Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints. Eileen Lawyer’s death was precious to us as well. She taught us how to live, and she has taught us how to die.

What did she teach us about living? Eileen taught us to give ourselves away. She was a devoted wife, and signed all her emails with “Eileen Lawyer, treasured wife of Mike Lawyer.” Her identity was first in Christ, and then joyfully wrapped up in her husband and daughter. What Mike was doing, Eileen was doing alongside. How Rachel was doing was always a chief concern.

During her life, Eileen was always a picture of health: energetic and cheerful. None of us was expecting her to be taken away so suddenly by cancer.  But we learned from her during her wise stewardship of this hardship. She continued to be devoted to others, always considerate and grateful. Doug conducted a small worship service around her bed a few days before her passing. Even there, she was thanking everyone for coming, and I will never forget how determined she was to take the Lord’s Supper, embracing the difficulty of eating the bread and drinking the wine. She wanted all of Christ.

The cross stitch above is a gift Eileen made for us many years ago. And how appropriate is this verse now as ever. God has shown Eileen the path of life, and now she has entered into His presence in fulness of joy. We will miss her. No one can fill her shoes. But that is how it should be. In the missing, we will continue to thank God for her, a dear sister and friend.

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