1. The sweetness of the memories and the encouragement to be gained from them

The sweetness of the memories and the encouragement to be gained from them
         We "spend our years as a tale that is told" Psalm 90:9 and Minnie’s story was a good one and thus is worth telling, but it goes much beyond that because God’s faithfulness and sustaining grace was so evident during those three years. Minnie’s life and the words and actions that attest to it bring great encouragement and strength to our own as we, too, prepare to go through the valley of the shadow of death or, to change the metaphor, to prepare to cross the Jordan to enter the Celestial City. God prepared and strengthened Minnie in a remarkable way and her responses during those very, very difficult trials was also remarkable and stand as an important marker for us who will pass that way ourselves. "Bear ye one another’s burden and so fulfill the law of Christ" but the context of that verse continues, "For every man [everyone] shall bear his own burden." Gal. 6:2-5 We can help carry one another’s load and help them carry their share so that it is less difficult for them and certainly many, many people helped and encouraged Minnie through those many days, those three years, of travail, but in the end it was she and she alone with God who had to finally bear it and go through the experience of passing from life unto death–or, better, passing from temporal life into eternal life.

        History is the memory of the past. Some things we must not forget. Some things we can learn vicariously through observing the experiences of others. We tell Minnie’s story also to bring glory to God, to show His marvelous supernatural enabling power. I observed it first hand for three years and certainly experienced it myself constantly for those three years. I look back at some of the e-mails I wrote during that time and marvel that I could say the things I did and take the attitude that Minnie and I both took. We could not do that in ourselves, the enablement and the strength came from God and God alone.

        Many times in the Book of Psalms when the Psalmist gets discouraged, he remembers God’s hand and God’s strengthening and God’s deliverance in the past and thus encourages his own heart. In Psalm 77, e.g., he wrote, "I cried unto God with my voice. . . . In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord. . . . I remembered God, and was troubled: I complained, and my spirit was overwhelmed. . . . I am so troubled that I cannot speak." What did he do then to deal with these overwhelming and discouraging situations? He said, "I have considered the days of old, the years of ancient times. I call to remembrance my song in the night: I commune with mine own heart: and my spirit made diligent search. . . . I will remember the works of the Lord: surely I will remember thy wonders of old. I will meditate also of all thy work, and talk of thy doings." And he concludes by saying to God in the last verse of the Psalm, "You led your people."

        Indeed He did. And He led Minnie and He led me through the very worst experiences of our long lives. Psalm 23 was Minnie’s favorite and many times late at night while we lay in bed or while I sat beside her bed in the dark, she asked me to recite it for her and it helped her go to sleep in her pain and weariness: "The Lord is my shepherd. . . . He makes me to lie down in green pastures. He leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul. He leadeth me in the paths. . . . Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me. . . . my cup runneth over [God gives joy in the midst of my trials.] Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever."
         So to God alone be the glory. Scripture explicitly tells us to ponder the works of God and to rejoice in them. Mimi was one of God’s glorious works and He who "[began] a good work in [her]" did in fact perform it and fulfill it. Phil. 1:6 He took her home to be with Him as He promised in John 14:3 ESV "And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also."

        So I write her story not only because it’s worth telling and I have a very high level of interest in it. I write it not only because many other people will be encouraged by it and learn from it, but I also write it for the glory of God "to the praise of His glorious grace." Grace that she experienced and grace that I experienced and want to tell about. "My grace is sufficient for thee." It was for Minnie and it was for me. And thus shall it ever be.
                                                                             --Pastor Burnside