Betty

today marks the one year anniversary of the day our dear betty got her ultimate promotion.  i wrote about betty here the day before she passed last january.  she was, until her last moment, wholly invested in proclaiming the truth of the gospel. you can read her obituary here, which was written so beautifully.

when i thought about how to remember her today, i decided that i would post the remarks i shared at her funeral.

My name is Laura and about a year ago my husband and I had the privilege of starting a community group with Matt and Betty and a few other people.  Betty burst on to the scene in my life, and has maintained a huge presence even until now.

When Matt asked me to speak today, I was both honored and anxious at the same time.  Attempting to articulate what Betty Bristol means to me is nearly an impossible task.   I am sure each of you would struggle in the same way I have, trying to think of the most important point.  I could talk about the powerful way in which Betty, just by example, taught every woman around her how to be a supportive, uplifting, loving and submissive wife.  I could talk about the way that Betty brought every conversation back to how good God is, even when she and Matt had just gotten off the phone with oncologists giving them yet another grim prognosis.  I could talk about how she made our community group her family, invited us in every week, and showered us with that Betty love.  I could talk about her graceful hostessing, making everyone feel welcome and important.

Ultimately though, the biggest impact Betty had on my life, was showing me what it looks like to love the good news of the Gospel more than anything else.  She loved it more than her own social and physical comfort, and was willing to take it into the most uncomfortable situations.  She loved it more than her pride, and was always willing to submit to is and confess her failures in front of us.  And, as she so graciously showed us, she loved it more than more than her own life.  She really did count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus her Lord.  Betty really got it, she really loved the Good News.  And it was never enough for her that she got it, she wanted everyone else in Richmond, America, this  continent and the whole world to get it too.  And I am sure Christ has said to her well done, my good and faithful servant, well done.  

Well Done Betty.  Well Done