains and stopped EVERY time we asked to get out to roam and take pictures. He was the pastor of a local church and an amazing husband, father, and grandfather.
His spirit was gentle and kindred. He spent countless hours translating everything to us in English that the Norwegians were saying, and then translating to the Norwegians what we had to say. By week's end, his mind was exhausted and he was thinking in two languages! We had a good laugh over it!
I just recently had the pleasure of spending a second weekend at the "college of prayer" here in Atlanta, where Ivar and his wife, Kari, traveled the distance to be here. I had the pleasure of praying exclusively with them and of imparting them off on the journey home with annointing and power. We had an amazing weekend reminicing of the Norwary experience and it was such a blessing to create more memories together.
Ivar made a tremendous impact on my life and I will never forget his kindness and goodness. He went easily in his sleep. I can only think that maybe the Lord was jealous for him to come Home. But I thank God for the legacy he left with us of such a powerful example of a man after God's own heart. He will be missed. I will cry. And then I will try my grandest to follow in his example and be another "arrow pointing toward heaven!"
Goodbye my friend, goodbye.
