Transforming Others Into What God Calls Them To Be

When my sons were only five years old, Diane changed their lives forever.

From the moment she welcomed them to their first day of school with literally open arms, she cared deeply about them as unique individual learners. Every child for her was “gifted,” “intelligent,” and “really smart . . .” as many a parent has suspected all along!

With that love, respect and a passionate belief that all are capable students, she instilled the love of education and transformed them into life-long learners.

Not content to influence them only at the beginning of their lives, Diane also followed up with them long after they had moved on — even when they lived a thousand miles away.

In fact, I was so impressed with her passion and educational philosophy that when we built our new church in Spokane Valley, I invited her to start her own school in the building. The result: not only a long list of students whose lives were transformed like our boys’ were, but an incredible shared space between the school and our Sunday school. (And yes, a number of the students attended there all week long and on Sunday morning, too.)

On Tuesday of last week, after a long and courageous struggle with cancer, this wonderful woman went on to God’s greater glory. The Facebook page set up for her has students across the generations. Her influence was enormous: she instilled a love of learning into all of them, and as such they are all life-long learners.

My prayer for all of us is that we see all of God’s children as life-long learners, constantly being transformed into the people God is calling us to be.  And I give thanks for the life of Diane.