R-E-S-P-E-C-T

She was the Queen of Soul.

She sang for Presidents.

She sang in her father's church choir.

She was a beloved mother and grandmother.

She was adored as an artist.

She was 76 years old.

This morning at 9:50am, Aretha Franklin lost her battle with pancreatic cancer.

The loss is enormous.  The world is a quieter place today without her voice...

There will be tears and grief, and accolades and memories shared over the coming days.  She was an amazing woman, strong and resilient, but pancreatic cancer was stronger.  And it makes my heart hurt.

According to Dr. Phillips, Aretha's oncologist, she suffered from the rarer neuroendocrine pancreatic cancer tumors.  These tumors only affect about 6% of pancreatic cancer sufferers.

Most pancreatic cancer cases are exocrine or adenocarcinoma cancers.  That was the name given to mom's cancer.

But in the end, it doesn't really matter what the doctors call it.  Pancreatic cancer is deadly.  So very ruthless.

And no respecter of persons. Aretha Franklin knows. You can demand
R-E-S-P-E-C-T all day long, but pancreatic cancer is brutal. You may be Rich or Poor.  Young or Old.  Man or Woman.  Famous Celebrity or an Ordinary, Beloved Mom...

This cancer does not care, leaving in its wake a nightmare of suffering and grief.

And if that was the end, this would be a very sad day.

A friend shared his pastor's sermon from this past Sunday, and I find it perfectly timed.  God knew there would be questions... there have always been questions... about His Goodness. His Sovereignty.

For how can a good God allow such sorrow and pain?  The debate has roared throughout the centuries.  From the time of Adam and Eve and a garden, the brokenness has brought humanity back to God either on their knees or with fists raised...

The pastor was clear and passionate as he shared from Romans 8:18-28.

"God is not a God who causes suffering, but He will not waste it."

I needed to hear this, today, truth proclaimed,

"God's goodness is not locked in an outcome.  God's goodness is locked in His Character.  He uses the brokenness of our story to mold us, shape us into the image of His son."

The sorrow doesn't magically disappear.  Oh, but He will not waste it.

This passage in Romans is so rich with Hope.  And Hope is what we so surely need when the suffering turns our days to night.

Mom shared this poem with us shortly after she was diagnosed with cancer:

Cancer is so limited.

It cannot cripple love,

It cannot shatter hope,

It cannot corrode faith,

It cannot destroy peace,

It cannot kill friendship,

It cannot suppress memories,

It cannot silence courage,

It cannot invade the soul,

It cannot steal eternal life,

It cannot conquer the Spirit.

                               ~ Author Unknown

It Can Not Conquer the Spirit.

This is the Hope we cling to this night,

In Grace, Always,

            Jane