A Love That Changes Lives

by Katie Harding on June 23, 2025

Last week we started our week with a burial at Arlington Cemetery of a long-time friend and ended the week with a funeral service of another. Both of these services reminded me of one I had attended years ago of a woman who was a part of a support group that met at our church. What made it so memorable weren’t the songs we sang or what the pastor said, it was the people who were present. The sanctuary was packed with individuals who differed greatly from one another. There were people in suits and others in bulky sweaters. There were men and women with long hair, some with it cut short above their ears and many with it somewhere in between. There were young adults in wheelchairs and older adults with canes. There were people who believed in Christ and others who were still searching.

The woman who had died suddenly had lived a hard life, suffered through a lot of difficulty and pain and was never free and clear from the struggles she faced daily. But like my two friends whose services I attended last week, she loved greatly. She faced challenges head on because of her deep love for the Lord. It was her faith in Him that kept her going. And she loved others all along the way—without hesitation, those who struggled like she did and those who she encountered maybe once or twice.

The Sanctuary was full because she was authentic. She was transparent. She usually didn’t mince words; yet she tried to speak the truth in love. And she impacted many lives, although she only lived a little over fifty years.

As Kelly Minter sings in one of her songs, “Love Changes Everything,” and the love of this woman changed a lot of lives for the better. It was very evident at the service as people shared memories and heads nodded in agreement. Even after her passing, her love was still impacting lives, and years later, it makes me still ponder these questions: Do I love others “along the way” the way she did? Do I love without hesitation? Am I authentic and transparent? And most importantly, does my love make a difference? Is it life changing?