Tribute to a Saint

Three days ago, a young woman named Laura Gautney Black died of metastatic breast cancer.  She left a loving husband and three precious children under nine.  For a time, we attended the same church, but I am not sure that I ever actually met her.  However, this young woman has profoundly impacted my perspective on life over the last few months.

About three months ago, one of my friends on Facebook requested prayer for Laura.  It had something to do with radiation treatments and breast cancer.  Since I am a breast cancer survivor, I thought I would write her a brief note of encouragement, and offer to support her journey in any way I could.  I thought this was her first time to deal with cancer.  She sent me a lovely response and told me she had been fighting this breast cancer for five years!  Clearly, she was the veteran when it came to this battlefront.

We communicated a few times and I began to follow her journey on her Caring Bridge site.  The previous link takes you to one of about 10 letters that Laura recently wrote to her children about various topics.  This one is entitled "Life".  Be sure to take the time to read the others sometime soon.  Right now, I will share with you the impact this gifted woman  has had on me.

As I began to follow Laura's Facebook page and CB posts, I was struck by her honesty and her faith.  There was no "God Talk" here. Instead, she was brutally honest about how hard this was.  At the same time, she also manifested a profound trust in God to take care of her and her family.  When I read her post about "Me and You" - a letter to her children about how she loved them, I wept because she beautifully expressed what all mothers feel. It was so intimate.  It was like listening to her whisper all these sweet things to each one as she tucked them in bed for the night.

Laura's transparency blew me away.  Even though I do believe in living transparently, I do not readily share my most intimate thoughts on Facebook.  Laura, on the other hand, embraced and welcomed all who would come. She accepted hundreds of "friends" whom she had never met. She boldly asked for prayer for healing.  She openly shared about her radiation, chemo and doctor's visits.  Her openness drew me and many others into her journey.  By allowing us to read what she was going through, we were all drawn in as friends, not voyeurs.  I think that the recent posts on her Facebook page clearly reveal the profound impact of her willingness to be open and honest with us all.

Laura remained positive, hopeful and honest to the last.  She fought as hard as anyone could possibly fight.  And, when she had given everything she had to give, she rested and fell back into the arms of Jesus.  Her last words to those who had followed her journey were "It is time for me to finish this cancer race. There will be no more chemo. Hospice has been called in. Please continue to pray for my family and friends. Especially my sweet children. Thank you."  She died the next evening.

We are told in Scripture that we will be greeted by our Savior with open arms and his smile.  When Laura arrived, I know Jesus greeted her with a huge smile, a wonderful hug and his words "Well done, Laura.  Well done."  Max Lucado shares a wonderful story in his book, The Applause of Heaven, about the joyous celebration that occurs when the saints arrive in that celestial city.  I know there was a standing ovation when Laura took her first full glorious breath in her new home. 

Laura truly lived her life to the fullest.  While her family is faced with the terrific loss of her presence, they are truly blessed people to have had a woman like Laura love them so well. And as for me, I am profoundly grateful I was able to walk alongside her through these last few months - even if it was only at the very edge of the crowd of those who loved her. 

In this blog, I have been contemplating how I want to live out the rest of my days. I have just learned from this young woman what it means to end well.  My prayer is that, by God's grace, I will I be able to follow in her footsteps.

Well done, Laura.  Well done.