Enormous Strength, Tiny little muscles ...

This post is dedicated to two of my dearest friends who have been through a heck of a lot in their twenty-something years. Jill and Kimberly lost their sweetest loves all too soon. I have had the blessing of being their friends during those trying times in their lives and the strength that the Lord gave them through those times was more than an inspiration to me.

Psalm 27:5

  "He will surely give me shelter in the day of danger; He will hide me in His home; He will place me on an inaccessible rocky summit."

For starters, I'll tell you Kimberly's story. This girl, y'all, has got more spunk than anybody I know. When she and her sister were very young their beautiful mama lost her battle with breast cancer. Really I should rephrase that ... I don't ever think anybody necessarily "loses" their battle with cancer, but rather wins a heavenly battle. That pretty lady gained wings and a perfectly new heavenly body void of pain and sickness ... that's a win in my book. But it left two sweet baby girls on this earth that sure missed her. But I think her spirit lives through them. I've never met her, but I feel like I have. Both of her pretty ladies are so strong willed and have such strong family values. It has truly been an inspiration knowing them. 

A few years back their sweet family lost another great love in Cody Hayes. I met Cody maybe twice and still felt like I knew him so well. What a precious person he was! He loved him some Kimberly Brackner, too. Cody and Kimberly dated for five years and had planned to get married. One night as Kimberly was driving home with some take out for Cody, she got the most dreaded call of all. Cody had been involved in a terrible accident and was headed to the hospital. Cody passed away that night, but his spirit never will. What is most inspiring about this story is the strength that God placed in Kimberly's heart that still lives on to this day. She's resilient. She's spit-fire. She doesn't take any crap from anybody. She's absolutely a strong woman and the Lord knew what He was doing when He put Cody and Kimberly together. They were a great match. They were so blessed with a love that was so raw and open and precious. It was the type of love that some people don't ever experience until they're much older, or sometimes never at all. I know that God has a man of the same strength planned for her future and that He's preparing his heart for her. She really does deserve the sweetest of hearts and the strength of an ox. She's been so strong for so long and I pray that God brings the perfect man into her life that will fit just exactly like the best fitting glove. I love you, girl! You are such an inspiration. 

Psalm 59:9

"You are my strength. I watch for you. You, God, are my fortress."

Another friend of mine, Jill Shelton, has a similar story. Only in her story, she was blessed with a wonderful love that passed away from cancer only a few short years after they met. When Jill and I met she was engaged to a man that she had dated for years but she always felt like there was more. I knew it too. I like to think that I encouraged her to break from the relationship because I knew that God had bigger plans for her, but I'm not sure my words impacted her decision. She left that relationship and found Ross. God knew exactly what He was doing. She and Ross had a great love. They loved being with each other and had a fantastic relationship. Not long into their relationship Ross was diagnosed with cancer. He underwent procedures and it seemed that the cancer was gone. Sadly, that wasn't the case. That sweet couple fought that nasty disease for the next couple of years and grew so close as a result. I remember praying for a peace beyond Ross's understanding that would show him a love from a heavenly father that he had never known. I woke up at 3 am one morning with streaming tears and i got down on my knees and I prayed the most fervent prayer I have EVER prayed.

 "God, reveal yourself to Ross in a way that he absolutely cannot refuse. Wash your peace over him and Jill and resonate your peace and love in their life and make this pain seem like such an earthly thing. Make your heavenly peace be the one thing that pushes them forward, because God that's all that matters."

I got a call a few days later from Jill, who was as ecstatic as she could be considering the circumstances, that I will never forget. Ross had gotten saved. He had accepted the love of Christ in his life and he felt like a million pounds had been lifted off of him. You see, Ross wasn't raised in a family that attended church and was never really open to the idea. Ross was very smart as was majoring in the field of biology at the University. I think Ross wanted to explain the world. I think he wanted to figure it all out. That's a huge task. Tiring, too. He gave it to God and accepted His peace and felt liberated. Jill's faith never wavered. Through it all she knew her savior was real, she knew He was there, she knew He would not leave her, and she KNEW that His peace would prevail. 

Not long after I got that call, Ross was taken to Hospice. He and Jill spent their last days together basking in their love and in the love of a living savior. I probably drove her nuts calling her every minute but I hope she knows that it was just an effort to show her my love and not to drive her crazy. After a few days in Hospice, Ross went. But he left a strength and a love in Jill and in that family that they will never ever forget. What an amazing guy he was. So caring, so sweet, so much fun. I remember first meeting him on the bench outside of Roger's library. He helped me study for a test that we would be taking in the next thirty minutes and I'm convinced that he helped me get an "A." He had a great way of helping people. The sweetest of spirits. 

Psalm 28:7

"The Lord strengthens and protects me; I trust in Him with all my heart. I am rescued and my heart is full of joy; I will sing to Him in gratitude."

To you ladies, I say thank you. Thank you for being strong. Thank you for not giving up. Thank you for showing me the strength that you have. You both have been placed in my life to show me what it means to fight the hardest of battles and still thrive. You are truly amazing women and I am so proud of the women you are becoming. I pray that God continues to place His strength and His peace in your hearts from now until forever. I love you!!!