Janet

Come, Thou long expected Jesus
Born to set Thy people free;
From our fears and sins release us,
Let us find our rest in Thee. 

 One of my favorite Christmas CD's right now is the Chris Tomlin CD.  And Christy Nockels sings a version of "Come, thou Long Expected Jesus" that is so beautiful and it's been in my head for the last few days non stop.  

I have shared many times here about my friend Janet (in the striped dress) who has been fighting Ovarian cancer for almost two years.  This week she has decided with her doctors and family to stop fighting.  Those who know and love her are overcome with heartbreak and sorrow.  It's so unfair and hard to understand.  And yet Janet has her eyes on the prize of heaven.  

And the thing is we think this earth is so great. This life is all there is.  But heaven is something our minds can't even comprehend.  And I know while we are crying "Too soon.", Janet will be in heaven asking God "why one earth did you let me stay there so long when I could have been HERE?"  

I could share a million Testimony Tuesdays with you. And maybe it wouldn't make a difference.

But no one has ever had a bigger testimony or lived a life that modeled Christ more that I have ever known than my friend Janet Pate.  And I would say this WAY before she ever had cancer.  She has an amazing story, that is her own, but I will say she has not lived an easy, tied up in a fancy box Christian life. She has battled things that I can't imagine (way before being sick) and she has always met it with a faith that is beyond what most people could comprehend.

I guess I just want to say - if you are searching, if you are looking for something you can believe in - I wish you could see the joy and peace that Janet has even as she stares death in the face and the thought of leaving her AMAZING family, because Janet LOVES her Saviour.  If you don't believe in a God or heaven, that's fine.  But I think if you spent one hour with Janet - you might change your mind.  I think you would want to know the God she loves so dearly.  If you wonder how anyone could have faith facing even the worst thing imaginable - she does without blinking an eye.

And I don't think it's by chance or fate, that Janet just happens to share a birthday with Jesus. Her birthday is Christmas Day.  And I can't think of anyone more like Him. 

If you have doubt in your life or are searching for what Christmas is really about - the birth of a little baby who would become King - I pray that you might read Janet's blog, especially her latest post and know that Jesus was born on this earth to live and die for YOU. 

http://janetpate.blogspot.com/2013/12/it-is-well-with-my-soul.html

Pray for Janet and her family.

And will you also pray for a precious lady I met early this year at Dot Mom.  Her name is Gloria Mays and she has recently been diagnosed with Invasive Ductal Carcinoma that has spread to her lymph nodes.  I know she would GREATLY appreciate your prayers and so would I! Thank you! 

 Israel's strength and consolation,
Hope of all the earth Thou art;
Dear desire of every nation,
Joy of every longing heart.

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