Prayers For Melissa

Day 13: Joyful and Triumphant

Posted by Sara Espiritu

“Before our opening hymn, I would like to dedicate a short instrumental introduction to my late mother, Melissa, who passed away from stomach cancer almost 10 years ago. The last Christmas she spent with us, she got to see me perform my first solo. She wrote me a letter concerning it, which read,

‘My dear Sara, I am so glad that I can share a memory of seeing you sing your first solo, among many I am sure! “Oh Come All Ye Faithful” – What a JOY to see your face as you sang. So sweet, so innocent. I remember thinking as you sang, “JOYful and triumphant” so clearly that it was indeed the perfect song for you, my Sara JOY. And boy did you bring joy into the hearts of many yesterday! Keep performing, dear.

Love, Momma’

As we gather in this place to celebrate the reason for the season, together with those who are celebrating in heaven, let us come, all who are faithful, and JOYfully, triumphantly prepare our hearts to adore Him.”

At the Christmas Eve service on Tuesday, I introduced the opening hymn, Oh Come All Ye Faithful with these words and led the congregation in a short woodwind intro with my sister, Tabitha. It was short, simple, and sweet – nothing fancy. Even then, I messed up a few times, and the perfectionist in me almost doesn’t want to share this video. But Momma never cared about perfection. My sisters always say that if my heart is in the right place, the mistakes don’t matter, and my message of worship will come across to the congregation.

At the end of the letter, Momma wrote, “I know what song you should do next year – JOY to the World!” At the end of the lessons and carols, after the candles were extinguished, the organ rang with the beginning of this song. I stood next to my sisters as we sang our hearts out in praise to our Savior (silly voices and all 😉). I knew that Momma’s presence was there and that she was proud. Proud of my performance, proud of my heart for Jesus…proud of me, her Sara Joya.

P.S. I definitely have the best middle name out of all the sisters 😉😉😉

~ by prayersForMelissa on December 30, 2019.

Posted in Words from Sara