What a difference 24 hours make.
In the last post I mentioned how I had learned that my friend Donna had passed away Sunday with her husband by her side. Since then I've had the privilege of reading his account of his last few days with her, loving her right into the arms of Jesus. Here's a link to his wonderful testimony.
My husband and I ministered with Donna in the ALCF Gospel Choir for many years. I remember many times having quick hugs and encouragement from her. Even back then I saw her strength and faith shine through in how she interacted with everyone and knew she was deeply in love with two persons; her Lord and Savior, and the man who was with her through her battle with illness, Craig.
When we first found out about my cancer diagnosis I'll admit it. I was scared. I didn't know what was going to be in store for me, and didn't want to go through a whole bunch of being stuck with needles and surgeries and goodness knows what else. I had already lost three good friends to cancer, and while I admired their strength through their battles I had no desire to go through that struggle myself. (Shirley, Brian, Sid - hope you're helping heaven's newest angel get used to her new digs.)
I don't remember how she found out about it, but the next thing I knew I was getting a call from her asking how I was holding up. By this time I was already reading her blog on her treatments, and was wondering where she got the energy to call me! We talked for a good while, and she shared what she had gone through in her many years of battling with cancer. My husband wasn't home when we talked, and so I was able to share my fears with her. She reassured me that our Father had some more plans for me, and that He would never leave or forsake me. And when we ended our call, we prayed for each other.
In the weeks to come, I found things suddenly coming in the mail for me. A card here, a note there. A message on voice mail letting me know that she & Craig were still praying for us. And the most precious of all - a package from a ministry called Endurance that's run by Dave & Jan Dravecky. It included books of daily devotions and their biographies that have come out of their lives after Dave's cancer took him away from his baseball career and into a ministry that has impacted so many lives.
With her encouragement, I started putting my energy towards getting my feelings out by writing about them. Some of them are in my 'electric diary'. Others are here on this blog. All are flavored with a touch of salt from my dear older sister.
So while I will miss her dearly, I know where she's at now - and that she's at peace in the arms of Jesus. And as long as I'm blessed to still be here, there will be a bit of Donna's love living inside of me.
Rest in peace, my sister.
In the last post I mentioned how I had learned that my friend Donna had passed away Sunday with her husband by her side. Since then I've had the privilege of reading his account of his last few days with her, loving her right into the arms of Jesus. Here's a link to his wonderful testimony.
My husband and I ministered with Donna in the ALCF Gospel Choir for many years. I remember many times having quick hugs and encouragement from her. Even back then I saw her strength and faith shine through in how she interacted with everyone and knew she was deeply in love with two persons; her Lord and Savior, and the man who was with her through her battle with illness, Craig.
When we first found out about my cancer diagnosis I'll admit it. I was scared. I didn't know what was going to be in store for me, and didn't want to go through a whole bunch of being stuck with needles and surgeries and goodness knows what else. I had already lost three good friends to cancer, and while I admired their strength through their battles I had no desire to go through that struggle myself. (Shirley, Brian, Sid - hope you're helping heaven's newest angel get used to her new digs.)
I don't remember how she found out about it, but the next thing I knew I was getting a call from her asking how I was holding up. By this time I was already reading her blog on her treatments, and was wondering where she got the energy to call me! We talked for a good while, and she shared what she had gone through in her many years of battling with cancer. My husband wasn't home when we talked, and so I was able to share my fears with her. She reassured me that our Father had some more plans for me, and that He would never leave or forsake me. And when we ended our call, we prayed for each other.
In the weeks to come, I found things suddenly coming in the mail for me. A card here, a note there. A message on voice mail letting me know that she & Craig were still praying for us. And the most precious of all - a package from a ministry called Endurance that's run by Dave & Jan Dravecky. It included books of daily devotions and their biographies that have come out of their lives after Dave's cancer took him away from his baseball career and into a ministry that has impacted so many lives.
With her encouragement, I started putting my energy towards getting my feelings out by writing about them. Some of them are in my 'electric diary'. Others are here on this blog. All are flavored with a touch of salt from my dear older sister.
So while I will miss her dearly, I know where she's at now - and that she's at peace in the arms of Jesus. And as long as I'm blessed to still be here, there will be a bit of Donna's love living inside of me.
Rest in peace, my sister.
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