the excellent ones
A few summers ago I memorized Psalm 16. One of my favorite portions of it says this, "As for the saints in the land, they are the excellent ones, in whom is all my delight." Why do I love these words? The older I get, the more I see how the "saints in the land" are few, precious, and truly excellent. Watching the lives of the saints fuels my faith and sharpens my sanctified soul.
Getting to know the saints of THIS land, the Bahamas, has been a joy and pleasure. So today, I introduce you to one. Meet Keva.
The first thing you will remark on when you meet Keva is her joy. Her eyes will twinkle, her warmth will radiate. You'll want to be her friend. You could easily walk away from Keva never knowing that she has suffered and is currently suffering in her body. She is in complete kidney failure and she is only 47. She was 42 when she was diagnosed, at which time her kidneys were already down to 25% of their function. The cells in her kidneys are literally dying, and her kidneys are shrinking down to nothing.
The next thing you may not find out in just your first meeting with Keva is that she is not only a single mother with a daughter now in college, but she was the sole breadwinner in a house of 4 woman. Keva's mother, grandmother, and daughter lived with her full-time up until last year. Her grandmother came to live at Keva's house when she had to have her leg amputated. This dear grandmother passed away soon after we arrived here and we had the privilege of attending the funeral. Keva's own suffering has produced great compassion for the suffering of others.
Yesterday, I got to fellowship with Keva on the phone for a while. She told me of the miraculous ways God has provided for her, both financially and health-wise. Her daughter was 3 weeks away from needing to leave for college, yet still without the required funds, when unexplained scholarships began to unearth for her. Keva was down to a "no other options" situation with her health, when suddenly a new member of the church, a surgeon, contacted her and told her of a new idea he had for her...and it worked.
And through any conversation I've had with this friend, this "saint in the land," she will not complain. She will not point to her own suffering, but ask you about yourself. She'll ask you about your family...the ones whom she knows are suffering. She will tell you she's been praying for you, for them. And you'll believe her. I know she is praying heavily for my mother-in-law, who continues her 7 year battle with ovarian cancer.
Yesterday Keva told me that the reason she still does so much for herself, even though others try to help, is that "Someday, I'm REALLY going to need help...and I don't want everyone to be exhausted by then!" Even in this, she is considering others. So she keeps going. Keeps working. Keeps getting up every morning, doing her dialysis at home, then walks through her bedroom door to her in-house business, her beauty shop, and works. At the end of every prayer you'll hear her say, "My Jesus, My God, My Savior." And tears will fill your eyes. You'll know these words, these names, come from deep within her soul. She is indeed "an excellent one...a saint in the land...in whom is all my delight."
The first thing you will remark on when you meet Keva is her joy. Her eyes will twinkle, her warmth will radiate. You'll want to be her friend. You could easily walk away from Keva never knowing that she has suffered and is currently suffering in her body. She is in complete kidney failure and she is only 47. She was 42 when she was diagnosed, at which time her kidneys were already down to 25% of their function. The cells in her kidneys are literally dying, and her kidneys are shrinking down to nothing.
The next thing you may not find out in just your first meeting with Keva is that she is not only a single mother with a daughter now in college, but she was the sole breadwinner in a house of 4 woman. Keva's mother, grandmother, and daughter lived with her full-time up until last year. Her grandmother came to live at Keva's house when she had to have her leg amputated. This dear grandmother passed away soon after we arrived here and we had the privilege of attending the funeral. Keva's own suffering has produced great compassion for the suffering of others.
Yesterday, I got to fellowship with Keva on the phone for a while. She told me of the miraculous ways God has provided for her, both financially and health-wise. Her daughter was 3 weeks away from needing to leave for college, yet still without the required funds, when unexplained scholarships began to unearth for her. Keva was down to a "no other options" situation with her health, when suddenly a new member of the church, a surgeon, contacted her and told her of a new idea he had for her...and it worked.
And through any conversation I've had with this friend, this "saint in the land," she will not complain. She will not point to her own suffering, but ask you about yourself. She'll ask you about your family...the ones whom she knows are suffering. She will tell you she's been praying for you, for them. And you'll believe her. I know she is praying heavily for my mother-in-law, who continues her 7 year battle with ovarian cancer.
Yesterday Keva told me that the reason she still does so much for herself, even though others try to help, is that "Someday, I'm REALLY going to need help...and I don't want everyone to be exhausted by then!" Even in this, she is considering others. So she keeps going. Keeps working. Keeps getting up every morning, doing her dialysis at home, then walks through her bedroom door to her in-house business, her beauty shop, and works. At the end of every prayer you'll hear her say, "My Jesus, My God, My Savior." And tears will fill your eyes. You'll know these words, these names, come from deep within her soul. She is indeed "an excellent one...a saint in the land...in whom is all my delight."
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