On May 30, 1997, I was separated from my beloved daughter shortly after she had turned twelve.  Never being sick in her short life, except for the common cold, after about six weeks of "not feeling quite well" and undergoing medical treatment for what we thought was a bad flu complicated by bronchitis, she was suddenly  diagnosed with a very advanced, aggressive type of lymphoma and was carried away to be with our Lord shortly thereafter.

Anna was loving, kind, gentle, soft spoken, obedient, polite, joyful and loved the Lord very much.  When Anna was eight, she was required, as a school assignment, to make a scrapbook of her hero.  Her scrapbook was of Jesus.

My  daughter was everything in this life to me and, except for our Lord and Saviour Himself, I can love no one more.

 In utter shock and disbelief, I whispered, "Why? Why?"  Never answering my question,  our  Saviour drew me close, embraced me with His mercy and covered me with His grace. 

 It is Jesus who has lifted me, Jesus who has carried me, Jesus who has sustained me and Jesus has been the Strength for me to go on.

He knows this indescribable agony which time has not lessened. . . nor ever will.  This pain  is not a wound, it is a seed, the roots of which grow deeper each day.  Our Lord has shown me how this seed will sprout and grow, depending upon the nourishment  I provide, into    twisted, spindled, thorny bramble or a straight, strong, lush tree. 

Despite circumstances, by God's grace and for His sake and in memory of our beloved child, may we ever choose to yield and flourish under our Lord's loving Hand,  branching out,  always giving shelter and comfort in His precious Name to those who have been likewise wounded.

My hope, my comfort, my peace rest on the blessed assurance of His promise  " . . .because  I live, ye shall live also." (John 14:19)  I pray that as I have, you too may have the   "peace of God which passeth all understanding".   Through my tears, I see the  joy  set  before me  grow ever brighter.  She is in Heaven and our Lord draws nigh! 
( 1    Thessalonians 4:13-18)