Tonight we attend the celebration of life for a friend from our Small Group, a celebration of her transfer from life here on earth to her heavenly, forever home with the God who loved her more passionately than she loved Him!
Loving wife to her best friend…devoted mom to her two boys…a SMILE that out shined any cliche as her infectious JOY lit up any room…committed and encouraging friend and neighbor…her whole life pointing toward her Savior, Lord, and Lover of her soul…through a two year battle with leukemia she continually praised God and thanked Him for all the blessings in her life…such a sweet spirit poured from her life and the legacy she has left behind.
In her final weeks, she had amazing friends who helped her record messages for her family and also to all who attended her funeral.
What did she have to say?
First and foremost, like every aspect of the evening and every facet of her life, she pointed everyone to the gospel message - Jesus Christ was God's Son who came to earth to die on a cross so that all who choose to believe and receive this free gift of forgiveness of all our sin, every choice in life that falls short of God's perfect and holy righteousness. We are LOVED by a God who wants a personal, intimate relationship with us as His children and part of His family!
Her final commission to all those who have loved on them and poured into their life and family through these difficult days…SPREAD IT! SHARE IT! KEEP ON LIVING OUT GOD'S LOVE! Make it real for those who are in the dark places of life, alone!
I have only been blessed to have known the impact of this woman's life in this final year of her life. However, now as I prepare to leave for China just weeks after she left for heaven, I will take her words to heart and live them out. I now get to LOVE on these kiddos for two! May my arms carry all the love D.R. lived out on this earth. May my lips whisper prayers over children just as she did for so many with her final breaths.
Thursday, June 26, 2014
Wednesday, June 25, 2014
Two Too Today
China is getting closer every day!
Our team leaves in just two weeks!
Each week our team "meets" together on Wednesday nights for a video conference call. (Technology is so amazing!) Time to share together, chat, plan, and prepare for this great adventure.
After wrapping up, Miranda and I finished assembling some gifts we are taking with us for staff at the orphanage and our guide. We were debriefing about the day and her evening with her Wednesday night youth group. She shared about the young college student intern's message and how much it and the worship time had touched her heart.
"Mom, we sang this song. Don't know if you've ever heard it before? It's called, 'Never Once,' and I just thought of China and cried."
Somewhere in that I jumped up to find my CD…Matt Redman's "10,000 Reasons"!
Oh yeah! I know that song!
Sang it in February at the Created for Care Retreat with 450 adoptive and foster mamas with tears streaming down my face! HAD TO HAVE the CD because every time I've heard it on the radio now I'm thinking about China! I sing it LOUD in the car…over and over again! It's become one of many theme songs I have for this mission trip to China…
Had to share it with y'all tonight.
Our FAITHFUL GOD is going with us all the way! We will not be alone! As we stand on the mountaintops of the Great Wall of China…as we kneel on the battlefields in an orphanage to whisper His love into the precious little hearts of all the children…we do not walk this journey alone! JOY filling our hearts!!!
Getting so excited!!!
And here is another clip of Matt Redman sharing about the song…
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)