Now that I think about it, it was most appropriate for Sandy to call me on Tuesday night. Sandy is Amy Tyler's mother and Tuesday night was the night that I set aside to connect with Amy as she followed Christ down the pathway of the shadow of death. Sandy just wanted us to know that the ashes that were from Amy’s earthly vessel that had been her final act of service to others, donated to science at KU so that others might live longer from the benefit of research, had been finally laid to rest in a bench at the back of the Oak Lawn Cemetery. Sandy called because she wanted us to know at Indian Creek the final resting place of one who had enjoyed the support and encouragement of this Body.
I met Amy the day she shared her story with the Mothers Of Preschoolers at Indian Creek.
Jean Janner was serving as Co-Coordinator. Jean had reached out to Amy, a young mom who had recently discovered a lump on her breast while nursing her five month old infant. Jean’s heart was compassionate towards Amy as she learned that the dreaded breast cancer had invaded her young athletic body. Jean committed to walk with her as Amy was determined to fight cancer and win!
Only God knew that later Jean would be diagnosed with cancer as well and Amy would stand beside her as together they battled against the destructive monster!
Amy was vivacious, caring, strong willed, determined and new to a faith in a relationship with Jesus Christ. Jean bought Amy a Bible and Amy clung to the promises in the book! Jean inscribed these words in the front:
in that book and God did give her a thirst for His Word. Later Amy wrote a note to God and kept it in that very Bible:
Lord,
I lift up to You, my cancer this day, and I ask You to take it away. I thank You for Your Grace and mercy toward me. I will extol You, O Lord, for You have lifted me up. O Lord, my God, I cried out to You and You healed me (Psalm 30:1-2). Bless the Lord, O my Soul, and forget not all His benefits; who forgives your iniquities, who heals all your disease (Psalm 103:2-3). Should You decide not to heal me in the way and time I desire, I trust that You will bring good out of my suffering and that it will glorify You.
I remember when Amy was so frail and thin that she could barely walk, but she had a strong desire to be baptized so that others would know her stand with Christ was real and hopefully gain strength and direction to find their way back to the amazing God she had discovered. So she summoned her strength and willed herself to venture for what was her final time to Indian Creek on a Sunday night where in a solo baptism she demonstrated her death to this world and new eternal life in Christ! Many of you gathered for that.
Amy’s favorite passage was Psalm 139. Amy fought and mothered to her last breath! She loved Harrison and longed for him to know the God who had held her together and given new meaning and purpose to her life. She demonstrated amazing courage and determination. She fought the good fight and finished the course! And like the Apostle Paul she won the prize and experienced the ultimate victory attaining the goal—heaven!
I imagine that if Amy could speak to us now she would beg us to consider C.S. Lewis’ qestion. What if this life is the Prelude and heaven is the Story? We look at this life as if it is the end but God tells us it is only the beginning. We tend to think about this life as real and heaven as imaginary. But which is more substantial—that which is temporary, finite, fragile and painful or that which is eternal, infinite and whole? These were some of the words and questions poised by Pastor Gary at the celebration of Amy’s life nearly two years ago.
Today, Friday, January 13 is the anniversary of only the second year of Amy’s departure from her husband and toddler son and her arrival in Heaven. I still have an appointment for Tuesday nights with her on my calendar. Morbid? I don’t think so. I choose to leave it there to remind me of the life and death struggle and a young woman who taught me much about living in her dying.
I thanked Sandy for calling and told her that I would tell you of the final resting place of Amy’s earthly remains. I rejoice that the bench in the cemetery is not the place where Amy’s spirit resides! It is encouraging to me to celebrate that for two years now her spirit has soared in Heaven where she experiences the love and presence of Jesus in a place where there is no pain or dying.
As we remember, I pray that you are encouraged that your life and investment for Christ makes an eternal difference!
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