Yesterday and today I've been thinking and praying a lot. Yesterday, I found out the news that one of the dearest ladies in my life passed away and went to be with the Lord.
After years of struggling with cancer, Marilyn is finally in a better place with Jesus and the angels are singing.
She was my Sunday school teacher growing up, and over the years my family and I became very close to her and husband Bob. They were like second Grandparents to me.
A few years back she got breast cancer went through chemo, and was in remission. It came back and she had a double mastectomy. The cancer came back a third time, and this time spread to her lungs and eventually her liver.
What has amazed me in all of this is her attitude, her attitude and her faith in Christ has never wavered. She's always been faithful and believed that God would work out his plan accordingly. I myself have been challenged many times by her to believe and to have a stronger faith.
She was funny, and had a quick wit about her. She was an amazing prayer warrior and woman of faith. She was an amazing wife and mother.
While I was home in Iowa a couple weeks ago, I took the time to go visit her. Knowing that it was probably the last time I'd see her before she passed away, it was really hard for me. My Mom prepared me that she wasn't doing well, and what type of situation she was in. She was dying, barely coherent and coming in and out of consciousnesses.
I have a hard time with these types of situations, but she was my mentor and my friend and I wanted to say good bye. And, I'm so glad I did.
The thing that amazes me the most about this is that when we walked into her home to visit her that day when she woke up she immediately started quoting scriptures and praying.
Her husband told us that everyone who has come to see her since she got really bad, she's prayed for them and not let them leave until they accepted Jesus as their personal savior. Even on her death bed she was thinking of others and their souls.
She was having dreams of heaven and she couldn't wait to go there and be with Jesus.
Even though I am extremely sad today, I am over joyed that Marilyn is with Jesus. She's in heaven, content and living a beautiful life with Jesus now.
I don't know why things happen the way they do but Marilyn proves to me that you can use any situation for God. Even in the dying process he wasn't done with her yet, and used her to reach so many.
I sat there with my baby girl and I was amazed at how God works. As one life was ending, I held a brand new life in my arms.
I know she's up there singing with the angels.
