WOMEN OF FAITH

Sometimes people come into your life and not only do you become great friends, but they also bring with them unanticipated benefits. Tracy Jeffries is one of those friends I write about and Denise Taylor is another. I'm still not sure that Tracy and Denise have any idea of the magnitude of what the Tennessee weekend did for me as far as my “mental funk” goes, but I will forever be grateful for the gift of their love, friendship and for Denise’s words that Saturday night.

Tracy has an amazing spirit about her. She is so very humble and doesn’t realize the impact she has on others. God has blessed her with the insight to see the needs of others and reach out in compassion and understanding even when they, themselves, cannot reach out and ask for help. She has done this countless times and isn’t even aware of it! She has shown her love to others by simply being who God intended her to be and she does it without any strings attached. She shows Christ’s love through her actions and words. She touches the lives of those around her with such a gentle kindness that her acts will be remembered for years to come. Thanks Tracy for always being there for me even when you didn’t realize it! :-)

Denise is one of the special ladies I met when I went to Tennessee whose daughter Jonnae is battling leukemia. She has become a huge inspiration to me spiritually! What a witness she is for Christ. Denise sent me two gifts, a bracelet which represents F.R.O.G., Fully Rely on God and a book by Og Mandino entitled “The Greatest Miracle in the World.” If you have never read this book, you HAVE to. It was powerful and blew me away. It is hard to describe, but there are times when suddenly the hairs on the back of your neck stand up, and you feel a surge of the Spirit. Somehow you just know it is Christ speaking to you. Well, that is what happened to me when I finished reading this book. IT WAS THAT POWERFUL. Now I carry this book with me everywhere, just as Denise does, so that I, too, can be a witness to others.

In the midst of her own struggles, she still finds the time to send personal e-mails, gifts and updates the Torch Spirit site so we know every day what is going on in her life as well as Jonnae. Her honesty and vulnerability have blessed me in ways I cannot begin to describe. Through her words, the Lord, is shaping me. I am thankful for the knowledge that, daily, with my words, I can offer prayers for her and her family.

In the last few weeks, after reading about Jonnae and e-mailing Tracy, I have come to realize that even though God doesn’t promise us tomorrow, he does promise us eternity—filled with life and love we cannot comprehend—and that one can in the throes of sickness and adversity point the rest of us toward timeless truths that will help us weather future storms.

So thank you Tracy and Denise again for your generosity of spirit, your grace and the love you share with others.

And to my dear friend Colleen who just finished her last treatment of radiation. It is time to

CELEBRATE. You are the bravest soul I know! Love you!