Legacy

These are the words of my good friend Minnie. In life she spoke inspirational word to me as I lay sick with malaria or as we walked under the stars. In death her words still inspire me to follow hard after the Lover of my soul.

Except from her Blog:

"I rose up and spent the rest of the night in communion with our LORD. After reading a chapter from Psalms, I proceeded to read in one of the Books of the Gospel. At this time I was reading from Luke 12. Reaching and reading verses 32 and 37, my eyes suddenly well up and tears started flowing down my cheeks. Sobbing and in tears, I couldn’t help but utter these words, “My GOD, why are you so nice to me?”

All my life, I felt that GOD has lavished me with His love, despite my sinfulness, and many times falling and failing as I journeyed along life’s way… And like David, I see myself and say that my sins are ever before me…

This kind of love that I have received and continue to receive from our loving and gracious GOD, I feel I do not deserve… For what good have I done to deserve His love?! Nothing, really… For while I was yet a sinner, He already loved me… and even gave His life for me.

Continuing in life, I keep falling and failing, sometimes submerged and steeped in the mire of sin, and He sends His sweet Spirit to reach out to me, lift me up from my fallen state, and patiently work in my life and my heart that I may be cleansed of all my impurities and defects of mind and character.

Not only that, my LORD is even up there in heaven, interceding continually in my behalf and your behalf before the Father, that we may be reconciled and abide in a loving relationship with our gracious and merciful GOD…

Such love is too awesome, too high and lofty, I cannot comprehend it… And this kind of love breaks my heart of stone, changing it into a heart of flesh that desires to love Him back sincerely, purely and faithfully… and out of sheer gratitude, share His loving acceptance and unconditional love with others met along life’s way…

How much pleasure and joy it gives as hearts respond with the desire to love back, springing with loving gestures and expressions that make up and establish a friendship and loving relationship which I look forward to last till eternity…"

~ Minnie Pardillo, Blog July 6 2012. Died August 5 2012 from cerebral malaria while serving God in Chad, Africa.