Dear Melissa,
Well, this week you were finally healed of cancer. You weren’t healed in the way that many of us were praying, but God healed you allowing you to defeat death and enter in His presence.
I just wanted to take a second to say “thank-you” for being such an inspiration to me and so many others. You were an inspiration to me long before you were diagnosed cancer, but God used you in a powerful way in my life over this past year.
Watching you serve in Kidz World, go on a mission trip, and lead a Bible study while in the midst of fighting cancer did something to my heart. You truly allowed God’s light to shine through you in the darkest of days.
I snapped this picture of you and Lance on my phone at the church picnic just a few weeks ago. I can’t tell you how much I enjoyed the conversation we had over lunch. We talked about life, vacations, and family. At the end you encouraged me to “stop working the picnic” and go hang with my family. I know you had a heightened sense of what was really important in life.
This weekend I spent time jotting down notes about your life. It amazes me how you have impacted so many people in such a short time. I’m reminded looking through these notes that we have one pass at life. I’m so thankful you didn’t settle for a mediocre life.
It’s now Monday morning and I’m preparing for your send-off party we’re going to have at church in a few hours. I’m praying it will turn out just as you wanted, one more opportunity for God to be glorified through your life!
We miss you. Lance misses you. I know Thomas misses you. But we will move forward. We will move forward, but never be the same. For God has allowed our lives to be enriched from simply walking this path of life with you. What a gift!
I loved being your pastor,
Pete
My thoughts and prayers go out to this family.
Cross Point will always be a little empty without Melissa’s wonderful smile. We are all so much richer for having her in our
presence
What a beautiful tribute. Im praying for this family and your church.
I’m sorry for the loss. What a great post about life!
Melissa S. was such an amazing woman. Her commitment to service never stopped being her passion and priority…even when it seemed that she would have been justified in focusing on herself for a while. Even without knowing her very well, I learned much from her, and am grateful to have had her impact in my life.
An amazing life! God was honored and we were all blessed because of her.
thanks for sharing Pete
I hope I will have lived my life in such a way that someone will be able to write a letter like that about me one day
What a tribute, Pete! Very well said! I have lost a precious, close friend, a Bible study leader, and a sister in Christ! However, I view it not as loss…for it is temporary…but as what I have gained from having her in my life: an appreciation to always be studying the growing in the Word, an appreciate and love for good music, a love for fellowship with other believers, a servant’s heart, a strong will coupled with a soft side, and a determination to fight the good fight and finish the race. Sissuh, as I called her, finished with honors and is now reaping the reward for that! As she put it just before we left for the DR: “Don’t worry about me. I’ll be having a blast!” Have a blast, Sissuh, and I’ll see you soon! I miss you, I love you, and I am grateful for your life and your testimony in death.
“Lis”
What a blessing to have known such a precious heart as Melissa’s!
Sherry and I got to meet Lance and Melissa last summer in the Dominican Republic. It was an honor to get to know them during that week. Everyone had so much fun and was in awe of Melissa’s faith in God and love for others.
I remember settting behind Melissa in one of our many “piled in” van trips while there. She had just completed a round of chemo before coming and towards the end of our week her hair had begun to fall out. She was undetered. As we drove through the streets of Santiago Melissa and I spoke and I reached up and rubbed her on the shoulder. I then noticed her hair in my hand. It is a moment I will never forget. I wondered where I would be if I were in her position. Would I be that brave? Would I be that focused on others or just have a pity party for myself? Today I am still afraid of the answers to those questions.
Melissa a piece of your faith became my faith that day. Sherry and I have carried you and Lance in our hearts this past year. While in the DR a couple of weeks ago you were still on everyones hearts and minds and I am sure will be forever.
May God allow us all to love according to the example Melissa set for us. You have been the face of Christ for so many during your struggles and I am honored he allowed me to know you.
Lance we love you and are praying for you. Your brother in Christ.
Oh Pete, I’m sorry your congregation lost such a wonderful gal. Temorarially, anyway. Heaven’s gain though. Surly she is blessed to have you as her “social chair” for her homecoming party. You are a phenomenal pastor, for sure.
My mother-in-law was also recently healed in the presence of the Lord, as some day we all will be. God’s ways are all for his good but sometimes it just isn’t for us to understand, but I still miss her.
i know the devastation of cancer a bit too closely and i am so sorry for this family and your church family as you are grieving. if there is anything i can say, it is just an AMEN to that she is now healed.
You’ve all been in my thoughts and prayers all morning!
what a beautiful and touching letter, Pete. i’m sad that i never got to meet melissa. i would see her at church front and center, and it always made me smile that she was there. she had a strong, stubborn kind of faith when so many would have let cancer get them down, but she continued to be a light. i think i could learn a lot from her example. i know her presence will be missed in that front row and in the church, and my prayers are with Lance and Thomas.
What an amazing tribute! My prayers go out to everyone who was involved in her life. I’m truly inspired to live life to the fullest right now! Thank you.
Tears fill my eyes now…Melissa has touched more people than I bet she ever really knew. Her desire to serve God always amazed me. We will miss you Melissa!
Praying for you and this family…
The magnitude with which Melissa touched your life was genuinely felt today. What a tribute to such an amazing woman!
I’m not going to pretend that I knew Melissa better than some that spoke at her funeral today, but she has made a positive impact on my life and my family’s life.
I am grateful that my wife and I served alongside her and Lance in the DR. While there, Melissa loved hard and worked hard. I am glad that her spirit will live on in the DR.
I am also humbled by your service in KidsWorld. While some might see “sign in” as a unimportant job, Lance and Melissa have made that a very personal first impression for kids and parents. Just your joyful presence, puts people at ease.
Thank you both for being an example of servant hood for me and all of Cross Point.
Well done, Melissa. Well done!
What a beautiful tribute. I am so sorry for your loss. Praying for your church and for Melissa’a family. Shelby
Pete, you did an amazing job today….through the tears and all, tore us up!! We are so blessed to have you as our caring, loving, wonderful pastor. Rest assured, you will be doing my funeral too (when the day comes).. and I don’t want you crying, I want you LAUGHING…. because that’s what you make me do!!
Melissa was well loved by all…she will be remembered, forever.
I had to respond to this one Pete. I sat and cried when I read your letter to Melissa – for 2 reasons. One, it was beautiful and I’ve been praying for her as I passed by her road every single day even though in my mind I didn’t know her. And two, I realized with your picture of her that I did know her, not personally but yet I felt like I did. Back when we were at Gower and I brought my little grandchildren a couple of times a month, she was always there to greet them and ask about them if one didn’t come. I will always remember her kindness. I will continue to pray for her family.
When I attended Crosspoint I got to work with her a few times in KidzWorld. She had such a servant’s heart. Her family is in my thoughts and prayers.
Thank you Melissa for teaching us about how to better live and love others. I always admired your willingness to serve others in life, but I really was blown away about how you handled death. You had such a peace throughout your battle and you willingly gave your struggle up to God. I know the light of heaven shines a bit brighter tonight because all are celebrating your return home. We will miss your beautiful smile here on earth and we can’t wait to join you at God’s table real soon.
What an inspiration! I am so humbled. God, please help us learn to let your light shine through us in our darkest days. Our prayers are with this family.
Pete~
Thankyou for the words spoken today…truly when Melissa found God she ran with him. She was a Godly mentor and was God’s lifeline to bringing me back to Him and giving me a newfound passion for studying the word…I am so thankful for Melissa…two of her best attributes were her authenticity and her persistence…I cant wait to see her again. Until then I pray God gives me the grace to run the race the way she did…
When he shall die,
Take him and cut him out in little stars,
And he will make the face of heaven so fine
That all the world will be in love with night…
-William Shakespeare
I was sad when I read your blog today… it’s been a year since we’ve been at CP, but I remembered Melissa vividly and how she greeted us each Sunday and found things we had in common so she could connect with us. It was HUGE to have her there each Sunday as a constant. I know she’s shining even brighter in the presence of God’s glory than she did here on earth, but that doesn’t make us miss her less.
RESURGAM
Thank you, Pete for being the voice of Melissa at her send off yesterday–her beautiful life was lived to the fullest for Christ. She was the walking gospel. You and Tom did an amazing job celebrating her spirit!
I met Melissa last year on the Dominican team. And, although I have only seen them a few times since our trip, she and Lance have been such an inspiration to me. I was saddened that I had not had the opportunity to know her better, but then I realized that I and others will have an eternity to spend with this beautiful soul.
Pete, this brings tears to my eyes.
I met Lance and Melissa about 4 or 5 years ago when they moved in right next door to me. We would talk often when we were out walking our dogs or just hanging out outside and I remember them telling me about this church that they attended and how AWESOME it was. They always spoke of Cross Point with the biggest smiles on their faces and told me about how wonderful Pastor Pete was along with the rest of the staff there. The thing that finally got through to me that I needed to go check this place out was when I saw Melissa and Thomas filling the trunk of their car with toilet paper so they could go roll the youth pastor’s house! I thought to myself then that Cross Point had to be a good place to be if you can go roll one of the pastors there! When I mentioned this story to Lance the other day, he laughed and said “Oh yeah! We ended up rolling the wrong house though!” How funny!
So thank you, Lance and Melissa, for being such a great voice for Cross Point! I finally listened and I started to go to church there about 2 years ago and have now decided to become an “official” member. I have also been in a small group where I have made some great new friends. I owe it all to you guys!
Thank you!