amy.

Amy Sternberg is a beloved friend. She will always have a special place in my heart because 1.) she walked beside me even when my life was dark & messy and she helped me get my spiritual legs under me again - and 2.) she set an example for living & dying with cancer with honor & dignity.

When we were in St. Louis for Mike's surgery, I visited Amy's husband Bob and "the girls". Bob gifted us with a packet of 140 pages of things that Amy wrote during her cancer journey before the Lord called her Home in October of 2006. We want to use MikesLongRide as a place to post things we have learned about cancer that might be helpful to others, and we would like to share Amy's wisdom from time to time. Amy fought the cancer fight beautifully and encouraged many along the way.

Amy: There is a wonderful metaphor of suffering producing pearls, like the 'pearl of great price' that is spoken of in the Bible. I imagine us in Heaven, admiring each other's gorgeous strand of pearls - like Jackie Kennedy's classic pearl necklace! - and you will point to mine and say "I remember when you got those pearls! That was when you had cancer." And I will point to an especially exquisite pearl of yours and say, "I was there when you got that one! That was when you "- (fill in the blank: lost that job, got divorced, had a medical crisis, dealt with rebellious children, lost your parents, faced a difficult challenge, etc.) We will be wearing the precious jewels that were formed during our hardships on earth. And God will reveal the greatest wonder of all - the beautiful truth that we not only will be wearing jewels, we will become jewels which He Himself will wear: "You will be a crown of splendor in the Lord's hand, a royal diadem in the hand of your God." (Isaiah 62:3) Written by Amy Sternberg in an email September 2006