My father’s cousin died yesterday. She had reached the celebrated age of 100 years a few months ago. Her only brother, out of six siblings, was not only my dad’s cousin, but also his best friend. My first recollection of meeting Elise Berkley was at a family reunion just a few years ago. I had heard about her from numerous family sources but cannot recall ever meeting her until that reunion. She followed my postings on www.the-thrivalist.net (that are routinely posted on Facebook on my page and under “PD Rants and Ramblings”) and frequently sent me words of encouragement or ones of affirmation noting how meaningful she was finding them. She was living with one of her daughters near Greensboro, but lived most of her life in Danville, VA, the city whose border meets that of Virginia and North Carolina less than a mile from our farm. Another person who has been an inspiration over the last thirty-five years died yesterday as well. He is the same age as I and I learned about him and his ministry while living in Manhattan, when his ministry was just getting started and I desired to learn about worshiping God with all that He made me to be and how that might unfold over time. Ravi Zacharias is a Christian Apologist who dedicated his life to the spreading of the good news that Jesus Christ is the one through whom God so loves this world, that people of all languages, all races, all nationalities, all genders, orientation, or persuasion (whosoever) may by the very act of believing in Him, participate in life eternally in the presence of the God who so loved (eternally)! In addition to the inspiring way in which Ravi conveyed that message of good news, he was also instrumental in facilitating others who delivered that same message to even more who needed (s) to hear. Through Ravi’s encouragement and support, Nabeel Qureshi, a Medical Doctor, grounded in Islam, who after seeking to study the scriptures to disprove Christianity, dedicated his life to the spread of Christianity until his untimely death from cancer just three years ago. In the midst of the morbid threat of contracting this rampant coronavirus it is comforting to remember that there are those who have contributed the living of their lives, while they had the gift of inhaling the next breath, to sharing the love of our God as He has loved us. In so doing, Elise loved as the encourager, affirmer, and inspirer. Ravi lived as the challenger, the bearer of truth, and one who facilitated the unraveling of the simple truth in “for God so love the world.” Nabeel lived as an overflowing vessel that was filled with the truth of God’s love, in scripture, teaching, and the desire to keep God in the center of his over-abundant life. The gift that is life becomes richer and fuller when we recognize that the “value” we experience comes not from just what we receive, but fully expressed and understood in what and how we give it to others! The gift is fully utilized when it is given away. Thanks, Elise, Ravi, and Nabeel for being multipliers of the gift that is free, but not at all cheap!
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