Kathie Ingham

I have a great girlfriend in heaven ~ her name is Kathie Ingham. She was beautiful inside and out ~ she held my hand and encouraged me with God's Word while I was miscarrying ~ here she was dying of AIDS and she was comforting and caring for me in my darkest hour ~ I will always love you Kathie.

Kathie contracted AIDS through a blood transfusion when she was pregnant with her firstborn son Matthew. She needed blood to live and it ended up taking her life years later ~ it was tainted blood. I was very close with Kathie the years we were blessed to know each other here on earth. I learned a lot from her how to be a mom, wife and a Christian woman. The biggest thing and maybe the hardest thing that I learned from her is how to die well.

She died in faith believing ~ just like the believers mentioned in Hebrews 11:13-16 NKJV These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland. And truly if they had called to mind that country from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return. But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.

She trusted her God to the end ~ she had hard moments and we would talk at length about the things that were difficult for her to walk in and then we would pray together ~ and in time you could see that God was infusing her with strength for every detail of her journey.

She was most concerned about her children ~ Matthew and Monica. How would they grow up? Would they mourn her in a healthy way so they could grow up and become strong people of faith? Would they remember her? Would they love Jesus the way she did? Would they be good citizens? We talked about so many of her hopes for them and the dreams she had for them to have a blessed life.

She was not worried about herself ~ she knew she was going to see her King soon and that she would be fine ~ and He gave her peace and comfort that her children would be well ~ they were His to take care of in the first place ~ just like she was His ~ she said this was a great comfort to her.

She lived to see me pregnant again and told me to take heart ~ all will be well. And it was. She did not say that to mean ~ you will deliver a perfectly healthy child ~ she meant that whatever happens ~ all will be well. She knew her time was growing short and she would not be here with me when he would be born.

All of her words of encouragement still mean so much to me ~ and it is 15 years later. Just her sharing life with me ~ cooking together ~ playing games with her children ~ her living taught me many good things about true godliness.

I love you Kathie and some day we will be together again. Until then, I will take those lessons God taught me through you and live to honor Him.

To all you sisters of mine who are still on this earth ~ thank you for your love and friendship. I have learned many things from you as well and I am truly blessed to do life with you. May you have a very blessed day today knowing Whose you are and how much He loves you.

Grace and peace to you ~ Laurie Kay