Ellen Leverett

There are some people that you meet in this life that you consider a good friend. You may not know the person overly well, and yet you feel as though you do. You may not see that person very often, but when you do, you speak as though no time has passed by. You laugh and tell stories and catch up without the feeling that you're catching up. You feel as close to this person as you would your own brother or sister.

Ellen Leverett was one of those friends. Today is a day where we mourn the loss of that friend. At the age of 52, she lost her battle with cancer and in the Providence of Jesus, He decided to take her this past Wednesday. She has now entered her rest and is most certainly present with our Lord.

This morning's funeral/memorial service was a fantastic testimony to Ellen's faith in her Lord. Her husband and also another one of those "friends" stood up and gave a testimony about her faith in the resurrection of Christ and His people. He then turned and used the opportunity to remind those who had gathered that all must come to repentance and faith in Christ. In Gerald's deepest time of grief, he was still able to remember His Lord and turn to Him for comfort. As in the words of Peter in return to Jesus' question, "Do you want to go away as well?"

Peter, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God."

To the family of Gerald and Ellen Leverett I want to say publicly how encouraged I am in you perseverance during a time of most difficult struggle. May the Lord our God grant you all an abundance of grace during your time of loss.