I am sure, by now, you have seen the video made by Community Christian Church in Sharpsburg about our beloved Sheila. Let me share a little bit more that surrounds that video.
First off, if you haven't seen the video, here it is-
I am one of the worship leaders at CCC, and led worship on Easter Sunday- the day the video aired. Right out of the video, I sang the great song by Chris Tomlin, "I Will Rise". Once I was told that the video was about Sheila, I kept joking with her that she was going to make me cry in front of so many people! (I cry easily- but that's for another blog...)
She was having a rough week around Easter, but insisted that she wanted to stop by and see the video and hear me sing the song, and I told her when it would come up in the service. I managed to get through the first two services with a little bit of tearing up.
Third service comes, and I'm sitting on stage during communion, waiting for the video and song, and Sheila comes walking in. She was determined to be there, and she did it! At that point, everything took on a whole new meaning to me. It wasn't sadness anymore that my dear friend was struggling. It was finally getting what she was saying in the video- that our pain that we all suffer pales in comparison to what Jesus must have physically felt for us dying on that cross!
That is just one of the many ways that Sheila helped me put things into perspective. I guess you could say she was my baseball bat that would hit me over the head and knock some sense back into me!
I thought I'd post the song I Will Rise for Sheila. Not my version- I think Chris Tomlin does it so much better than me.
One of my most favorite songs!!! It says it all for me personally and I am sure for so many others. My prayers are with Sheila's family. I lost one of my best friends to cancer 9 years ago this December and Sheila's trust and faith in God reminds me so much of Janet. I have never been to a funeral that was so uplifting as my dear friend and I just have a feeling Sheila's will be the same. May God Bless all her friends and family with the comfort of knowing she is with him.
ReplyDeleteThank you I needed to hear this. Something happened to me at my church last night and I am praying that Jesus will change the mind set of the people at my church that I attend. That is to let the Holy Ghost bring in the lost with out being judged by the people there. My heart is for the lost souls! I want to see them saved! Keep me and my church in prayer please and God bless.
ReplyDeleteI never met Sheila personally, but I knew her voice each time I turned to 93.3 I knew that laugh that was unique and how soothing her prayers and comments. I remember listening the day she was diagnosed the 4th time with the cancer and I cried not even knowing her. Last night I was sitting outside my porch frustrated with life as I listened to tornado sirens going off and almost welcomed one to just wipe out me and everything I had. I was just fed up with life's blows and then I turned the radio on and heard that she had passed and felt ashamed that I was wallowing in self-pity over temporary situations that will pass. I immediately began to sob for her loss and her family. At that moment I questioned God as to why again such a beautiful person was taken. I will never understand that, I arose out of bed early this morning after being deeply depressed for several weeks and began thanking God for what I had and asked him to forgive me and help me to see the good in everything again like I once did. Her life and death inspired me to turn back to the God I had served for many years and has given me faith to keep going despite circumstances. My heart goes out to her family and those who loved her. Sheila you will be greatly missed.
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