Dear Brenna

Dear Brenna,

     Your funeral was last night, and it was beautiful. I think you would be amazed at how many people showed up who love you and your family; you shouldn’t be amazed, but knowing you, I’m sure you had no idea what kind of impact you made. Oh dear friend, you made such an impact.

     God sometimes answers prayers in unexpected ways. OK, maybe most of the time He takes us off-guard with His replies. But I wanted to tell you, and whoever reads this, the prayer I prayed a couple or so months back. Brenna, I must confess that I felt like I under-appreciated you. I would think, what is it I love about Brenna? I knew, of course, that I loved (still love) you a great deal, and your friendship meant a lot to me, but somehow I couldn’t put it into words. That bothered me. What, exactly, makes Brenna so special? So this was my prayer: I asked God to reveal to me what I loved about you. I asked Him to help me put into words your beauty, your unique you-ness.

     As I sat in the ICU, watching your chest rise and fall with the aid of the respirator, the heart monitor recording your fight for life, God began to answer my prayer. People came in, people I had never met, and they talked about you. Then at your funeral, where literally hundreds--hundreds, Brenna--came to honor you, your friends and family shared about their short and precious time with you. 

     Beautiful Brenna, I did not have to put into words what makes you special. Everyone else did it for me. 

You are adventurous.
You are fun-loving.
You are accepting of others.
You are a devoted aunt, sister, daughter, niece, friend, and especially, wife.
You are faithful.
You are a confidant.
You are creative and a talented artist.
You are strong in your convictions.
You are a lover of Jesus Christ.
You are someone who has a huge heart for everyone you meet.

There is more; this list is only a part of who you are. But it is a start. I am incredibly grateful for everyone who contributed to this list. People whose lives are forever impacted by yours, and who will never be the same without you. My quiet, sweet, strong-willed friend, you lived and loved well. Not everyone can say that at the end of their lives, especially a life that was preciously brief.

Thank you for your friendship. Thank you for your example. Thank you, my quiet friend, for living a life that spoke so loudly. 

Love ya,
Jennifer

In loving memory of Brenna Martinez

December 22, 1989--March 27, 2015