Over the past few years I had the privilege of getting to know a woman I had heard about for a long time. She was the mother-in-law of one of my mom's cousins, so I would hear family members mention her and I had been introduced to her, but never spent any time with her...until we moved to New Jersey in 2009. She was a member of the church we attended while living in Rutherford and I was in bible study with her, so had the opportunity to spend time with her weekly.
She was one of those people who makes you think, "Lord, I want to be like that. I want to walk with You like she walks with You."
She loved praying for people, she loved serving people, and most of all she loved sharing Jesus with people. She had a story for everything and it always ended up being about God's goodness and His faithfulness.
In 2011 she committed to be part of my financial support team with World Orphans. The $15 dollars a month that she gave was like a million dollars to me...because I knew she was praying. I know she spent hours a day praying, and it was an honor to know she was praying for me, my family, World Orphans...
She went home to be with the Lord last year. She had lived a long, full life and was certainly ready to be with her Savior who she had walked so closely with in this life. Her funeral was a celebration of her life, feelings of thanks that she wasn't suffering, yet full of grief for all those so sad to say goodbye.
As I get settled into this new year I find myself missing her. We don't live in New Jersey anymore so I wouldn't be seeing her regularly, but I miss knowing she's praying. I feel so very honored to have known her and I desire to serve, love, and pray for others like she did.
Particularly as I think of the children being cared for through the ministries of our church partners, children who know deep loss, pain and suffering.... I long for those children to know the touch of someone to faithfully love and pray.
