Our hearts are heavy this morning upon receiving even more disheartening news of our friend, teacher and mentor….
Please pray for the Schmidt family.
Susan meant a lot to me. Here’s what I wrote on the family’s website today after hearing of her death this morning:
It was exactly a year ago this week that I was in the lovely Schmidt home. We had flown in to Oklahoma on our way to work in Africa, and then, almost immediately, Joel left to be with his family after the death of his cousin from cancer. It was a rough week for us, and I remember Susan being so….Susan.
I sat at the bar in the kitchen as she told me about the research she was doing for Precept’s study on Revelation. She had a lot of questions that she would like to ask God because she hoped she was getting her study right, so she’d teach truth to her class. Based on the amount of time she spent studying, I’d say she was probably pretty close. But, think of all the answers she has today!
We talked a lot about Heaven that chilly afternoon (over some yummy comfort food — we shared a love for sweet potatoes, so she made sure she was stocked up for my arrival!). And, of course, neither of us could have known that she would know all about the glory of the Lord firsthand, just a year from then. I just wish she could pop back down here for a little while to teach one more class!
Now, we’re on our own, looking at life without her perspective. We’ll never get to see Ed brew up a hot cappuccino for her as he sends her out the door for a busy day at work. Or laugh with Sarah and Laura at the jokes of their classy mother.
I’ve started a Precept class of my own here in Central America. She made a lot of what we do possible because she supported the work that Ed does around the globe. And, I have to say, as I prepare my lessons and try to make the class feel more comfortable as we dig into God’s Word, more than once I’ve had to remind myself that my model is Christ, not Susan Schmidt! 🙂 I guess it helps that I just can’t bring myself to call anyone “Sugar.”
Oh, I loved that woman! I’ll miss emailing her with my questions! (I don’t know, can you get email in Heaven? That would be a big bonus for me!)
Ed, Sarah, Laura & Jonathan, our hearts ache as we think of the loss that you are experiencing now and will always feel. All of us feel a small piece of that with you. But, how grateful we are that God’s mercies were new this morning…..this morning at 2 a.m.
Krista