Tuesday, March 21, started like any other day around our house. I got the kids off to school and came home to do some work. Around 9:30 a member of our Facebook Mastermind Group (a group of about 10 Christian women bloggers that support one another through blogging and life) posted that she’d seen some chatter on Mandy’s Facebook profile and wanted to see how we could pray for her. It wasn’t 20 minutes later that we all realized what was going on…
Mandy, her husband Scott, and their two youngest children (Lizzie (9) and Judah (10 months)) had all been killed in a horrible house fire that morning.
I lost it. I wailed, y’all. I wailed.
I could not wrap my mind around the idea that Mandy was no longer with us.
You see, Mandy had been a member of our group for years. We weren’t just bloggers in the same niche. We were friends. We supported one another through some of the most joyous and most heartbreaking times of our lives. And now Mandy was gone.
It’s been a tough week. A week of holding my own family tighter. A week of praying for Bekah and Jared (Scott and Mandy’s surviving children) and Scott’s mom, Ruth Ann, who survived the fire. It has been the first and last thing I think about each day. It’s just so hard to fathom that someone so good could be gone in the blink of an eye.
But, even in the sadness of this week, there has been hope.
Hope in knowing that Mandy and her family are with Jesus.
Hope in knowing that Mandy’s message of the Gospel is still impacting the world.
Hope in knowing that Bekah and Jared and their extended family are being loved on by their church family, Trinity Baptist Church Cayce.
Hope that God is still God and that none of this was a surprise to Him.
You see, Mandy and I had quite a few things in common.
We both loved the Lord.
We were both bloggers.
We both struggled with infertility.
We were both adoptive moms.
And it is in those latter two things where we found the most camaraderie. Because infertility and adoption are hard. And when you find someone that “gets it”, you can’t help but be drawn to them.
I remember when we prayed together as they sought out adoption, as one adoption fell through in April, and how we rejoiced when baby Judah was born just a month later.
You see, God knew Mandy’s heart and he knew Judah was just what her heart needed. What an honor it was to pray him into her and Scott’s arms.
So, today while I’m heartbroken that Mandy is gone, I’m honored that the Lord gave me the chance to know her for just a little while.
I know that everything that she did for the Lord on earth will continue to reap a harvest for years to come.
I’m thankful that she was obedient on Earth.
And I’m thankful that I know where she is today; with the God that she was unashamed to proclaim.
So, today I ask that you pray for the Kelly family, especially Bekah and Jared as they move forward. Their church, Trinity Baptist Church of Cayce, has set up a fund to help minister to and provide for them in the days ahead. I would so encourage you to give what you can. Simply go HERE, enter your gift amount, click “Select a Fund” in the drop down menu, choose “Kelly Fund”, and follow the remaining prompts.
Most of all, pray. Pray for healing. Pray for the Lord to make it clear what His purpose in this is. Pray for peace and comfort for those that loved these four. Pray that the Gospel would be made known, even in their death. Pray that because of their obedience on earth, that more people would come to know Jesus.
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A group of bloggers have come together today to honor Mandy. You’ll find all of their posts below.
Kelly Family, I pray that these words bring you comfort and that you’ll know what a huge impact Mandy, Scott, Lizzie, and Judah had on so many across the world. We are praying for you!
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So very sad. I am weeping with you and praying for you all. I’m so sorry for this devastating loss.
I’m so sorry to hear about this. Oh, my heart. I don’t know her but I feel like I lost a friend too. I think it’s because her kindness and genuine love resonates.
May her family and friends find comfort in God’s love.
Praying for you too, Christie.