A special place in Heaven

On May 4th, 2022 my mother-in-law Elizabeth (Betty) passed away. She was 80 years old and looking forward to her journey home to Heaven. For all the years I knew her, she would talk about the glorious day she would run into the arms of Jesus. You see, Betty had suffered from multiple sclerosis for more than 35 years and her life in a wheelchair/scooter had not been easy. After spending the majority of her life as a nurse, being disabled was very disheartening to her. And yet she did her best to not complain and stay positive. She tried to be as independent as possible, for as long as she could. She had a special van that she could drive and she would go to lunch with her friends and attended church and weekly Bible Study.

She enjoyed spending time listening to Christian radio talk shows and read through the Bible every year, for many years. Betty would often tell me that she longed to do more to serve God and to bring more people to know Jesus as their Savior. She would express how she prayed that her “small” actions of faith, would be pleasing to God. Betty began each day with this simple prayer: “Lord may everything I say and do today bring honor and glory to You.”

Because Jesus had so radically transformed her heart and mind, Betty just wanted everyone to know Him like she did. So when she would take her dog Toby for a walk or would drive her scooter through Target, she would hand out little booklets, one for adults and one for children, that would explain the Gospel message, and how to invite Jesus into their hearts. She also purchased an embroidery sewing machine so that she could make t-shirts and sweatshirts with Bible verses on them. Her favorite verses were those with an evangelistic message, she would say in her 70’s, “I am at an age where I can be that ‘goofy grandma’ who wears embroidered sweatshirts and people actually compliment me on them. A then it gives me an opportunity to talk to them about Jesus.”

She was so clever and it was her greatest desire that she could help lead others to know the One who pulled her out of addiction and a reckless lifestyle and showed her a new way of living, one more abundant, one in which she knew she was loved and forgiven, every day of her life.

In the last few weeks before her death, she and I were doing a Bible study on Heaven and she would describe to me how she longed for the day in which she would walk, run and dance again, but most of all, how she would be reunited with her Lord and Savior, Jesus. She also jokingly said, “I hope I get to be younger than I am now!” She was a kind and gentle soul who prayed fervently for those whom she loved. She would often ask me if I thought God ever tired of our prayers, because she prayed many of the same prayers daily. I reassured her He did not, and expressed my gratitude for the incredible role of prayer intercessor she held for me, my marriage to her son, our children and for our country. She loved the United States and prayed for its leaders every day too.

Her death was sudden and somewhat unexpected, although she was failing in strength due to her chronic illnesses, her spirit was strong just hours before, when I spoke to her on the phone. After her passing I couldn’t help but think of her beautiful smile and her grand palace in Heaven. You see, the ways of this world, are not like the ways of God’s Kingdom. Here on the earth people feel like their life holds significance if they are successful in their careers, raise healthy children, if they acquire wealth or if they have a large social media platform. Significance in this world is based on public recognition/accolades, the perceived impact you might have on the lives of others, and the accumulation of material items. But in Matthew 23: 11-12 Jesus says, “The greatest among you will be your servant. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” Betty lived a humble, God-honoring life that we all can learn from, and in the eyes of the Lord, she was the greatest among us. And she knows that now.

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Some big shoes to fill