A week after Thanksgiving, I was surprised to receive a notice from Hannibal Books that said Jan’s book, An Uncommon Faith, had sold over 100 copies during the month of November. “Wow,” I thought, “who is buying the book?” I looked up the book on Amazon.com and saw that it had moved up significantly in their sales rank. “What’s going on,” I wondered.
When Sara and I first printed An Uncommon Faith, our intention was to make enough copies to give to family and friends. When others began asking for copies, we had more printed. The book was eventually picked up and published by Hannibal Books. I really don’t know how many copies have been bought, but I’m blessed from time to time by someone who will write and say that they have read it.
Still, 100 copies in one month was highly unusual. Then a friend emailed us that An Uncommon Faith had been chosen by the Southern Baptist WMU (Women’s Missionary Union) as their December Book of the Month for their Shades of Read program and featured in their December Missions Mosaic magazine.
It blesses me to know that Jan’s testimony continues. December 31 would have been her 55th birthday and our 28th wedding anniversary. It was exactly 5 years ago today that I knelt by Jan’s hospital bedside in ICU, asking her that if the doctor’s assessment was correct, was she ready to go. And with a big smile, she assured me, “I’ve been ready for a long time.”
Every few days I’m reminded by her absence of limitations in my ministry and of the void in my life. I miss her. But I wouldn’t wish her away from the eternal joy she is experiencing now in God’s presence and in her heavenly home. Every once in a while I’ll imagine her looking down on me from heaven’s window, shaking her head at me because I still haven’t changed in the areas I should, and I still fall short in being the father I should. But I suspect she finds enough in the lives of her children to keep her smiling.
Thank you, Jan, for being a loyal wife, a wonderful mother, a dependable friend, and a godly woman with an uncommon faith.
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2 comments:
Thanks Mark for remembering! I expecting Hannah and Martha to arrive in Vinton tomorrow. Bill
Mark,
I am too remembering her smile, all the songs she and the children sang, how she would stop what she was doing and pray for you right then. She made time for all of us.
How I miss her and the children. Is hard to even call them children,
they are all now grown young adults with the heart of their parents. You and Jan did very well in bring up the blessings that God gave you both,...the children.
When I visited Jan's "Land Plot" as she called it; I knew she was not there. Just a piece of land that held her ill body. She was in the most peaceful place were there is no cancer, pain, and sickness. As I stood there, remembering her voice, smile, hugs, and encouragement. All I could do was say "Thank you, Heavenly Father for the time I had with my Sweet Sister in Jesus." I could her voice saying "Press on"
She left this earth into the God's arms; she left a life time of joy, singing, and praise for all of us to hold close to our hearts.
Miss you all, Melinda Tamplin
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