Sheila’s Faith

By Judy Davis –

“Our attitude as a saint to sorrow and difficulty is not to ask that they may be prevented, but to ask that I may preserve the self God created me to be through every fire of sorrow.” Oswald Chambers

Sheila had been a nurse when diagnosed with aggressive hepatitis. Through the years of suffering, she continued to shine with the love of Jesus Christ. And on the morning she went home to be with her Lord, it was as if a light had burned out. She had gone to her heavenly home-no more tears, no more pain. Sheila was finally set free from the suffering that had been such a part of her life. Her sister softly stated, “Everyone grieves when they lose a loved one but we feel like we lost an angel.”

Her neighbor said, “Sheila was one-of-a-kind. She had a certain flair. Her walk, her talk, even the way she batted her eyes were in her own inimitable style. She was unlike any other person; completely charming and one-of-a-kind; fun loving and playful. A wisp of a girl, Sheila was beautiful, with big expressive eyes that lit up her entire face. But more than the beauty of her face was the sweetness of her heart.”

During the holidays Sheila’s church was involved in sending “shoeboxes” full of needy supplies to Bosnia. Even though she was barely able to carry her own weight, it did not stop her from getting her sister to drive her all over town so she could fill her “shoeboxes.”

There were times in her last few years when her pain was unbearable. She would lay in bed listening to Christian music while holding her hands up toward Heaven. This would ease some of the pain. The love the sisters had for one another had shown throughout their lives. Sheila’s sister mentioned, “One of the symptoms of liver failure is forgetfulness. I’ll never forget her calling, waking me up in the early morning crying, ‘I can’t remember the Lord’s Prayer.’ I assured her that God remembers her and I said a prayer for her. The next day, she wanted to get out of the house, so we went to the grocery store. As we were riding, we recited the Lord’s Prayer together. Sheila passed away soon after.”

Her pastor shared a part of the eulogy: “Sheila fought the fight of faith as a valiant soldier. She was always smiling and refused to give in to adversity. The peace of God that passes all understanding was upon her countenance, even though her condition was desperate she never complained and if someone had a problem, she was more concerned for them than herself. She was always doing something to make others feel better. If asked how she was feeling, she would say, ‘I’m fine,’ even though her condition was serious.”

Heavenly Father,
We praise you from whom all blessings flow. We know heaven is rejoicing for a warrior has gone home.

“I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:14 NIV).