In Sweet Memory
This update
is long overdue. Many of you are already
aware of this; however, for those of you who may know us only through our
website, I want to share this tribute to my incredible husband, Harry.
I have left
Harry’s Story on the site as a reminder of how Ministries of Hope came to be.
Often
referred to as my “Handsome Hubby Harry”, Harry was “the love of my life!” We first met when I was two and he was
six. Of course, we waited several years
before getting married!
Harry was
known for his strong work ethic, servant’s heart, and especially his wit. He was the best husband, dad and Pa anyone
could hope for. He cared for his neighbors and was affectionately referred to
as “the Major of Lantern Lane”. He was a proud Veteran, honoring our country
with his service which included a tour of duty in Vietnam during our first year
of marriage.
He loved the
LORD and witnessed his faith in ways he didn’t even realize. We both felt we were blessed to be a blessing
to other couples, helping them identify potential “landmines” and harmful games
couples play. We began a marriage
ministry at our church in 1989 to do just that, and later created Ministries of
Hope to take our insights outside our church walls. (Refer to the Covenant
Couples ministry tab.)
Several
months prior to our 50th wedding anniversary, Harry was diagnosed
with squamous cell carcinoma on the jaw. You never know how you will react when you hear the word “cancer” until
you actually hear it. When we did, we
were both stunned and concerned, but not afraid. We knew our gracious LORD would walk beside us
throughout this journey…and He certainly did!
About a year
and a half later, he was diagnosed with a brain tumor…another type of cancer;
glioblastoma! Once again, surgery went
well; chemo and radiation to follow. A
year later, another blow…Harry suffered a major stroke which took out his
communication center. Two and a half
weeks later, it took his life.
He
courageously fought the battle of cancer for three years and touched many lives
in the process. Our gracious LORD relieved him of his pain and rewarded his
faithfulness by calling him home July 27, 2017. I’m confident upon his arrival he
heard, “Well done, good and faithful
servant!”
Throughout
the three years of Harry’s battle with cancer, I kept our family and friends
informed through email updates so everyone would have the same information at
relatively the same time. I have posted snippets of those updates in the blog
section to give you a sense of how powerfully the LORD carried us through this
incredible journey. I hope they will inspire you if you are in a similar
journey or that you will share them with someone who needs the encouragement.
There is a
verse in the Bible that has always intrigued me, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face
trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces
perseverance.” James 1:2-3
As a result
of the past four years, I have come to understand that verse much better. We have witnessed the hand of God so often
during this journey, up close and personal! That’s where the joy comes from. Such a privilege and comfort to know that our Creator GOD walks with us
every day (whether we are mindful of Him or not); and when we are too weak to
walk He carries us! When we stay focused
on Him and His plan, He straightens our path and removes unnecessary obstacles
that may hinder our journey. He covers every single detail! Such joy is found
nowhere else.
I appreciate
all the prayers and support you have given to my family, this ministry and me…more
than words can express.
To God be the
glory,
Carol
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