I had the opportunity to speak at church a few weeks ago. My pastor had asked me to simply talk for 3 minutes about who I am, what my trip is all about, and prayer requests as I prepare for next year. I have been so blessed with support and encouragement from my church and I was very excited to be able to share about my next adventure with my church family. In between the first and second service, as I was visiting with others, a woman approached me and handed me a check. Without looking at it I gave her a huge hug and said thank you and she walked away. I was quite in shock when I saw the amount on the check. Other than seeing her bright smiling face in high school, where she was one of the cafeteria ladies, and sometimes at church, I did not know her very well. From what I knew of her, she was a very warm and caring woman but I was still so taken aback by her generosity. She loved being a part of the church choir, but had to stop due to a battle with cancer. A couple days later I e-mailed her so that she could really knew how much I appreciated her support in me and how much it meant to me. Her reply:
“I am thrilled to be able to help you do something that I have never been able to do or, will I ever at this stage in my life.”
These words really stuck with me. It was hard to wrap my mind around it, but I was happy that she wanted to be a part of this journey with me. A couple weeks go by and I get the news that she had passed away and is with Jesus now. It was devastating to hear this and to think about all the family and people that she had touched throughout her life. Although I did not know her very well, I was sad. As we mourn for her loss, we have the comfort that she is in a better place now and is not hurting anymore. As I have thought about this more and more I realized something:
The words from her e-mail came back to me and I thought…She is going to be right with me during my journey next year. She not only gave me support but she is going to be right alongside me. She is my guardian angel.
