Ridgell's Originals

Life was hard for Cindy.  Broken relationships that could not be repaired no matter how hard she tried.  Had to bury her son Matt after years of struggle with Cystic Fibrosis.  Helped her husband John bury both his sons.  

Then she got dementia.  Which turned into Alzhiemer's.  Then Covid came and kept everyone from getting to visit her.  

The devil.

But here are three things about Cindy that remind me why Satan never wins.

Everyone called her Sweet Cindy.  She was kind, sweet, and genuinely cared about people.  She had every reason to be bitter.  But she wasn't.  

Her husband, John, sent me a description of how he saw Cindy.  It was the list of the fruits of the Spirit.  That is a very high compliment coming from the person who knows you the best.  Satan could not stop God's work in Cindy's life.

My wife used to go see Cindy up until the shut-down.  She would put Cindy's face in her hands and sing Jesus Loves Me.  I saw it a couple of times.  Cindy would mouth the words along with Marsha.  I commented that those words were imprinted in her memory.  No telling how many times she sang that song to her kids, or in Bible class, or in VBS.  Marsha correctly pointed out that Jesus Loves Me was just imprinted in her memory, but in her soul.  

No matter what, Satan was never going to separate Cindy from the love of God.  Not death, or pandemic, or pain, or what other people might do.  Nothing.  Romans 8 in action.  

Cindy was a spiritual hero that not many people know about.  

So I tell you her story so you can be inspired.  So you will know that no matter what Satan throws at you he cannot win.  He only can win if you surrender.  

So be strong and faithful until the end.

Thank you Cindy.

And thank you God.