The Tale of 4 Kings and a Warrior Princess

I've been telling Bible Stories for years.  Nothing new about that.  What WAS new that hot summer day was seeing an eleven year-old girl pull out a journal and start taking NOTES during the story.  She was the youngest person in the room at our Bible Study, yet she took notes like a seasoned veteran.  (That was very generous of her and was simply an indication of her hunger for Jesus...not a testimony of my teaching prowess.)  We gathered that summer to open the scriptures together.  I remember being completely baffled that God had escorted ME into that arena.  You see... it was billed as a "Mother/Daughter" Bible Study.  We thought it would be great to take a different approach during this era of contemporary church, where families are often segregated by age group during worship.   We wanted to take a summer and just bring moms and girls into ONE room to study the same scriptures at the same time.  I thought it was an excellent idea, and wished them well with the endeavor.  I assumed, quite logically, that it was not a fit for me, as I happen to have NEITHER a mother or a daughter.  My mom died of cancer when I was just a kid, and God saw fit to give Keith and me two BOYS to raise.  So I attempted to bow out of the picture once we settled on the parameters for the study.

Nope.

Only God would choose ME to lead THAT study.  And so I did.  VERY clumsily.  In my living room were assembled a group of girls who were gifted in all manner of the Arts... theater, ballet, vocal performance.  The moms were former cheerleaders and current "ballet moms." (I don't THINK that's anything like the reality show "Dance Moms", but then again, I've never been backstage at the ballet.)  Fabulous.  Did I mention I've never been ANY of those things?  I'm an athlete.  I quickly realized that most of my planned illustrations were sports-related and were drawing completely blank stares from the attendees in the room.  We laughed ALOT and muddled our way through it.  Those girls challenged me as a teacher and helped me get better at it.  I'm grateful for that.

The youngest in the room, the aforementioned note-taker, had another curious trait.  Immediately upon arrival in my living room at each of our sessions, she wrapped her ENTIRE little self around my person.  These were not polite, obligatory hugs.  These were "I'm REALLY glad to see you" hugs.  (Just for your edification... sons don't typically do this, so I was a bit mystified at first.) Needless to say, those hugs became something I started looking forward to several hours before our gatherings.

That girl was Kylie Myers.  And today she went to live with Jesus forever.  My heart is broken.

I've written about Kylie on this blog in the past.  Her journey through childhood cancer intersected with Keaton's journey.  She wore his gray "Keaton's Warriors" bracelet and prayed for him long before we knew she would have a bracelet of her own someday.

She wore his bracelet and later, he wore her "Smiley for Kylie" t-shirt.  They had a few spa treatments in adjacent rooms on the Aflac Cancer floor at Scottish Rite Hospital.  Their parents hugged in that hallway NOBODY wants to occupy.  Keaton was in the audience at Kylie's last performance on the stage at Perimeter Christian School.  And on the day he received his biggest award, 2014 Positive Male Athlete of the Year in Georgia, he took a photo holding a Smiley For Kylie sign.  There were three professional football players applauding HIM.  But he was cheering for HER.  As Keaton walked off the Aflac floor for the last time at Scottish Rite, he stopped by Kylie's room to say goodbye.  He wasn't able to speak clearly, the tumors had already begun to rob him of his abilities, but he patted her on the leg and smiled down at her.  I'll never forget that moment as long as I live.

Today I believe that he was part of Kylie's Welcoming Party into heaven.  Keaton is first and foremost a worshiper, so I'm sure he stood at a respectful distance behind Jesus as Kylie was welcomed in.  He knows what all believers will find out firsthand someday... Jesus is the indescribably best part of heaven.  Being reunited with friends and family is great - but make no mistake - Jesus HIMSELF is the main attraction.

"The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp." - Revelation 21:23

But I don't believe Keaton is the only person at Kylie's "Welcome to Eternity" party.  I also believe that there are four Old Testament kings in attendance.  During that summer bible study, we dove deep into the stories of King Rehoboam, King Abijah, King Asa, and King Jehoshaphat.  We studied many aspects of their hard fought BATTLES.  (I know what you're thinking... "you chose to study WAR stories with a group of artsy girls?")  Yes.  Yes I did.  And now I know why. 

• King Rehoboam had things in his life that did NOT go the way he drew them up.
• King Abijah had to face an ambush that he was helpless to fight.
• King Asa learned to use his time wisely between battles.
• King Jehoshaphat had NO good options left to him and simply chose to head into battle singing praises to God.

We pulled principles out of those stories and learned how to apply Old Testament truths to twenty-first century problems.  We learned that although those kings faced seemingly insurmountable odds against PHYSICAL armies, we fight just as hard on this side of the cross... against things like fear and discouragement.  We watched what happened when those kings chose to rely on God, and our faith was bolstered.

I thought about that alot after Kylie was diagnosed.  I marveled that God led us through that bible study the summer BEFORE her diagnosis.  He KNEW the road ahead, and He went before us.  Did we struggle anyway?  Of course.  But we were armed with truth, and that made a difference.

Kylie worried during her cancer treatment that she wasn't being "tough enough."  Her little body struggled under the rigors of chemo and radiation.  It was rough - the roughest I've ever witnessed.  But every chance I got, I assured her that she was no longer just a princess... now she was an amazing Warrior Princess.  In fact, she fought so valiantly, I firmly believe those four kings we studied together showed up personally today - out of respect -  to welcome her home.  Scripture indicates that she'll recognize them, BY NAME.  (Remember the Transfiguration?  Peter knew Moses and Elijah.)  How utterly COOL is that thought?

I'm really going to miss you Kylie.  Thank you for listening to my Bible Stories and for hugging me and for showing me what real faith looks like on the battlefield.  Real faith isn't fearless.  Real faith DECIDES to plow through the fear and focus on Jesus.  You did that incredibly well, little Warrior Princess.  I love you, and I'll see you again someday at my OWN Welcome Home party!

"I heard a loud voice from the throne.  It said, 'Now God makes His home with people.  He will live with them.  They will be his people.  And God Himself will be with them and will be their God.  He will wipe away every tear from their eyes.  There will be NO MORE death or sadness.  There will be NO MORE crying or pain.  Things are NO LONGER the way they used to be.  He who was sitting on the throne said, 'I am making everything new!'  Then He said, 'Write this down.  You can trust these words.  They are true.' " 

- Revelation 21:3-5 (NIrV)