Tonight we get to hear from one of Mary’s fans, Donna Baer. Donna, a mother of ten, has walked with the Lord for many years, becoming seasoned with wisdom. Part of the reason is that she’s watched the examples of other godly women – like Mary.
In December of 2014, Mary had completed six months of chemotherapy to fight her pancreatic cancer. Mid-treatment, body scans came back clear, much to everyone’s delight. But a few weeks after chemo was complete, new scans told a different story. The cancer had returned, which was an unexpected blow.
Donna composed an email to Mary at that time, tapping out some rich en- couragement. With permission, I share her letter:
Subject: My love. On Dec 12, 2014, at 6:23 PM, Donna Baer wrote:
Dear Mary,
I keep up with you through Margaret’s painfully beautiful posts. I was heartbroken to hear the results of your scans.
Doesn’t it seem that death is a lot like childbirth? You sense it approaching, you know that there’s something sublimely wonderful on the other side of it, but you dread the journey. I remember that you were the one who taught me to own a Bible verse to get through labor. I chose Hebrews 12:2, “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross…”
That verse reminded me that just as Jesus endured excruciating pain because of the joy that was on the other side of the cross, I could endure labor pains because I knew that I would hold joy in my arms at the end of the day. In fact, each dreaded birth pang became a rhythmic, visceral reminder, vouching safe the bliss that was ahead. I pray your journey with the Good Shepherd is not marked with pain, but if it is, I hope that each pain will remind you that you are one step closer to the joy set before you.
None of us knows the hour of our death, but before you learn yours and I learn mine, I want to thank you for being Jesus in an apron for me. I came to Moody Church as a very new believer, and you welcomed me like I was an old friend. You forgave my pettiness and abided my immaturity, and just loved me. You lived a cheerful, obedient life out in the open, and gave me permission to watch and ask questions. You became my model (I know you hate to hear that, but you did!) of how to love my household and the household of faith.
So many of us are praying that the Lord will spare you and give you many more years with us. But if He has other good and perfect plans, I look forward to catching up with you in the Kingdom. I imagine we will both still be doing things there that require aprons.
Tenderly, Donna
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Tomorrow we’ll hear Mary’s deepest thoughts about living and dying as she responds to Donna.
“Encourage one another and build one another up.” (1 Thessalonians 5:11)