Friendship Friday ~ Meet Paula

Christmas is only 4 days away.  What better was to bless a friend than by paying tribute to them in some way?  Write about him on your blog!  Post about her on FB!  Whatever you decide – share your friends with us!  We want to hear how wonderful they are! 

(Don’t forget to come back to this post and link up so we can all “meet” your friends!)

A personal note: For a lot of my weekly series posts on my blog, I work ahead.  I do up several posts at once and schedule them to go live on the appropriate dates.  Not so with Friendship Friday. I wait and see who God lays on my heart each week. 

This week, is a bit different from the rest . . .

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I learned earlier this week that my friend Paula’s battle with cancer had come to an end.  She passed from this life on to heaven early Tuesday morning.  She’s been in my thoughts (and her sweet family has been on my heart) ever since . . .

I “met” Paula through my previous job when she applied to be a member of the review team that I was in charge of.  She was a great asset to the team – a very talented writer, very organized and on time.  I didn’t think much of it – as with many of the members on that team, I often don’t get opportunity to actually meet them in person.

But, as it turned out, a mutual friend (Shannon) told me that she and Paula (and their girls) were planning to travel to PA from Canada for the Revolve Tour last spring.  I live in PA and I hadn’t even heard of it; but upon checking it out, it looked like something Ashley and I would enjoy, so we bought tickets. 

This is a picture of the three of us from that very first night – our first time laying eyes on each other, and already we look like great friends, right?

The following night, we got to eat supper together and do a little bit of shopping, before we had to say our good-byes. 

Here I am with Paula and her daughter Mattea at supper.

Saying good-bye.

I had no idea when we hugged and said our good-byes that I would never see Paula again this side of heaven.  Not long after that meeting, she found out that she had cancer. 

Through it all, she was a constant source of grace and strength.  She certainly never let cancer consume her or take away her love for her family or the Lord. 

I feel extra blessed that I had the chance to meet her in person, to hug her, and to spend some quality time with her. 

Please, if you’re reading this post, say a prayer for my friend Paula’s husband and her 4 precious children.  Also pray for everyone whose life has been touched by her.  There are a lot of people who are mourning her passing – though we are rejoicing that she’s in a better place. 

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