Honoring Molly

From Psalm 84
1 How lovely is your dwelling place,
O LORD Almighty!
2 My soul yearns, even faints,
for the courts of the LORD;
my heart and my flesh cry out
for the living God.
3 Even the sparrow has found a home,
and the swallow a nest for herself,
where she may have her young—
a place near your altar,
O LORD Almighty, my King and my God.
4 Blessed are those who dwell in your house;
they are ever praising you.
5 Blessed are those whose strength is in you,
who have set their hearts on pilgrimage.
6 As they pass through the Valley of Baca,
they make it a place of springs;
the autumn rains also cover it with pools.
7 They go from strength to strength,
'til each appears before God in Zion...

Molly is still among us today. I want to write this tribute before she leaves us.

As the Psalm says, our hearts yearn for God's dwelling place -- for home.
Molly spent her days on earth in quest of creating and finding "home."

As a wife and mom, her strength in establishing home base for her family was abundantly evident. It was job one. A welcoming haven for kids, dogs, friends, and family, she made. It will endure.

As director of admissions for Illinois State University, Molly made a home for students, investing in them personally, choosing to be an advocate for those who needed one. It's funny, but when anyone first met Molly, she would say, "Oh, I work in admissions at ISU." Her humility was a part of what made ISU home for many, including my own niece.

As a Christ-follower, Molly came to find her church home at Heartland Community Church in Normal, Ill. Building from the foundations of her faith throughout her life, I was blessed to witness Molly engage a deep, personal, and joyful relationship with Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior -- and with Heartlanders (like me) who became "family." I experienced her passion for God's word -- for Truth.

As a child of God, Molly yearned for her eternal home, but struggled with leaving those she loved behind. We struggle with letting her go. But she is going home. Her homemaking on earth is about to be complete. Well done, Molly!

Molly is as strong of a person as I've known. So I repeat from Psalm 84:

...Blessed are those whose strength is in you, who have set their hearts on pilgrimage. As they pass through the Valley of Baca, they make it a place of springs; the autumn rains also cover it with pools. They go from strength to strength, 'til each appears before God in Zion...

Go in peace, Miss Molly.