The Loss of a Matriarch
Yesterday the world lost a lovely woman. A mother, grandmother, great grandmother, great-great grandmother and I believe even a 3 time great, a neighbor, a teacher, a friend.
I feel a need to urge you to use your gifts to bless others. Do the right thing (not always the easy or popular thing) every day even when you don’t see immediate payoff. Be a light in this dark world.
Evelyn was the epitome of perseverance. Every day she walked in the light of Christ. She pursued people in simple faithfulness. It didn’t have to be big but the consistent sharing of her faith has touched an endless number of people. I am one example of someone touched because she shepherded her family well.
She was a driving force in my husbands spiritual life. Her patience and consistency in my husbands life was pivotal. As a Sunday school teacher she led Sean to his salvation in Jesus. Because he had a relationship with the Lord he brought me to my first ever youth group at his local church. It was there that I learned about Jesus over several weeks. Because of that experience I bought my first Bible (that I still have). Over the last 12 years; we have shared our faith with our sons and have two boys that can both quote scripture and profess their love for Jesus, we have pursued a deeper relationship with Christ by joining a church that has led us well, I have gained healing and hope from past shame and trauma, I have now had the honor of sharing weekly my story of grace and hope with other women (some of whom are not believers), I traveled to Kenya, Africa to speak to a group of mainly Muslim women and watched several accept Christ as their savior and ultimately change their entire religion. All the way on the other side of the world; hope persists. Love never ends.
It’s because of one woman. God can work through any one of us and will overcome all circumstances. Evelyn upheld the glory of the Father. Even when life was hard she remained steadfast, rooted in prayer. I have heard that she prayed every single day for people in her life by name. Even until her 99th year she prayed. Even in the end she had her eye on her Home with her Father. She never let go of that hope.
Her life is a testament to what doing good can turn into. In the moment our faithfulness doesn’t always seem to pay off. Sometimes we look around and see minimal reward for all our efforts. Evelyn was proof of Galatians 6:9, “Let us not grow weary of doing good, for at a proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”
She is finally having her head anointed by the King. I am thankful I had the opportunity to be blessed by her life and that I told her how her faithfulness unfolded in our lives.
And one more thing, do not wait until someone is gone to give a eulogy. A blessing in anyone’s life is hearing just how they have touched you. Don’t wait. Be an Evelyn- keep pursuing others, keep doing good.
