My Own Personal Missionary

Back Row L-R: My Ben, me, Elaine, Larry, my dear mother-in-law, and my dear father-in-law
Front Row L-R: my Rebecca, and my Dan
(mid 1990s)

"For God is not unjust so as to forget your work and the love which you have shown in His name, in having ministered and in still ministering to the saints." (Heb. 6:10)

          For seven months between December, 1988 and July, 1989, I was sent to the mission field in Centre, Alabama. I was not the missionary, however, I was the mission! Elaine Hanson was God's missionary.
          Due to a failed business and catastrophic financial losses, our family - my sweet husband, three young children, and a scared and discouraged me - moved into our relatives' cabin on Weiss Lake to regroup and search for God's path forward. By divine appointment, at a Wednesday night supper at First Baptist Church of Centre, we met Elaine and her husband, Larry.
          Never in my life had a met any person who loved Jesus, the Bible, and people more than my new friend, Elaine. During that brief season years ago, she was the vessel through which God poured His love, encouragement, truth, and hope into me.
          Last week, my beloved Elaine suffered a massive heart attack and now lies in CCU awaiting open heart surgery. If God chooses to bless the world, Elaine will be healed and will continue to carry out her loving purposes in the land of the living. If God calls His daughter home to Himself, I have no doubt that Jesus will run to meet her at those pearly gates and with outstretched arms cry, "Well done, My good and faithful servant! Enter into the joy of your Master" (Matt. 25:23).

        Life on earth is very temporary! Life after earth is forever! May all that we say and do today and every single day remaining all be to the glory of Jesus Christ, the Lord of lords and King of kings!!! Lord, make us your missionaries!