Faith Words: Remembering Teresa

Teresa didn't ask for cancer, but it came to her anyway. When she was diagnosed, the cancer in her body was already at stage 4.  It was not her cancer.  It was an aggressive, evil disease that developed inside in Teresa and invaded her own healthy tissue without her desire or permission.  It tried to hold her captive, to stop her in her tracks.  But it didn't know who it was messing with. Cancer didn't know Teresa.

In the course of the five and a half years that Teresa lived after her diagnosis, she lived more fully than ever before. I don't mean that she traveled the world or spent all her money.  Not Teresa.  In the short time I knew Teresa, I knew she went through various cancer treatments.  But whatever pain and discomfort she had, she did all she could not to show it.  Not Teresa.  The Teresa I knew chose a more excellent life.

The Teresa I knew spent much of her last years on this earth being the heart and hands and feet of Jesus.  She served faithfully week after week ministering to the women of Teen Challenge.  Teresa would love them, listen to them, cry with them, cry over them, pray for them, cheer them on, laugh with them.

The Teresa I knew loved her family fully.  Her godly parents, Joe and Mary.  Her quiet husband, Mitch.  Her beautiful daughter, Meagan.  Her treasured granddaughter, McKenna.  She did everything she knew how to do to pour an eternity of love into the time she was given with them here.

The Teresa I knew lived fully by embracing life around her.  She had the sweetest laugh and liked to make others join her in laughter.  She enjoyed creating pretty things and used her talents to make beautiful crafts.  She had a great sense of style and fashion and always looked her best.  Teresa worked diligently at the task before her. Whether at her job or at the retreat talent show, she gave it her all and put her unique stamp on it.

Teresa's body finally lost the battle with cancer on Monday, January 11.  But the Teresa I knew won the war. She victoriously passed from this life into life eternal. One of the women Teen Challenge had a vision of Teresa walking gloriously alongside of Jesus, with his love reflected in her eyes, with his joy flowing from her, more fully alive than she'd ever been.

And that's how I remember Teresa.  The Teresa I knew didn't live in defeat.  She lived in hope.  She placed her life in the hands of her Lord and trusted him.  He, in turn, filled her with joy and peace, till she overflowed with hope by the power of the Spirit.  The Teresa I knew is alive in Christ, and as Donna told her, she'll meet us at the gate.

Patrice

Romans 15:13 (NIV)

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.