I'm so proud of this woman! She has the purest heart and the most amazing depth of character. She poured her heart, life, and love into my parents and brightened their lives during their darkest days. And after I lost my parents and was whittled down to a miserable pile of anger & depression she would sit by my side EVERYDAY and listened to me confess my deepest hurts & disappointments day after day after day after day after day. As I tried to daily process and articulate the internal crisis I was drowning in she would quietly and without judgement just listen to me say almost the same thing hour after hour after hour, day after day after day. At my most rock bottom, like Jonah & Elijah in the Bible, I just longed to die... that longing lasted a couple of years. I will never be able to put into words how vital of a role she played in my survival, and now she plays in my revival (thank You Jesus!). Just recently I learned that after she would listen to me for hours and I would go on to bed suffocating on my own self absorption & depression, she sometimes would kneel down outside my bedroom window and pray for me before she went home. God used her to save my life, and to save this ministry. God created her in a unique way and put her in a unique position FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS. Laurie often feels like she belongs on the island of the misfit toys, but like Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer the "red nose" that people see as "misfit" is actually what's needed most in the foggiest and darkest of nights to save Christmas. Laurie isn't misfit... she's special ops... she was created and made with a bright red nose to be there for people in their darkest & foggiest hours to help lead the way through the fog on into the celebration. I watched her do that with my parents. I watched her do that with her grandma and other loved ones. And I watched her do that with me. She often feels less than ordinary when in reality she is extraordinary. She is the person you want and need in your life during your darkest and foggiest hours. Thank you Laurie for all you do and have done for me, for others, and for this ministry. I'm forever grateful for you and how God made you! Aaaaaaaaand thank you so much for working tirelessly to make our upcoming Annual Banquet a great success on top of all of your Realtor responsibilities. You! Are! Extraordinary!
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