For Sheila
I couldn't think of a better reason to start blogging again but to pay homeage to my dear friend Sheila who went home to Jesus today! Love you my forever friend!
My dear friend Sheila passed away today. Our relationship right from the beginning was a spiritual partnership. I knew she was destined to be a pivotal part of my spiritual growth. She herself recovering from life’s hurts, habits and hang ups, was called by God into the lives of many in this way not just mine. It was obvious to me from our first conversation that she was called of God to help others recover from life’s painful pathways. She was a gifted teacher but so humble in her nature. She taught that pain was an inevitable part of the healing journey. A strong woman of conviction, never pretending to know it all, just willing to share the many truths she had learned along her own bumpy roads.
She never told me what to do, or condemned me for any of my many stumbles; she just always listened intently and then offered her own wisdom from her own journey. Then ever so sweetly she would remind me of the gift of life I already possessed deep down inside of me. She reminded me of my worth and that the love I longed so desperately to find; was already mine – living deep on the inside of my heart, and was always there the moment I asked Jesus into it.
She spoke of her own salvation story and her strength and willingness to go on rang out loud and clear in all the tales of her journeys that she shared. She knew she wasn’t perfect and that she never would be until she met her Lord face to face, but she faced her broken nature with the grace and understanding of a true princess. She served her King with all her heart. She understood her purpose in this life was to love others well and to share her journey of survival with those who hurt. She loved well…
She knew what it meant to be someone’s spiritual companion and she valued the relationships she was given with all her heart. She knew it was her job to challenge those frightened part of ourselves that we hide so well from the rest of the world. If she saw things in you that were hindering your spiritual growth she wasn’t afraid to tell you and she always did so in love.
Sheila understood, maybe not consciously but in her spirit; that each and every person God brought into her life to minister to; was for the deeper evolution of both their souls and her job was to bring those she loved closer to God. She was a willing vessel and God so eloquently poured out His Spirit on her—he anointed her with the power to heal a human soul. I am forever grateful that God chose her and I to be connected in this deep, meaningful, spiritual connection that we shared. She taught me so much and I will forever be grateful for these things. Here are some of the things she taught me:
- That life is precious
- I am exactly who and what God designed me to be
- I am worthy of his love
- That it’s okay to be broken
- That acceptance is the pathway to peace
- You must love God first, then yourself, before you can truly give and receive love well
- I am beautiful just as I am
- I can be vulnerable and take my masks off; and that those that truly care will still love me
- Love sometimes hurts but it’s never abusive
- I can trust my heart
- I am not my past
- To love and be love is our greatest calling
- Death is not the end only the beginning
Rest in peace my forever friend. I’m sure you’ve already heard this from the Lord himself, but may I also say on behalf of all that you loved and that loved you, “Well done my good and faithful servant!”
2 Corinthians 5:6-8 So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, for we walk by faith, not by sight. Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord.