Thursday, July 19, 2012

To live is Christ...Remembering Cheyenne


"For me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain"

I am studying Philippians during my quiet time right now. Philippians 1:15-21 is where I am camping right now. I have tons of questions but after starting to pack for She Speaks and preparing to write this week's blog something occurred.

Each week, I go to my iPhoto to find a picture or two to go with my blog. Tonight, I saw my album titled, "Cheyenne." Many readers of this blog did not have the pleasure of knowing Cheyenne during her brief time with us. Cheyenne went home to be with our Lord on July 28th, 2010. She touched many lives in her brief time here.



I had the pleasure of knowing Cheyenne. I babysat her and her little brother for a brief period of time. Her family went to our church. Her parents were in a bible study with me.

Her family visited with us at our home church right before they found out she had a rare form of cancer. They initially thought she had injured herself on a trampoline during a stop on the way back to Oklahoma. Their living in another state made it that we did not see her during her illness. 
Cheyenne truly understood the meaning of "For me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain."
This young in physical age but mature in her faith walk pre-teen had two memorial services. One in Oklahoma and one in North Carolina.

 I remember talking to a young woman at the NC memorial that a few years before had been in a college class with me. This young woman told me, "I never met Cheyenne but heard about her through a family member's boyfriend. Watching how brave she was and how much she loved God brought me back to God." This touched me. When people saw Cheyenne, they didn't see a child with cancer. No, they saw Christ. 

I want to live my life like Cheyenne did as a Third Line Christian. Pastor Craig Groeschel describes the Third Line Christian as "I believe in God and Christ's gospel enough to give my life to it."  

This person lives with the attitude I'm willing to give my whole life to further God's kingdom. 

I desire nothing more than I desire all of God. 

This is exactly how Cheyenne lived her life. 

We still have the challenge nearly two years later...Are we willing to be like Cheyenne and be a Third Line Christian?

On a side note: I am traveling to She Speaks 2012 tomorrow. Pray for all 650+ women that are converging on Charlotte, NC. God has also opened the door for me to meet with an agent and a publisher while there. I want only what God has for me. Thanks for your prayers. May we desire nothing more than we desire all of God. Be a Third Line Christian.

5 comments:

  1. Cheyenne's Mom shared this on my FB posting of this blog post:

    "Been thinking about her a lot lately. Thanks for honoring her. Thanks for the reminder of how she lived her life and how each of us should live ours. She was truly and inspiration. I want nothing more than people to see Christ when they look at me like they did in Cheyenne. I was so blessed to be her mom!"

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  2. Dawn this is truly beautiful. I knew Cheyenne before everything happened I am a cancer survivor and I am so blessed to know a talented and gifted young lady. She was one of my many inspirations to keep fighting my battle. Though I miss her dearly, she will be forever a good friend and inspiration.

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    1. Yes Chey was a special young lady. Thanks for sharing and remembering her this week with me.

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  3. Chey was the cutest and spunkest little girl. Very bold, ministering Christ to all the kids and families on the floor of the hospital she was in. She had fun in the hospital, sick bed was not for her. She twirled on the IV poles, she squirted the foam hand cleaner, she drew on her friends bald head and her friend drew on hers. She had signatures all over her back brace and was prepared to have you sign after she picked a fine spot. I found out there were LOTS of fun things to do if you are creative. I know she must be game coordinator for children in heaven!!

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    1. I have heard of many of the stories of her time in the hospital. She was always making others smile. :-)

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In Christ,
Dawn
dawn.whitmore@comcast.net