NOVEMBER 2022
“If we look at death through eyes of faith, we realize that it’s not the end, that there’s so much hope.”
As hard as it is, it’s so important to find the grace in the pain. Even though it might be cloudy and hard to see it, it’s there, and eventually it surfaces.
When Leon died, I wasn’t as mature in my faith as I am today. I asked, “Why?” But as I’ve matured in my faith, I’ve learned there’s a divine order to things. He was needed to go and help prepare a place for the rest of us. As the Preface for funerals says: His life has changed, not ended.
Tose who have gone before us are all around us. Tey’re always there for us, day and night. Tis year at the NPM Convention, Roger Holland sang an André Crouch song, “To God Be the Glory.” He opened his mouth to sing, and I started to weep. Tere was no question in my mind that Leon was there. I felt his presence.
Death can be really hard. We can get swallowed up in it. But if we look at it through eyes of faith, we realize that it’s not the end, that there’s so much hope.
Laura (Forbis) St. Clair Jefferson City NPM Chapter Director
My husband Pat died 10 months after I resigned from a pastoral music job I had loved. Te day he collapsed I was at the hospital. Everybody was there and I was trying to be everything for everybody. One of my former music ministers, who worked at the hospital, came down to check on me. She pulled me into a quiet
hallway and said, “Laura, you’ve taken care of us all these years. Don’t worry if there’s lunch for all these people. You need to let us minister to you.”
Tis was a change in my whole life outlook. I’ve always been a Martha. I learned it’s okay to be a Mary. Pat’s visitation lasted seven hours. All those hundreds of people were grieving through what they said to me. My job was to accept the blessing of what they shared and to be grateful.
After the line had finished, I was finally by myself. I went over to the piano, got out the piano books and played Ken Canedo’s “Fly Like A Bird.” It was my last time to play for Pat.
Tat moment in the hallway was a turning point for me. After it, the attitude of gratitude was almost overwhelming. Even now, it’s almost a tidal wave. Nine years later, people in the pastoral music community are still checking in from all over the country, making sure I’m okay.
I learned that day that it’s okay to receive, not just do— to receive without feeling I have to do something in return. It’s okay just to be grateful, to let it just be.
“I learned that day that it’s okay to receive, not just do—to receive without feeling I have to do something in return. It’s okay just to be grateful, to let it just be.”
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