After a long battle with cancer my dear friend Joye passed through to glory yesterday. For her it was a glorious awaiting but for the one's who loved her it is a great loss. I am so grateful to have called her my friend and had the time with her on this journey of life.
I met her mother at church a couple of years ago and our spirit's just came together each time we met. Janet now serves on our board at On Wings. She has a lot of wisdom and now after this journey with her daughter I know she has more! God has walked with this very special family for months now as they have loved on and cared for Joye. What have we all gotten in return?......the awesome presence of God each time we entered her room. Her smile always greeted us and her hand stretched out in welcome and come sit down by me look.
I have seen her minister to others in sickness and in health. We sat together a few months ago at a youth detention center sharing with about 15 young men from our hearts as mothers. I will carry that time together with me always as she loved on them and expressed her heart with love.
I have had the chance to sit alone with her as she poured out words of encouragement and hope to me as I yearned for my prodigal to walk in the footsteps of Jesus. He will Ms. Sandra, he will one day soon!
You see Joye had walked the same path but came to our friday night support group and brought others with her. She brought doughnuts and donated a TV cart and shared her struggles with love and understanding with each one present. We have lost two from that group this year and it grieves me but I know where they both are today. I am confident that God used them to bring Him glory in life and in death.
The morning of her death I texted Janet this: "Yahweh takes care of good men (women), and their heritage will last forever!" Psalm 37:18. Her heritage WILL last forever.
Joye we will miss you but we wouldn't want you to come back to this world of suffering. We know God has already said to you, "Well done, good and faithful servant...... I can just close my eyes and see you dancing in the streets and worshipping our Lord with song. Wait on me girl, I'll be there in God's timing. We will sit together and rejoice over how God was so faithful to us. How He loved us and how we longed for Him to sit with us each day. How He provided all our needs and many of our wants. I love you. Sandra
