A Tribute to a Godly Woman

After recently being diagnosed with leukemia and while attempting to fight it, my great-aunt Mary went home to be with the Lord on Sunday, September 12th. I have many fond memories of her and my Uncle Lloyd. I remember being in church with them. I remember going on several camping / fishing trips with them, walking around the lake by their home, and playing ball in the field across the street from their home.

My Aunt Mary was born in 1934 with some significant physical challenges. The doctors, at the time, did not give her parents much hope for her future. I believe that the Lord used her in a mighty way to confuse and dumbfound the doctors. She repeatedly overcame obstacles and refused to use her physical challenges as a crutch or as an excuse to feel sorry about herself. Aunt Mary and Uncle Lloyd married in 1979. They deeply cared for children and longed to be a blessing to them. They became foster parents and after falling in love with the children determined that, as the Lord saw fit over the next several years, they would adopt some of them and raise them up in "the nurture and admonition of the Lord." As the years progressed and her health began to fail, her challenges increased. I am thankful for the Lord’s grace and mercy that she is no longer suffering.

As I thought about what I most remember about her, I thought of 1 Timothy 6:12 which encourages us to “Fight the good fight of the faith”.

Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.
(1Ti 6:11b-12 ESV)

I remember my Aunt as a godly woman and a prayer warrior. There are several verses in Proverbs 31 which, I believe, could easily be applied to her. She has now taken hold of eternal life and her faith has now become sight. Praise the Lord! She is with the Lord Jesus now and forevermore!