There is a woman at Paul and my church. Her name is Beth Ostoich. She is one of the FIRST faces we saw at Tri State Fellowship on our first day visiting. 5 months ago... her smile was so lively and genuine. She was very inclusive and knew exactly who to hook Paul and I up with to become a part of a community. She is the life behind the church that we're attending. It is funny because we are going to a church that doesn't promote female leadership (something that I disagree with) and yet she is the brains behind the community. God is so good.
Beth Ostoich
A couple weeks after we met Beth, we found out crazy news... Beth has brain cancer. the same thing that Marilyn's (paul's boss's) husband jim died of this last summer. I would have NEVER guessed this woman with so much joy would have something so devastating. just to be in her presence brings a smile and you feel so comfortable and at rest around her... not judged, but loved for who you are-- she makes you feel wanted. I am so broken this morning after reading her last post on facebook about her life and her cancer. her faith and honest relationship with the Lord amaze me! Her body is really failing her. Here is an excerpt from her post on december 3rd:
"These update emails have been shorter and not as frequent. The biggest reason is that I cannot communicate well anymore. I have lost a lot of peripheral vision and issues to pressure on my optic nerve. While I still can see, it's no longer with efficiently. I can take me three or four times as long to write an email, for example, and that's on a very good morning. But I can't tell you how much your letters, emails, cards, visits, gifts, food, and on an on ... how much all of this means to me and my family. Thank you for LOVING me and my family, and for walking this journey with us all together Please stay in touch with us even if we can't stay in touch with you.
I have learned a lot about my Savior just in the past few weeks. He has stayed with me during bouts of anger at Him and what is happening to me and my family. He has stayed with me when all I can is to weep. My Savior has give me Paul, who loves me and gives me what I need even when I don't know what that is. Paul, who has taught me about looking to Jesus in a way I never have before. My Savior has stayed me in the middle of the night when terror was all I had, and He calmed me and kept tell me how much He loves me. And my Savior has walked me through to peace, a peace I never could have imagined to have. But I do now. Do I still have fears? Oh, more than every before. But I a new confidence in God's work and that He protects me in the midst of fear and weakness. I pray that God will be working in your lives, too. That we trust what HE IS DOING. And as we learn to trust we are learning to LOVE Jesus in a new way.
I am asking God that my words have communicated to you ... despite my frailty of not even having words.
I have one last thing to share, before getting to leave for radiation. Please listen to this wonderful song and join me in loving Jesus because of it. "
Please pray for this woman, who has within minutes of knowing Paul and I, made an unbelievable impact on our lives. Pray for her family.
beth has a husband named paul. three kids and a daughter in law.
ReplyDeletewow. prayers for her and her family, most definitely.
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