A Friend Remembered...

Last night we were in bed when the phone rang.  Ryan said, "Just let the machine get it."  I said, "No one calls after 9 unless it's important."  I got out of bed, tripped over Buster (who wasn't laying in his normal spot) and stumbled to my dresser where the phone is.  It was my sister, Jaime.  "Jen, did you hear about Trisha?"  "No."  "She passed away in her sleep."  "WHAT?!? Oh my gosh!"  Jaime and I talked for a few minutes more and then we hung up.  I quickly explained to Ryan who Trisha was (she was at our wedding, but he's not good with names) and then went downstairs to process everything and allow Ryan to sleep.

Trish was 2 or 3 years older than me, so I didn't really get to know her until high school youth group.  Before that, she was always ahead of me in Sunday School and in AWANA.  We would be together for the AWANA olympics, and she was someone we (the younger girls) looked up to then, but we didn't really know her.  Once we got to high school youth group, we got to know her a lot better.  She was one of those people who made being a Christian cool.  She really lived her faith.  Trisha wasn't afraid to stand up for what was right.  She let God's love shine through her, you could tell just by looking at her. 

One of the things I will miss the most about Trish is our late night facebook email conversations.  They started right at the time Ryan and I were fighting against putting a g-tube into Juliana.  I was having difficulty sleeping, and Trisha was as well.  We were never up at the same time, but I always had an encouraging message from her in my inbox on facebook.  She always seemed to know when I needed encouragement.  Sometimes we would just talk about our kids (she has a daughter).

Knowing that she is in Heaven is extremely comforting.  I know that one of the first things Jesus said to her was, "Well done, good and faithful servant".  When I think of Trisha, the lyrics to Sidewalk Prophet's song, Live Like That come to mind.  It embodies who she was and how she lived.

It's just hard to believe that she is gone.

~~ "For such a time as this I was placed upon this earth~~ for a specific purpose~~ at this specific time~~ my past experiences have created who I am today to fulfill that purpose~~ I pray for the wisdom and courage to complete that which has been set before me." ~~Trisha Schuerr Lange