In the days since Lori’s death I have passed on The Story of Lori to all that I could.

I’ve handed out written copies or sent email copies to friends, relatives, business contacts and even strangers I just happened to come in contact with.  Many of those people have passed it on to others.  And those to even more.

A common response from those who have read The Story has been, “Thank you for writing this” or “What a wonderful story you’ve written”.

I’m quick to answer, “I did not write The Story I simply typed it.”

When I first questioned God as to why He would call Lori to be an evangelist and then take her away His answer was simple, “Tell her story”.  Her story alone was to be the tool to do God’s work.

I began, at first, to share her story by telling people about it.  I quickly knew that to truly tell her story I wad to put something on paper.  It had to be written down and shared.

“But how?” I questioned, “How can I write this story, I’m an accountant not a writer? ”

I tried.  I struggled.  For two days I started, stopped, started over again. The words would not come.  I could write something but it was missing the essence, the emotion, the love and grace that needed to be a part of the story.

“God help me!”, I thought, “Help me write this story that you’ve called me to share.”  He did.

About to give up, I was suddenly guided to Lori’s jewelry website and there before me, already written, were her own words about her struggle and the events leading to her salvation.  The surprise ending was not written, of course, but the emotion was right there, described in her own words, just as she had felt it.

As I cut and pasted those words to a blank page I suddenly found myself typing a narrative to fill in the gaps and tell the parts that were not part of Lori’s own post.  But I wasn’t writing the words, I was simply typing them, reading them for the first time, myself, only after they were typed, wondering what was to come next.  In less than an hour The Story was done.  Complete.  Only a handful of words have been changed since and the Epilogue added later.

As I sat back and read The Story through again I was struck by what a powerful story it is.  “Thank you, Lord” I thought out loud, “Thank you for sharing this story with me and allowing me to share it with others.”

My thoughts went back to the many stories in the Bible when God has called people to do his work, even though they seemed ill-equipped and incapable of doing His work.  Each time God has given them the skills, the tools and the knowledge and ability to carry out His plans.

I have not again questioned my ability to share The Story of Lori with others.  That is God’s plan and my task.  I am blessed the Lord has chosen me to do this work and even more blessed to have already begun to see how Lori’s story, God’s story, is touching people and changing lives.