Beverly
I first met Beverly in a church choir, and I soon learned that she was a music teacher in our school system at grade school level. She had a special gifting to teach children and took a special interest in encouraging children to be better than they thought they could be. She was an encourager.
As it happened, she taught music at the grade school where my nephew, Tim, attended. Tim had an interest in learning to play the piano, and he asked Beverly if she would teach him. She was willing, but Tim had no money for the lessons. So they worked out an arrangement where Tim would go and mow her lawn, and then in return she would give him piano lessons. She really did inspire him, because he pursued this avidly and practiced diligently, becoming quite a good pianist and later enjoying playing classics as an adult.
A few years later Beverly and her family moved to another church where she and her husband later became the childrens' pastors. She had wonderful children's choirs there, and her husband was known to all the little children as "Papa John". Their two daughters taught Sunday School there also.
In her latter years Beverly was known for her prayer journals. She had ill health and suffered quite a lot of pain, but whenever she got a prayer request, she would write it in her journal. Then she would keep track of it and continue to pray until the answer came, writing down the answers. She filled the pages of a number of journals..... how faithful she was!
Beverly loved the Lord with all her heart. Only in heaven will it be known how many children's lives were encouraged and changed because of her love and devotion and caring. She was a wonderful friend and very beautiful in the Lord. I feel very privileged that I knew her.
"Praise ye the Lord. Praise the Lord, O my soul. While I live will I praise the Lord: I will sing praises unto my God while I have any being."
Psalm 146:1-2 KJV
© 2006 Arlene Schwartzkopf