In the last month we have lost two women who have prayed for us for many years… This has brought to the front of our thinking the value and wonder of a human life well lived… particularly one lived for the Lord JESUS CHRIST!

Without question one person’s life can deeply affect [for the good in these cases!] another person’s life, whether it’s a long association or a relatively short one… And it’s caused me to think anew, ‘How well am I impacting those people GOD has had me in relationship with for many years ‘for the good’, i.e. for the glory of GOD and their betterment because of the relationship I had with them…?!

One of the women we lost recently was Marty’s aunt, known affectionately as Tante Madda. She was 104 years old. She lived with her baby sister, Tante Ruth, who is a mere 87. They lived together in the same ‘row home’ in Brooklyn, NY, since 1936! Amazing! Tanta Madda was already 40 years old when I, Marty, was born! She ‘was always there’! Indeed her ‘intersection’ with my life has been a long and wonderful one in every way!

Tante Madda was simply an incredible human being whose whole life was full of superlatives… gracious love, warm kindness, family loyalty, keen mind & memory, big heart, to name a few things… but most particularly, deep faith in JESUS as her Lord and Savior! She [along with Tante Ruth] NEVER missed a birthday card and or call for ALL of the birthdays of my life! Together they exemplified God’s love to each and every member of their extended family. The Tantes would call each of us for our birthdays. They would sing to us and then ask how we were. Then they would ask about each of our family members by name. Tante Madda was an active member in her church as long as she was able to attend.

The other woman that we ‘lost’ was one of our ministry partners as well… her name was Lynne. She and her husband, Ken, simply stepped forward at the start of our ministry and told us they wanted to support us and pray for us… which they have done so faithfully now for over 12 years! Because they lived in the mid-west our lives only ‘intersected’ on occasion, but we knew her to be a wonderful and godly woman who committed to be generous with us in prayer and support. She reminds me to realize that one does not need long exposure to another person to be deeply impacted by them with the character of one’s life… And it caused me to think anew, ‘How well am I impacting those people that I meet only rather tangentially ‘for the good’, i.e. for the glory of GOD and their betterment because of the relationship I had with them…?!’

And I’m reminded of the words of a poet… ‘only one life will soon be past… and only what is done for CHRIST will last.’

Lessons we are gleaning from lives lived well with God:

• Always keep going… regardless of how long or short your life will be… God will give you strength to accomplish His mission for you!
• Quietly learn from God each day and faithfully lean on HIM!
• Encourage relationships within the extended family when possible!
• God does love each one. God does bring His children all the way through life… and into His kingdom!

THANKS Tante Madde and Lynne!