Encouragement from Eternity

Yesterday, I went to the memorial service for Janice Myers.  I knew Janice in passing.  Her middle daughter, Christy was in my high school class at Harding Academy in Memphis.  Her husband, Edward, and I worked together for years at Harding University.  I took wedding photos for her youngest daughter.  So, since I was a junior in high school I would occasionally be around Janice.  Actually, it feels weird typing her first name as I probably would have called her Mrs. Myers.  I always remember her being a happy and friendly person.  During the memorial service, multiple people mentioned how encouraging she was.

As I arrived at Cone Chapel for the memorial I saw Christy and I went over and gave her my condolences.  We talked for just a minute and she said " Jeff, my mom loved your photography and she got so excited when you started posting watercolor paintings. "  Christy went on to tell me that her mom loved to watercolor and they actually had brought one of her paintings to display.  I had no idea that Janice Myers was a watercolor painter.  I left Christy and went and sat down in the chapel and I had been encouraged.  What a powerful thing to be encouraged by the women whose memorial service you are attending.  Janice Myers had used her God-given gift of encouragement and had passed it on to her children who had passed it on to me.

Andrew Baker talks about making an "Eternal Difference."  Janice Myers made a difference from eternity.  I am motived to be more of an encourager than I ever have been before and I am thankful I got to celebrate the life of Janice Myers.