People, and their needs, never seemed to overwhelm Karen. She gave of herself freely. She never turned anyone away. She always had time to invite someone into her home. Her unselfish life was a true reflection of the pure radiance of Jesus Christ. 

One day, cancer invaded Karen’s body, but not her soul. Her last three weeks on earth were spent at the Life Care Center. Though her earthly life was coming to a close, Karen was still impacting lives for eternity—even mine.

Walking into Karen’s room, I felt God’s power. His presence was so strong, there was no denying it.  Although I was not able to be with Karen from the beginning of her illness, I was drawn to her in those last precious days. What felt awkward at first changed dramatically as the Holy Spirit whispered to me, “I need you to be here because I am going to begin a new work. One so amazing you will not fully understand until I reveal it to you.”

How can this be happening to our Karen? I thought. This woman I came to in my loneliest moments while waiting for a child; the woman who reassured me I would be a mother in God’s time. While I read to her devotions about God’s love and mercy, God began showing me things about Himself. Things I had never really pondered before. These valuable lessons stirred a hunger for more.

I was not alone with Karen during these last days. Along with her family, many of her friends were there showing their love and admiration for their precious friend. Though there was loneliness, heartache, and sadness as we each were coming to grips with the inevitable, I could also see how God’s grace was flowing through the room with warmth, love, and compassion.

Karen was making a difference in their lives even as she rested and talked with God. I was blessed to be a part of  these precious moments. I wanted to say out loud, “Do you feel the light breeze in the room?  The power of the Holy Spirit is present here. Can  you feel Him?” God was there in the room working and moving.

As her time was drawing to an end, I felt the need to do something. As I prayed, asking the Lord what He  wanted me to do, I heard Him clearly say, “Wash her feet.”

As our Lord humbly washed the feet of the disciples, I began to wash Karen’s feet. With tears in my eyes, I massaged them lovingly without fear or awkwardness, fully surrendered to God’s gentle command.

It was a privilege to serve my friend in this way, and I relished in the moment of God’s awesome presence with us. I could only imagine how Karen was seeing her Savior calling her home as she relaxed in the ebb and flow of the washing and massaging. When I was done, I felt the need to slip out of the room. Karen was ushered into heaven only an hour after I left.

It’s been years since my experience with Karen and the washing of her feet, and I still do not fully comprehend why God chose me to serve her in this way. But, I have learned to heed the nudge of the Spirit, to act when God instructs me to, and to serve with humility those He puts in my path, because when we obey His voice, He is glorified and we are immeasurably blessed. 

MYRA INGARGIOLA

Is a wife, mom, grand and great-grandmother. She is a speaker, writer, Bible Study teacher, and a Special Education teacher. Myra's deepest passion is to show others how  to weave a tapestry of our life's threads in Christ Jesus' unrelenting love, redeeming grace, and gracious mercy, to one day present it as a love offering when we are called home.