A Life Remembered

A timeless, wonderful intercessor known as Carolyn MacKenzie, has now joined the Heavenly Chorus that dances around the throne of God.  Carolyn’s name was not known to many; however her prayers were heard by our Father on a continuous basis.  We at Faith in Christ Ministry, want to share a portion of her life with this ministry.

I had the wonderful privilege of knowing her at two different times in my life.  I met her first in 1988 at the church I started to attend when I first moved here.  I found a woman in her mid fifties that could out dance anyone in this county.  I don’t think I ever knew of anyone that could praise the Lord with as much intensity as she did!  She had a heart that was new with the Lord and she loved showing Him how much she loved and adored Him.  I would watch her with pure joy as she led many to freedom in their expression of praise. And then, suddenly in a moment she would be in deep intercession for someone, as the Lord led.  As our friendship grew I saw “what made her tick”.  Simply, her love for the Lord and her desire to be obedient to whatever He asked.  A few years passed with each of us growing in the Lord, and as I grew to trust her with any and all my prayer needs suddenly our lives changed and we found ourselves in different churches.  I would see her from time to time, but nothing like it had been.  She was still full of constant praise and talk of things concerning our Lord.

As the years passed we saw less and less of each other, then one day the Lord told me to contact her.  I had just moved to a new apartment that was tailor made for us. After very little persuasion she relocated here and once again we were able to rekindle our friendship and become even closer.  We started a prayer group, Bible study, and ministered to those around us.  Unfortunately, her health began to decline, but God’s call on her life had not changed.  Many times I would ask her what her purpose was here in her new home, and it was always the same, “I was sent here to pray.

Just as she started to get involved with the Faith in Christ Ministry she realized that her part was not to write articles, but simply to pray.  As the pain grew in her human body, her desire to pray began to lessen, but she felt it strongly in her spirit that prayer was not an option for her, but a ministry that affected everyone.  

Many times I would hold her frail hands in mine as we talked about the “whys” and “wherefores” concerning all that she was experiencing.  Often the question came up, “What is your purpose sweetheart, what has God called you to do?”  Again, many times with tears she would say, “I am suppose to pray”.  Then she simply would take a deep breath as if she were taking a breath of the Holy Spirit, and resolved to continue the call on her life, to pray, which is no doubt the way she had spent a good portion of her last day on earth. 

As hard as it was to let her go, we all know that she is finally free.  Free to worship, Free to sing, Free to dance, Free to be everything that God had ever wanted her to be.  As she met Him face to face and she heard Him welcome her to her final reward, I know that the subject of her faithfulness to pray was talked about at length.  We will miss her and we will cherish the time we had with her.  It is amazing that two friends can have two chances years apart, to share their love for each other, and of course, for our Heavenly Father.

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“Be thou my strong habitation, whereunto I may continually resort:  thou has given commandment to save me: for thou art my rock and my fortress.” ____ “Now also when I am old and greyheaded, O God, forsake me not:  until I have shewed thy strength unto this generation, and thy power to everyone that is to come.”  _________________

No words can express how much she will be missed, but certainly not forgotten.  Her life touched this earth through her prayers and for a short time we shared in her life through those prayers.  May we all experience a portion of the wonderment and pleasure she found in a wonderful thing called prayer! 

She poured out so much for others and God continually filled her again and again.  May we all experience that kind of filling—with Him!

Carolyn was welcomed into our Lords loving arms on June 26, 2007.