Making Her Mark

It is no coincidence that the sermon series for 2021 is about “Making Your Mark.” It is a call to action that is catchy and concise. You can guess that Pastor will discuss how we can make an impact on this world as Christians. Tomica loves the Lord, and ESPECIALLY loves a challenge, so I guess she decided to go all in.

When Ari called me Thursday morning, I KNEW. First of all, Ari rarely has her phone around. I usually text her AND Devin if I want something. It’s just more efficient. And secondly, it was 8 in the morning and Ari rarely calls me. When I heard her voice, my heart dropped into my stomach. I sat there in my car with my work bag. Now, I know I wasn’t in my right mind because I thought to myself that I should just go ahead and drive to work. I would deal with this later.

Bible Study Mama called me while I was sitting in my driveway. She told me she was on the way. She told me not to move. So, I did not move. I sat in my car. I did not know what to do. When she pulled up, the song “Strong God” was playing on the radio. And I thought we certainly need a strong God right now.

Understanding medical terminology is a blessing and a curse. The intellectual side of me knew that she was gone but that spiritual side was not backing down. So, we sat in a family room at the hospital. Talking….sometimes quiet……just waiting. Silently praying. Hoping. Wishing. Begging. And then the doctor came in and made it plain. Brain dead. Clinically dead. She’s gone.

But they still had to do one more test to determine if there was any blood flow to the brain. Y’all know that spiritual side kicked in and I got super deep. I thought “Man, Tomica testimony is about to be LIT!” See, me and her had been praying to see miracles, signs, and wonders all 2020. I was CONVINCED that they were going to come in and say they were wrong. I was CONVINCED that they would say that they had never seen a turn around like hers. I was wrong. They said that she is gone.

My entire body was shaking. I felt like I wasn’t even in my body. They felt so bad for us. Tomica is young and looks even younger in the face. They gave us grace in COVID times and allowed us to see her, touch her, talk to her before they removed the tubes. I did not go back there. I could not go back there. She is gone. The person I do life with is gone. That’s her shell.

Now, I need you to know that Tomica is not one for screaming and hollering when people pass away. Tears are fine but even then she’d side eye you if you got carried away. If she saw how I acted at the hospital, she would have cursed me out. I did not have control of my body. One thing, I knew for certain was that I could not do this.

Yet, here I am today. Breathing. And thinking about the numerous ways that Tomica makes her mark. I read Facebook posts from friends about her smile, laugh, and infectious spirit. I look at pictures and videos of her all day. They make me laugh. They make me cry. They just keep making a mark.

Baby, she didn’t play about life. She truly lived it. Her joy for life is infectious. Her giving spirit is catching. Her loud and bold love for Christ is unmatched. And if you spent any amount of time around her, you felt that. She made her mark on the world, and it will never be the same.

Will people say the same about you when you go? Will your love for Christ leave a mark on people everywhere you go? Or will bitterness, sadness, and strife be the naked marks that you leave behind? This is not a game. We do not get a second chance or do over when our time is up. If you have not accepted Jesus as your personal Savior, today is a good day to do it.

Tomica rests with the angels. Well, actually I don’t see her resting. I see her working. Praising God. Talking with Daniel about that fast. Asking Job how he did it. Really asking ALL the questions because that girl stays asking questions. I see her experiencing the love of Jesus in a new way. I bet she didn’t push away His embrace.

Her testimony is LIT. Even without the miracle that I wanted. She left here empty and having completed all that God wanted her to do. She made her mark. #wepreach