“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us,” Hebrews 12:1

I have always loved that verse. It has spoken to me for years and will continue to. Clouds of witnesses refers to all of those saints who have gone before us to their heavenly home. I knew a lot of those saints and it brings me great comfort to know that they surround me when I don’t even realize it. They are the foundation of faith that I have built my life upon and by their examples they have led me into a closer relationship with God. I am part of a very long history of faith including family and friends and that brings me such unbelievable comfort at times. My life has been relatively easy compared to some of theirs and I am grateful for the examples that each of them lived.

I have a unique Saturday this week – I will be going back to Concord to attend two back to back Celebrations of Life. One is for my sweet friend, Faye Barringer, who just turned 100 in January. Faye was a member of my work church and was probably one of the ones that had the most influence on me when I worked there. Quiet in demeanor but steady in faith, Faye always had a smile, a word of encouragement and support of the staff. But she was more than that -she was a friend. She still sent cards for birthdays and Christmas with handwritten notes, she always was happy to see me when I went back to visit and I will always have wonderful memories of her.

The other service is for Carolyn Isenhour, another wonderful woman who was on staff at Epworth UMC with me for years. She served as organist and handbell director and was talented and kind and supportive. We had a great relationship and one day as we were talking I discovered that she also was trained as a nurse. Imagine my surprise when we discovered that my mother in law was her big sister in nursing school! Talk about a connection! She lived in Ohio where my mother in law went to nursing school and it just proved to me how we are all connected.

These two ladies are definitely part of my cloud of witnesses. I am imagining Faye singing in the heavenly choir while Carolyn plays the organ – what a beautiful sound that must be. How blessed am I to be able to have had these two incredible women as part of my life? Blessed beyond belief.