Monica Pryor

Today, Jim and I attended a funeral for a woman from our church named Monica Pryor. She was only 38 years old. We knew her from when we lived in Greenville before (Jim played in the orchestra with her). A few months ago, she gave her testimony in church, and it was glorious! To see a woman with three young children embrace whatever the Lord had for her, even if it meant battling life-threatening cancer was so amazing to hear. I only hope that if the Lord would have me walk through such a trial that I would honor Him the way that Monica did by both her life and her death.

The funeral was what it ought to be: sad, but joyful. Saying goodbye is always difficult. Seeing her three small children and her husband walk behind her casket was a hard thing to watch. But, as First Thessalonians 4:13 says,

But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope.

We grieve our loss, but not without hope because of what it says in verse 14:

For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep.

Monica believed that Jesus was the Son of God, that He came to die for her sins, and that He rose again so that she might have life with Him forever. This was her passion, and this was what shaped her perspective on life, especially her perspective on cancer. God loved her, and because he loved her, He gave her this trial so that she would glorify Him. She responded as few others would have. Yes, she had questions about why God would do this. No, she didn't want to leave her family. But, instead of spending her time brooding about what was happening to her, she saw her cancer as an intentional thread that God was weaving into her life to make a beautiful tapestry.

Through this joyful surrender, she beautifully adorned the gospel and showed many evidences of God's grace in her life. It was both an encouragement and a challenge for Jim and I to hear how she honored the Lord in whatever circumstance she faced and did not waste her time bogged down by selfish thinking. Instead, she served others, even in choosing the songs for her own funeral- songs of surrender and hope that would encourage us in our grief (songs like It is Well, Blessed Be Your Name, I'd Rather Have Jesus, The Wonderful Cross, and How Great Is Our God).

So it was sad and hard, but such a testimony of a life well lived. If anyone in interested in hearing her testimony, I have included the information below. It is a long video (almost 15 minutes long!), but if you can make the time to watch it, you will be so blessed by it. I know that I was.

• Go to: http://nhccfamily.org/content/index.php?option=com_xevgfx&Itemid=158
• Click "Click here to begin"
• Click "Specials"
• Click "Testimony"
• Click "Monica's Testimony"