Faithful

I was very saddened last weekend at the passing away of my dear sister in Christ, Marie.  Ever since we moved to California in 1997, Marie has been at church every Sunday. She was there early to unlock and heat our rented hall. She was always friendly and always made sure to give you a hug. Until last year, Marie appeared to be relatively healthy and strong until she had a series of problems... shingles, a broken elbow, and then a broken hip. They all had their effect on her and she was admitted to a nursing facility after having hip surgery. 

But the main thing I know about Marie is her faithfulness.She would get really down about being sick, but she would constantly remind herself of her hope for the future. She kept her faith even when it was hard. When I went to visit her, she loved doing the Bible readings and she had very insightful comments. There are many things that I don't know about Marie's life, but I am thankful for the time I spent with her in the nursing facility because I got to know her a lot better there.  Her faith in the bad times encouraged me a lot. And in the end, that's what really matters. Faith when it's hard. Marie was truly a wonderful woman and I can't wait to see her again in the Kingdom of God!