This is a picture of me with my Debbie. The thing is with Ms. Debbie, a lot of people claim her as their own. She's just that kind of lady. She has been in my life since I was a little girl. She's done my hair since I was a teenager. Did my hair for all my dances and special events. She was our Life Group leader, attended our church, her kids attended our school for awhile. She's simply always been around my life.
Ms. Debbie committed my barren womb to prayer. She sought God on my behalf so that I could be a mother. She has prayed for me so often -- especially when I have been crippled by anxiety or fear for my husband during this COVID pandemic. We are a team Ms. Debbie and I.
And today is her birthday!
I know this has not been an easy year for anyone but the last year and a half has been especially challenging for this woman and her family. In April of 2019, Debbie lost one of her tribe: her youngest son, Christopher. Christopher, went home to Jesus after an undiagnosed heart defect took his life while he was running on his treadmill. (It was a similar defect, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, to the one that famously took the lives of professional athletes Hank Gather and Reggie Lewis.) Later that year, she lost her mother as well. Grams was one awesome lady and her loss was also profound on this family.
She and her husband Eddie and her children have started a foundation: Young Influencers Foundation where they are keeping Christopher's memory alive. (You can also visit the website here.) In addition, her daughter, Carrie, has written for my Blog, and she and her husband, Joe, are currently the couple we are sponsoring through Because of Isaac.
Today, as I sit home healing from COVID, I want to wish Ms. Debbie a very, very, very merry birthday. I know she is so happy to be here with those she loves but also dreaming of the celebrations in heaven with Christopher and her mother.
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