“You are NOT the Next Great Baker.” We knew those words were coming, but watching Buddy say them on TV to you, while sitting in your own living room, is a little different. Reliving our last moments on the show was bittersweet to say the least, but we had more important matters to attend to: namely, a wedding! Just four days after the airing of our elimination, Danielle was walking down the aisle to marry the man of her dreams. That didn’t give us much time to dwell on the past!
In God’s perfect timing, He had some other unexpected events that really helped give me a completely different perspective on being eliminated…and on life itself. I’m calling it, ‘Two Weddings and a Funeral!’
But back to the elimination. Once it aired, we received a good number of well wishes, condolences, atta boys, all of which are very much appreciated. Both Danielle and I have always seen our time on Next Great Baker as a stepping stone to a brighter future and we look forward to whatever exciting adventures God has for us next.
I will briefly say, for those who watched the show, that there was no way to capture the intensity of being in an elimination challenge. It appeared much calmer than it actually was for me personally. In the end, I knew we didn’t stand a chance against sugar artists in a centerpiece challenge, but we gave it our all anyway, and in the midst of the pressure cooker, God gave me an inner calmness and determination that carried me through. Even in the time immediately after it was over, as we finished up the formalities of being on the show, God’s grace sustained me. Yes, I broke down later and even struggled with some short term depression when I got home, but even then, God taught me some very important lessons through the process.
Once the dates of the show were announced, we realized we would be eliminated right before Danielle’s wedding. How ironic! I do NOT believe in chance or coincidence. So I knew this was a part of God’s perfect timing for us. And it turned out to be perfect timing in another way, too. A way I could have never anticipated.
You see, there were two weddings on July 12th that were special. One of course, was Danielle and Bryan’s wedding. But another one happened at the same time. Like, exactly at the same time. We have a dear neighbor named Hope. She’s only two years older than me and she’s struggled with cancer for 16 years. And on Saturday, July 12th, at the same time Danielle was walking up to the church door and putting her hand in her father’s, our friend Hope ended her battle with cancer and entered into eternity.
We didn’t know this until later that evening, when we saw the Facebook post from her family made at 2 PM, the time of our wedding. I knew this was NOT a coincidence. God was letting us see His perspective in Hope’s passing.
Hope almost always had a smile on her face!
Hope is a remarkable person. I say ‘is’ because to me, Hope is not dead. Her body is, but not her spirit. And Hope led a remarkable life on this earth. I really wish you could have known her. She had the gift of being thankful, no matter what the circumstance. A few weeks ago, she called me over to her house to let me know about her entering Hospice care at home and to ask me to sing a special song at her funeral. She looks at me and remarks on how perfect God’s timing is, because the World Cup was on TV and Hope is a big soccer fan. She was so glad that God had arranged it so she could watch soccer for 6 hours a day, since she really couldn’t spend much time out of bed anymore.
Can you imagine, being thankful for soccer, while you are counting down the few weeks the doctors say you have left to live? But that was Hope. Thankful in ALL things. Never bitter, never angry, always trusting, always hoping, always encouraging those around her. I left that conversation feeling like I was the one receiving, not the one giving. What a woman!
That’s just one tiny example of Hope’s lifetime of thankfulness and trust. Her optimism and eternal perspective were contagious. Her legacy of faith will far exceed her earthly life.
Danielle and my husband, Jeff, getting ready to walk down the aisle
For her wedding, Danielle was dressed in a gorgeous bridal gown. But as lovely as this gown was, (and she was a breathtakingly beautiful bride!), this paled in comparison to the dazzling robe of righteousness Hope was wearing as she slipped from this life into the next. Just as Danielle walked down the aisle on her daddy’s arm to meet her beloved groom, I would like to think that Hope’s earthly father was there to welcome her at Heaven’s gate and join her as she met her Savior, face to face, for the very first time. We had music at Danielle’s reception, but our DJ couldn’t compete with the angelic choir that was rejoicing as Hope heard the words, “Well done, good and faithful servant!”
I was honored to sing at Hope’s Celebration of Life service this past Saturday, exactly one week to the hour since Danielle’s wedding, and Hope’s passing. It was a song I had written a couple of years ago, inspired by Hope’s journey of trust and faith. I have included a link to a simple version of it I recorded on YouTube so you can hear it for yourself. Just click on “I’m Trusting in You” below.
Being on TLC’s Next Great Baker was a tremendous honor. Meeting my amazing teammates, talented judges and production crew are experiences I will never forget. But knowing Hope and getting to be a small part of her life is a greater privilege than all of that. And what a precious reminder that God gave me of what truly matters in life, at a time I might have been tempted to focus on myself and my little ‘loss’.
A part of Hope’s legacy is a shining example of life not lived for one’s self, but lived to bless others. A life that didn’t focus on the negative, but always found the good. A life that didn’t grumble or complain under extreme suffering and difficulty, but one that continued to trust in God even when answers might be hard to find. And a life that continued to live fully and cherish everyday moments, even in the face of a terminal illness.
As special as being on Next Great Baker was, it’s certainly not what does or will define my life. Hope herself is not remembered primarily for being an accomplished engineer, math whiz or gardener. It’s the lives she touched, it’s the prayers she prayed, it’s the encouragement and friendship she unselfishly gave that we all cherish now. Two weddings and a funeral have helped me to see that…and I am grateful for it.
P.S. Please pray for comfort and peace for Hope’s family, especially her devoted husband, Rick, and her two young adult sons, Zak and Noah. Thank you.
One Comment on ““Two Weddings and a Funeral””
Thanks for sharing! I’m so thankful that God gives us the grace we need for our journey….including the hard places. Praying a special grace for your friend and her family.