DONNA REMEMBERED 57 YEARS LATER

DONNA REMEMBERED ON HER 56^TH BIRTHDAY

By her parents: Don and Ruthanne Phillips

Yesterday would have been Donna’s 56^th birthday. Ruthanne & I have been talking about some “Precious Memories” about Donna and will share some of them with you. I remember being awakened about 1: 00 AM 56 years ago and driving Ruthanne to the Miss. Frieses Maternity Hospital in Bakersfield where Donna was born. I remember that I wasn’t allowed in the delivery room but I got as close as I could and heard Donna’s first but not her last cry. I cried also with deep joy and gratitude when I held her in my arms for the first time as I welcomed her into our world. (It was like I was reliving history when I saw Jeremy holding our newborn Mary Esther.) Thirty six years later, and after she and Richard became the parents of Abby, Jeremy, Rachel and Ruthie, we released her into the arms of Jesus. Some day we all will join her to never be separated again.

We remember that at the age of 12 Donna was baptized in the Holy Spirit and for her remaining 24 years she lived totally sold out to Jesus and became a vessel that God could pour into and out of to impact many lives for His glory. She loved to worship and wrote several worship songs. She displayed great courage and faith as she faced the pain in the last three years of her life.

Ruthanne told me this morning that she could visualize Donna singing and dancing before her Bridegroom Jesus. We see Donna in all four of her precious children which makes it easier for us to deal with her absence here on earth. Her children and grandchildren have so much of her spiritual DNA. We see her love for God, his Word, and desire to worship growing in her children and grandchildren.

We are so grateful that her family has the same wonderful gift of loving and accepting people unconditionally and having the gift of hospitality. We know their mother is recoicing and so are we that Donna continues to live on in the lives of her children and grandchildren.

‘We know she would be so pleased that Richard and their family is growing deeper in love with Jesus every day. We also would be so very pleased that her grandchildren are being raised to love and serve Jesus. We also know that she would be blessed to know her brothers Denny and Rod are growing in their relationship with God. “

Because we all have put our faith in Jesus as Savior we will all be with Him and each other for all eternity and never again be separated."Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is. And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.” ( I John 3: 2, 3)