Remembering Cathy

Yesterday we attended the funeral of a dear friend. I hesitate to write about her because the words will sound trite and could in no way communicate the woman that she was. I only knew her briefly but benefited greatly from her friendship. She led a women’s Bible study that I attended several years ago when we were trying to conceive. The study was for mothers of young children, yet she warmly welcomed me in as I hoped to become one soon. Having suffered her own struggles with infertility, she always spoke truth into my life and present struggles. With wisdom & experience in suffering she graciously challenged me to walk with the Lord in all circumstances. Cathy knew suffering. She battled a condition called Amyloidosis. Despite years of physical hardship, she remained joyful in hope, patient in affliction & faithful in prayer. (Romans 12:12)

I saved all of my emails and cards from Cathy because they were always a source of encouragement and hope to me.

… bits and pieces of an email she wrote just after our miscarriage…

My heart and prayers have been with you and Ryan since I saw you Sunday… Oh, how hard and painful it is to face this situation. No matter how much we know, believe and trust the Lord, the reality of our feelings and emotions are hard to contend with. But, God created us that way. He feels our pain and will lift us up with His everlasting arms and give us His strength, courage and comfort to carry us through these times of trial. Andrea, there are so many things I could say to you right now having walked this path but those are for another time. Right now, I just want you and Ryan to know we love you, we are praying for you and we are praying for a miracle, if that is God's plan and purpose…. If there is ANY WAY we can minister to you in this time, we are here.

THE LORD IS ABLE TO DO FAR MORE ABUNDANTLY THAN WE COULD EVER ASK OR IMAGINE!!! (Ephesians 3:20) …

…another email written just days before we became pregnant with davis & berkley…

...praying for the Lord to fill you with His inner and perfect peace (Isaiah 26:3) so that you will be able to walk in faith, focused on Him, and not in fear. I'm asking Him to calm your anxious heart (Psalm 94:19 "When my anxious thoughts multiply within me, YOUR consolations delight my soul!"), for the Holy Spirit will bring to mind everything you KNOW and BELIEVE about His attributes & character that will give you total trust and confidence in Him. Also praying that He will give the doctors, nurses and anyone else involved, wisdom and compassion for you and Ryan…

**this is just a minor glimpse of the kind of woman Cathy was

I was reading a devotional this morning…dated yesterday, November 1st. It reminded me of Cathy in such an appropriate and timely way.

“…We are not sanctified for ourselves, we are called into the fellowship of the Gospel, and things happen which have nothing to do with us, God is getting us into fellowship with Himself. Let Him have His way; if you do not, instead of being of the slightest use to God in His Redeptive work in the world, you will be a hindrance….Why shouldn’t we go through heartbreaks? Through these doorways God is opening up ways of fellowship with His Son. Most of us fall and collapse at the first grip of pain; we sit down on the threshold of God’s purpose and die away of self-pity, and all so-called Christian sympathy will aid us to our death bed. But God will not. He comes with the grip of the pierced hand of His Son, and says, “Enter into fellowship with Me; arise and shine.” If through a broken heart God can bring His purpose to pass in the world, then thank Him for breaking your heart.” – Oswald Chambers

Cathy knew that her suffering had nothing to do with her but had everything to do with God. She welcomed it as His work in her life & in the world through her. She did not fall down and collapse in self-pity but entered into fellowship with the Son day after day.

I am so thankful for her example to me….for demonstrating what it means to live by faith, to remain joyful in suffering & to love well.

she will be deeply missed