Leigh, spirituality & massage...

My sweet brother Howie gave me a gift certificate to Sycamore for a prenatal massage for Mother's Day/Birthday. I'm sitting here now, greased up with my mind racing after finally taking advantage of one of life's simple pleasures. This post has some random topics that all came out this morning in conversation with my masseuse. First of all, a little know fact to most of you is that I have a rather large tattoo on my lower back that is a cross with the initials of a very special friend who passed away 6 1/2 years ago. I've been thinking of her quite a bit lately as Joey and I are pondering names for our daughter. Ever since I was pregnant with Judah (and thought he was a girl) I had felt very strongly that I wanted to name my first daughter after her. So back to the massage... the woman commented on my tattoo and began asking me about it and then began to share some very interesting spiritual thoughts with me. Before I get into that, I really would like to share Leigh's story with you which is a huge part of my coming to know the Lord.

We met in college at UCSD and were in the same suite. She was a passionate lover of Jesus and the only Christian in our circle of friends. I had totally walked away from the Lord and became very much involved with... let's just say, some very unhealthy, self-destructive behavior. Somehow Leigh and I were still close friends and she loved me so well and accepted me despite my occasional unkindness to her.

Leigh had a very rare adrenal disorder that put her in the hospital at least once every other month with crippling migraines. I was the only one with a car and so I became her ER buddy, which gave me such an awe and respect for her faith in a good God despite such hardships in life. She lived and breathed Christ, without saying a word most of the time. She believed with all her heart that God would heal her in his time, even if healing came in heaven.

By the end of freshman year we had decided to live together the following year. I think that I was deeply afraid that her light would expose my own sin and darkness and much to my shame, I asked her not to live with us when it all came to pass. She was wounded, understandably, but we were able to restore our friendship and remain close.

That summer I came to live in SLO and was challenged by a good friend (after being dumped) that I needed to find my joy and life in Christ again. God transformed my heart and gave me a desire for Him, his word and his works. When I returned to SD in the fall, I shared my conversion experience with Leigh and she took me under her wing with such joy. She discipled me and helped me find fellowship and stand strong in my faith in spite of the temptations I had all around me.

As I grew in my faith that year I felt the Lord calling me away from UCSD. I sensed that he was giving me a clean start somewhere, which led me back to SLO. I visited Leigh 1 month before she died and believe that was one of the greatest gifts God has ever given me. She went home to be with the Lord on February 6, 2002 from complications with her migraines. Although she was very ill, it never was seen as a life threatening condition, but the Lord wanted her to come home. Despite the pain of such a loss, I know that she is where her heart has always been, with her first love Jesus. No other person has had such an impact on my life, loved me when I was ugly, and laid her life down for me as a sister.

I really struggled in my faith when she died and backslid for a time, but the Lord has been so gracious to me and given me even more appreciation for my hero of the faith. With all that said Joey and I would be honored to give our daughter her name, Leigh-anne. What a rich legacy. We are thinking that it will be her middle name, but haven't made any concrete decisions yet.

Okay that was a bit exhausting, so maybe I'll save the rest of the post for later...

By the way, who is your hero in the faith?