I hope you’ll forgive me for deferring from official DGM business with a post about my friend and incredible woman, Sara Frankl.

I first met Sara online about 3 years ago when her name began popping up in my twitter feed because of mutual friends we share. But before I ever really knew Sara, I knew her little dog, Riley.

You see, for the longest time, Sara’s profile picture was Riley’s sweet little face—a little face that reminded me so much of my own little dog.

Before I really knew Sara, I didn’t know that behind that little face was a woman who was homebound with a chronic illness. I didn’t know because she never once complained about it.

But when Sara joined my LifeGroup Online several years ago (whether it was to pop in to joke around, or to discuss whatever chapter we were supposed to have read that week), I got to know her as a woman with a deep soul, a deep love and a deep joy… that shined bright in spite of the illness that kept her in constant pain.

A chronic illness that will soon be taking her home to Heaven. All of us knew this day would come, but we didn’t think it would as quickly as it has.

The words written in this one post couldn’t possibly express the amazing woman I have known Sara to be. Regardless of her own pain she was always willing to comfort me in mine and for that I will never fully be able to thank her. I will miss her gentle encouragement, but keep the words she shared deep in my heart when I need them. And I also plan to keep her mantra “Choose Joy” as a permanent part of me.

Her legacy is beautiful and it is far-reaching as she has loved and has been loved to the four corners of this world. This is evident by the outpouring of love I have seen for her this week.

I am honored to have called Sara my friend on this side of Heaven and got to live some life with her—even if I never held her hand or sat on the couch next to her.

And what’s most comforting is knowing her pain will soon be healed and I WILL get to hug her at that healing place one day… as this time without her is only temporary.

Well done, Gitz. You lived. You loved. You chose joy. Thank you for your example… I love you.

—Crystal Renaud

PS. Sara and I often bonded over our mutual love for little white dogs. You see, Riley and my babe Sandee could practically be twins and we joked about how they should marry. The cuteness is truly overwhelming.