I attended church in California this weekend. It’s a relatively small congregation that’s mostly elderly, and I went because my grandpa goes there. I love to see faith through the eyes of the people I know. And frankly, I also love to see the revelation of God described in different ways, by different traditions and denominations than my own. It’s like asking twenty people all staring at the same sunrise to describe what they see. The words they use may be different but at the end of the day they are all marveling at that same glorious light.

I walked in behind a woman in her 90s and her friendly caregiver. They both smiled and took to their seats. My grandpa and I sat in the very back as he fiddled with a special headset they gave him to hear the preacher.

We sang “How Great Thou Art” and heard a sermon on fear and surrender, which always seems to be a pertinent reminder to leave the future in God’s hands.

As the service ended my grandpa grabbed his cane to hoist himself up.

He grinned and hugged me, “You can head home or over to the hall for fellowship. I’ve got to help clean up.” At ninety-two, he’s still a force to be reckoned with.

I thought about how badly I wanted to feel the sun on my face and the sand between my toes down at the beach. However, I also felt the Lord calling me to be in community with other believers so I decided to stay for a *quick* cup of coffee.

The meeting hall was full of tables and chairs and the smell of freshly brewed coffee. I sat down across from the same women I walked into church behind and that’s when I got to hear all about the remarkable life of Doris.

DORIS AND HER SINGING DOG

One of the biggest blessings in Doris’s life had been the deep friendship she shared with a dog named Kobe.

She got him certified as a therapy animal (back when that was not so common) and for the last fifteen years Doris took him everywhere -that included church.

“He sat right next to me in the pew all those years. They even held a memorial service for him here after he died. Everybody loved Kobe.”

At some point during his life, Kobe the dog learned how to howl-sing ‘Happy Birthday’ and he got so good at it that people at church would request him for their own celebrations. On the day of his memorial service, they projected a video of Kobe bark-singing his favorite tune.

“That was a tough one, losing him.” Doris looked at her hands.

I asked her what having Kobe did to her faith. Fifteen years together is a significant amount of time.

“You know, I never thought about it until now.. but I think he gave me the strength to leave a bad relationship and learn how to support myself. All the years I had him I never even thought about needing anyone else.”

After a string of unsuccessful relationships, this was a big win for Doris.

We talked about how incredible it is to be able to look back and see God’s loving hand, guiding and teaching us throughout life.

“God is so good,” I offered.

“All the time,” she agreed.

Then Doris perked up as she remembered perhaps her favorite story to date of witnessing for Christ.

“There was that one time I was a caregiver for an atheist on hospice. They said she only had six months but we got sixteen!” She smiled proudly.

As Doris cooked, cleaned, and cared for this woman, it felt like a constant spiritual battle.

“I never stopped saying grace at meals with her, though. I did it silently to myself, so as not to offend, but I never stopped.”

Doris’s unwavering faith and incredible joy perplexed her atheist client on a daily basis until finally the woman dying of kidney disease turned to Doris and asked: “Why are you so happy all the time?!”

I asked if this was when she shared the gospel.

“Well, I didn’t want to offend, so not exactly, but I did tell her about church, how it’s my family. I told her I go every Sunday.”

Was that enough to turn a dying woman into a saved one? Surely she needed someone to explain the specifics of salvation for it to work…?

Doris continued, “Right before the woman passed, I was in the back room at her house with the window open doing dishes. She was on the patio and didn’t see me, but I heard her cry out, ‘God help me!’… She died not long after.”

I sat across the table, stunned.

“She finally surrendered, I think, and then God took her home. I’d like to believe I played a small part in that.”

What humility! Without a doubt, and probably unbeknownst to her, Doris was storing up a multitude of treasures in Heaven.

After sixteen months of praying silently and obediently beside a cynical, dying woman, her faith never wavered to the point of ceasing. She remained faithful to the task God had given her, even on the days when it seemed pointless. What a gift it is then when God shows us the fruit of our labor in such a timely manner, especially when that labor is tirelessly witnessing for Christ and the fruit is (arguable) proof of salvation days before someone takes their last breath.

Once we have tasted and seen the glory of God for ourselves, is there really anything sweeter than seeing it through the eyes of a new believer?

Today I pray that you take heart and continue to proclaim the Good News in both word and action, even to the deafest of ears. God alone knows the impact you are making for his kingdom.