“…the most beautiful voice I ever heard spoke my name. “Sandra, take the bullets out of the gun.”
The people around our dining room table were spellbound listening to the testimony of Sandra Wright, the song evangelist at our church’s mission conference in the early ‘90’s. My “writer’s ears” pricked up, sensing a story worth writing.
This encounter around our dinner table led to Touched by Grace, an article published in Guideposts in August, 1995, (for which I was Sandra’s “ghost writer”) and a lifelong friendship with my sister, Sandra.
Since she lived in Meadville and I lived in Sandy Lake, it took intentional planning for our friendship to flourish, but it was so worth it. Our birthdays were just five days apart, so we often planned a get-together in June, but we saw each other more frequently than that. If I was going to Meadville or Erie, I often called or just stopped by to visit or we made plans for her to come to Sandy Lake.
I also visited Sandra in the hospital at various times when health issues took her there. I don’t remember why Sandra was in the hospital on this occasion or what we were discussing, but I remember quoting a phrase from “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross.” Love so amazing so divine, demands my soul, my life, my all. Sandra got her Oh, this blesses me so much look on her face and said, “Say that again, Sister Daisy.” She closed her eyes and soaked up the truth of songwriter, Isaac Watts’, words. It was the desire of her heart to serve her Savior in a way that demanded her soul, her life, her all.
Our friendship was a two-way street. Sometimes I picked her up when she was down, at other times she did the same for me. When I was struggling during our ministry in Japan, Sandra asked me succinctly, “Have you found your ‘God-place’ over there yet?” (She knew well that Presque Isle in Erie was my God-place in the U.S.) Since my answer was “No,” she said, “You’d better be finding it!” I did find it at the Shinjuku Goen (Park) and God met me there.
On November 20, 2019, while I was having my quiet time, I received what would be my last communication from Sandra. She began as she often did, “Hello my flower friend. I’m texting to ask for prayer and to let you know I’m in the hospital for heart surgery.” (Followed, of course, by a purple heart—Sandra loved purple and hearts.)
I’m so thankful I responded immediately to learn more about her condition and then to pray with her online. I prayed for healing, of course, not knowing that the Lord would choose to heal her completely by taking her to heaven a few days later.
While I have no doubt that God was not surprised by any of this, I was unprepared to lose the earthly presence of my friend. The past five years or so, my attempts to get together had failed and too much time had passed since I’d seen her, although we kept in touch through Facebook. But I’m so thankful Sandra reached out to me one more time before her final journey. Our last exchange on Messenger has become so precious to me.
She ended our conversation by saying, “Thank you my dear sister.” (And of course, another purple heart.) Thank you, my dear Sister Sandra, for the joy and privilege of being your friend. My life has been richer and more blessed because of our friendship. Save a place for me!
Father, thank you for connecting us with people who will enrich our lives and share the joy of being brothers and sisters in Christ. Give Sister Sandra our love as she enjoys the pleasure of your presence in a greater way than every before. Amen
