Sometimes, it takes losing someone in your age cohort and station in life to wake you up to the cold hard fact that tomorrow is not promised. Why does it often take encountering death indirectly to make us reflect upon the time we waste? The intended and intentional nature of our lives becomes starkly clear when a vibrant woman of God, like my sister in Christ Heather Taylor, suddenly gets called home.
Heather leaves behind a lasting impression of what "Life on Purpose" looks like for dozens of her sisters who were shocked and saddened by her recent death from COVID 19.
I wish I had gotten to spend more time with her... But here is what I know: She used her God-given challenges with depression and her talents for speaking and writing to advance the Kingdom of God. She did not shy away from telling the truth about what humbled her, gave her joy and inspired her. Whatever task she was assigned, she brought God's unique lightness to it and made those around her feel like they were missing out if they didn't join in. Her heart was frequently bothered by the plight of those who felt lost and alone and she interceded on their behalf to the Father. She didn't seem to be satisfied with the broken being "almost" healed--she persevered until those in her circle of influence felt whole again.
I followed her on Facebook and there were numerous times when I saw her intervene on behalf of someone we both knew needed prayer-but she always seemed to have the "inside scoop" on that person's deeper emotional struggles. I think she was just wired by the Master tuner to vibrate at the same frequency as the hurting...
Heather noted she felt ill equipped and underprepared in the natural to venture out as a motivational speaker and writer; yet she did both because God told her she could. Heather believed that what God said about her was greater than what she told herself; and that faith and trust was contagious to me.
So the question begs to be answered: what are any of us waiting for? Heather battled depression but she did not allow that potential crutch to interfere with her calling. I am sure there are many other struggles that created uncertainty and maybe even a little fear. But she did not doubt God's ability to manifest IN her what He'd promised her.
Let each of us follow Heather Taylor's marvelous yet brief example and pour out all that God has so generously poured into us. His intentions for us are clear: to prosper us and not to harm us. Heather may have succumbed to the Coronavirus, but the real tragedy would have been not living up to her full potential in the time she was assigned to be on this side of the veil. May this motivate each of us to live with the same joy and fulfillment as Ms. Heather Taylor.