It’s 2am and I’m fighting a sinus infection and the Amoxicillin and Prednisone flowing through my veins has me wide awake! As I lay in my bed my mind wanders to Thanksgiving, and I think of the past and more recent events in the Year of Our Lord 2019. With just 10 days until Thanksgiving and 43 days to go until the dawn of 2020….for what am I thankful? I wander and I wonder as sleep evades me…. then the nugget of a prayer floats into my mind as from the Spirit…. and so I write….

O Lord God of Heaven and Earth, You are the God of the Past, Present and the Future. You hold me and the Universe in Your Mighty hands. You created me in my mother’s womb and gave me life. Thank You for sending my brother Pooch to introduce me to Jesus and my new Eternal Life in Christ began because of Your Great love!

Thank you for placing me in the most blessed Nation on earth, a place where Your Word was honored and Your Servants spread Your message of Salvation through your Son the Christ from Sea to Shining Sea and around the world.

Thank you for placing me in a family where, for both my wife and I, we had mothers who stayed with us and kept their families together in spite of the fact they were single moms. Thank you for Irene and Grace and their faith in Jesus which sustained them through many dark and trying times.

Thank you that You are Omniscient (all knowing), Omnipotent (all powerful) and Omni-present (present everywhere at all times). And so Lord, that being the case, would you be so kind as to say hi to my brother Larry who lives in Your presence since February 10th of this year? I thank You for his life as he served you faithfully for almost 40 years. He loved You and studied and preached your Word, in fact he consumed it like it was his daily food. He shared your love with lost men and women on a daily basis, as Your Word commands us to do. His body was run hard for 74 years and those years took their toll and one early morning he slipped the bonds of earth into glory.

Here’s my full story on Larry’s life:

My Brother Laramie

Lord, please also say hi to my Uncle Snack whose life I thank You for as well. He stepped into eternity on May 26th of this year. He was a man of faith who met you at an old fashioned altar at the age of 16. His life transformed, he had a soft exterior, an inviting smile but was made of steel. He stood strong for righteousness. He loved people and was an encourager! In his 89 years on earth he sent more letters and cards than the IRS, but his messages always lifted up and warmed the hearts of those on the receiving end. He worked with wood and with his hands he created treasures that would be keepsakes for generations to come. On his daily travels, whether filling Lion’s Mint Dispensers, visiting the sick or doing some errand he would always say a “Word for the Lord” and that was his way of witnessing and showing Jesus’ love. He is now witnessing the halls of heaven, a good and faithful servant.

Here’s my full story on Snack’s life:

Uncle Snack – Forever Friend

Finally, I’d ask you to give a big hug to my niece Heather. As You know, she just arrived and met you face to face last Monday November 11th, and Oh what an entrance it must have been! You gave her a new body as You promised and I’m sure she danced with the Angels! Thank You for Her her brief 37 year sojourn on earth which was all too short but what an impact she made! I knew of no kinder soul, no more sincere heart who loved all people unconditionally and held no bitterness in her heart. She was amazing! She almost wasn’t human, as it could only be the Lord Jesus living through her. She didn’t have a pulpit but her life was her platform and the lives she touched with Jesus’ love will only be known when the roll is called up yonder.

Here’s my story on Heather’s life:

A Beautiful Soul!

I thank You again for these five lives, each impacting me and our families and thousands of others who knew and loved them in millions of ways. I know You are now surrounding them with Your love and you’ve prepared a place for them, a place where there is no more sickness, no more sorrow, no more prescriptions :), no more crying.

When we all get to Heaven, what a day of rejoicing that will be! When we all see Jesus, We’ll sing and shout the victory!

I humbly bow before Your throne and thank You for hearing my prayer which I pray in the Name of my Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen and Amen!

P.S. Please also say hi to Irene and Grace! No words could describe them or express their sacrifices for us their beloved children. Their reward must be indescribable! Hi Mom!

For more encouraging stories and devotionals see the recent list and monthly archives on the upper righthand side of this page or click the link below to review my entire topical index.

My story on my Mom’s life:

My Mom, Irene Violet Wolfe

Check out my 150+ blogs here:

New Blog Index

Our beautiful niece Heather Faith Wagner just 37 years young, has left the bonds and pains of earth to be with her Savior the Lord Jesus Christ! Growing up the only girl surrounded by 5 strong and virulent brothers, she held her own and at times was a second mom to her younger siblings. She was strong in faith, character, perseverance and love. Yes, she was given extra portions of Faith, Perseverance & Love!

She was born just Heather Wagner, since her parents left out the middle names of their children to give them the opportunity to pick their own middle name later in life. Then Heather chose “Faith” which was a most appropriate addition. Because that is what it would take to face the huge hurdles she would eventually face.

Heather was homeschooled by her hard working and talented mother Barbara and she was laden down early in life with the physical malady of Asthma, but she still maintained a normal life and excelled in school, in business and industry, travelling all across the USA giving seminars on healthcare programs to various companies and organizations.

That is until a severe Asthma attack in 2011 brought on by second hand smoke in her workplace left her unconscious. A coworker, Heather had trained on the use of an EpiPen, gave her the injection she needed and she returned to consciousness but only to be transported to the hospital where a long and deep decline of her health would occur. She would never return to the state of her previous life, never go back home the same person, never go back to the office, never be “normal” again.

Through an almost eight year nightmare her health status would traverse up baby steps and then decline like a roller coaster. But Heather never gave up. Her faith was in the God of the Bible and she understood that her Savior was with her every step of the way. So she fought and fought and fought. She even reached the place where she could go back to work, but only from her home office, still writing courses and doing training online and continuing to touch people’s lives.

In spite of her failing health she encouraged SO many people with her never quit attitude and never ending words of appreciation and encouragement for even the smallest things her Mom, Dad, family and friends would do for her. Here’s one example from her facebook page of her gracious and loving appreciation:

September 25, 2019 (after pulling out of one of her low health crisis times)

“I’m out of the woods so to speak, just a lot of rest and recovery to “do”.

There has been a core group of people who have REALLY been there for me, offering to come (or just coming to help me). I’m so afraid I’d miss someone’s name so I’m just going to say you know who you are.

I do want to especially thank my parents John & Barbara and my brother, Ryan and Sister (in Love) Belle who have been constants (daily) through this and I’ve learned so much about the great compassion of my work team-mates, despite SO much going on in their own lives (death, sickness), they rallied together to help me this week so I could focus on getting better. I’m so thankful and humbled to be honest.

There are definitely a few others who deserve my thanks and have just been amazing whether it be rides to drs, tests, meals brought, laundry done…I even had some friends hang some pictures do some organizing (okay, a lot of organizing!). Oh! and they even did a little Fall decorating to cheer me up while I’m laid up…I love Fall. 🍃🍁🍂

Y’all know who you are and you know me, thank you cards will be on their way eventually 😉

This post was far longer than I anticipated, though after being reminded in several ways this past week of how short life really is and can be, I just wanted to update everyone that I’m ok, I’m hanging in there and wanted to express my thankfulness for the love; prayers; encouraging words and practical, daily help. 💜”

That was Heather every day, thankful and appreciative through every crisis and all day long for almost 8 long years! What was her secret? Her “FAITH” which never wavered:

From September 2019

“You’ll never stop me.
I’m a warrior.
When I fall down, I get stronger.
Faith is my shield, His love is the armor.
I’m a warrior…”

 

From October 2019

I don’t have much
But what I have is Yours to use
So make my whole life Your upper room…

 

From November 2019 Heather’s last FB post:

“Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet My unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor My covenant of peace be removed.” Isaiah 54:10

 

Heather Faith Wagner is with the Lord, no more sorrow, no more sickness, no more crying, for the former things are passed away and her crown awaits her. What a beautiful Soul!