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the life of my friend Becky Smith

Psalm 116:15 (NLT)
Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of His godly ones.

This may very well be one of the most difficult but most blessed weeks of my life.  My dad is here visiting with us which is a great time.  But early Monday morning I got a phone call that was very tough.

My friend Becky Smith was slipping away.  The last 3 months have been very tough for her as she has battled with and had surgery for a brain tumor.  After the surgery becky improved much until the last couple weeks.  We talked a few times last week, and it was evident that things were not going well.

Monday morning Becky walked into heaven.  She and I had talked about this day many times.  In fact, we have been through so much together.  Everything from marriage and the death of her husband to dealing with a difficult past and the sweetness of God's grace.

Becky was a servant in big, big ways.  When my family moved to Virginia in 2001, she was one of the first people who walked in my home and began to serve.  She made maps with driving directions that helped us since we had never been to Henry County, VA before.  Our kids stayed with her before anyone else kept them.  On holidays Becky would show up and love on us as I was her pastor.  This happened over and over and over again.

We have talked for hours about the the depths of God's word and the goodness of God.  If you don't know her testimony, you have missed huge pieces of how God gives his love to the people you might not expect that love to go to.  Then so often Becky would give that love, the love that God gave her to others.

You either loved her or hated her.  Few people were on the fence.  Yet no one could miss the greatness of God after spending time with Becky.  She will be missed.

I will miss the phone calls to talk about tough things and the conversations about God and His ways.  I will miss the hugs and the genuine heart that she carried with her all the time.  I will miss the look that Becky gave me many times when she thought I was going in direction that might not be best.  I will the way that she cared for my wife and kids and for my family that lived hundreds of miles away.  I will miss hearing Becky pray for me.

Life doesn't always seem fair.  But God gives us blessings along the way.  Many of those blessings come in the form of the servants who steal our hearts and become part of our lives.  Becky Tilley Smith was just that to me and to many others.

Romans 12:10 (NIV)
Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves.

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