Beth Mattison
Her Impact
"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him." - John 3:16-17. 7
Beth's story was shared through many churches, especially the ones in the Church of God of the Abrahamic Faith General Conference. It was inspirational to many people who heard it. For those of us who heard it, it inspired sympathy, but also reflection on ourselves. Beth's story started the process that led to many people making changes in their lives, ensuring their place in the Kingdom of God. Many people made these changes, and I was one of them.
I grew up in the Church of God of the Abrahamic Faith. I enjoyed studying the Bible in church, but my studying was mostly hearing what other people thought about what they read and accepting it as the truth. I had a faith, but it was others' faith, not my own. I knew what was required to be saved, but I thought about it as something that I would eventually do. I was always told I would know when it was the right time to take the steps to be saved, so I just counted on that and didn't really focus on it.
I was living a life of faith built on somebody else's faith. It is similar to somebody else building a house on a foundation and me trying to still live on top of their foundation. It just doesn't work! But then, Beth and her husband, Steve, moved to our church, during the middle of her fight with cancer. They had stories of their faith when they were at the same point in life that I was at, which they shared with our youth group.
Beth and her husband were very active in our youth group. They started out as people I was nervous around, as I didn't know them well. However, over time they became the people in the church I was most comfortable asking questions to. They continued to work with the youth, feeling that they were called to work with them. I know that without their constant teachings, I would not have made this decision any time close to when I did.
Beth, in particular, helped give me the confidence to use my talents to serve in the church. One time that I remember clearly of this was when my friend and I were asked to do a special at church signing a song in American Sign Language (ASL). We were both nervous about doing it, but as she had experience with ASL and doing things in front of the church, she helped to calm our nerves. Now, I sign the songs every week at church, but I never would have started doing that if it hadn't been for Beth helping me along the way.
I have to sadly say that her death actually made a larger impact on my life than she did while she was living. Her death led me to spend time in self-reflection. It made me question what I was actually doing with my life. I started to ask myself questions like "Who am I?" and "Am I acting like the Christian that I am?". I had spent months trying to convince myself that what I was doing was okay, that my actions weren't hurting anybody, but I knew I was just denying the truth. I knew that I wasn't showing the love to others that I needed to be showing. I'm not saying that I am fully doing that now, but I came to the realization that I was doing the wrong thing and am walking down the path towards doing the right thing.
I came to many conclusions at that point and knew that there was only one thing for me to do: pray and ask for forgiveness and guidance. In those prayers, I poured out my soul and came to the point where I knew who I was. I knew what the next step in my life was and I started the process of taking that step: baptism. I asked Beth's husband, Steve, to baptize me, as both of them played a part in my life that was bigger than what anybody else did. This decision to be baptized would not have come about any time close to then, if Beth hadn't been in my life.
In a letter that Beth's husband, Steve, sent out after she died, he said, "While I would never wish this on anyone, especially not on someone I love so much, we hope that someone develops a relationship with the Lord as a result of how Beth has lived through all of this." They knew that Beth's story could impact somebody's life, and it did. I am only the person I am today because of Beth's story.
"I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. So choose life in order that you may live, you and your descendants." - Deuteronomy 30:19. 8