To Ms. Julia, RIP

Julia Richer is quite possibly the most incredible person I have ever met. Today, she met Jesus. She had cancer for the past two years, but she spent her life praising God. Her every moment was devoted to sharing His love and goodness with those around her. 

When most people hear they are going to die they stop living. Their remaining days, weeks, months and years are spent preparing for their imminent release from this earth. Many finish writing their will. Some spend their days mourning their loss of life, others visit the places they had always wanted to go, and many spend time with their families. These are not BAD things in and of themselves, but they seem to be done with a sense of hopelessness. When most people discover they are fatally ill they stop serving, loving and caring. They prepare for that next step in their adventure of existence by focusing on themselves. They no longer view their lives as a progression, but more like nearing the bottom of a great hole they’ve been falling through. They also begin to question, and usually they question their Maker. Hate, bitterness, fear, confusion...these are all additional emotions that generally accompany a person when they hear of their fatal illness. They don’t understand why this has happened to them, and they often blame God for their troubles. Often they put on a good show for friends and family, but the pain and fear are still hidden beneath their fake smiles and lying “I’m OK”’s. It is so, so simple to believe in the goodness and compassion of Christ when life is easy, but someone’s response during tragedy shows their truest nature.

Ms. Julia, as the youth of the church affectionately call her, was not ‘most people.’ Quite the opposite, her joyful smile and caring persona were true and tangible. Though I will never know what went on inside her mind, I do know she was never bitter towards God. She didn’t know WHY God has allowed her illness, but she accepted her fate and lived the rest of her life to the fullest in Him. Almost two years ago, Ms. Julia received the awful news that she had terminal cancer. Incurable, she learned that she would most certainly pass away within the next few months to a year. In Ms. Julia’s response she proved, once again, that she is not ‘most people.’ Martin Luther said that if the world was going to end tomorrow, he would plant a tree today. Why? Because he wasn’t going to give up, he wasn’t going to stop living. Ms. Julia didn’t give up, and she never stopped living. She devoted her time to her daughters and the youth in the church. She continued to serve the youth choir and held potlucks at her house. She never stopped caring about others. She lived each day as if she has a million more, even though each day could, potentially, be her last. 

One Sunday morning the church sang “God Is A Good God” and Ms. Julia joined the choir and added her sweet voice to theirs. Her face radiated with the joy of the Lord, her song was like that of the birds, joyful to be free on a warm spring day. As the band played out the chorus of the song in the background, Ms. Julia took the microphone and poured her heart our to the church. She praised God for His goodness to her in the midst of her pain and suffering through cancer. The church wept. Looking through tear-filled eyes at the hundreds of people in the church, I saw nearly every one crying. They weren’t sad, bitter, or pained cries, they were incredulous, joyful, and touched tears. Hearing her words strengthened us, encouraged us and gave us hope. If she, sick with cancer, could stand before us and praise God with her every breath, surely we could get through our struggles in school or work or at home and know that God is always, always, always on our side. 

Ms. Julia’s life, death, incredible love and faith have been and will continue to be a testament to all who hear her story. Ms. Julia’s faith in hard times attested to her genuine love for God. Her faith not only shows what a great woman she was, but has helped others to grow closer in their relationship with God. Ms. Julia’s faith touched my life. I have seen her unrelenting belief in the goodness of God. Her refusal to give in to Satan’s lies that God doesn’t care showed me the goodness of God in my own life. Seeing a suffering person praise the goodness of God is one of the most powerful experiences a person could ever undergo. Ms. Julia drew me closer in my walk with the Lord. A person’s response during trials shows their truest self, and Ms. Julia showed her truest self to be a person completely reliant on God and His goodness. She was one of the most faithful, loving, godly, caring, and servant-hearted people I will ever be blessed to know. She will be missed. I know she’s up in heaven right now, with Jesus and singing with the angels, and I cannot wait until the day I get to join her there.