Part One of a New Series: Someone Who Means the World to Me.

So I decided to start a new series of people who mean the world to me. The first person that I am going to start off with is, Suzanne Juncker. Suzanne is someone who this world needs more of. Suzanne and I met when I was a sophomore in high school, she accepted a position as "Family Ministries Pastor" at my home church Old Bethel United Methodist Church. Suzanne and I developed a really close relationship. She became really close with my sister, my mom, and my aunt as well.

When I was a sophomore, I thought the world revolved around me, to be honest. I got mad when things didn't go my way, and I shut down every time people tried to tell me what I was doing wrong. Suzanne helped me a whole lot with that, and she helped me realize that the world isn't about me, it's about God.

When I tell you every chance I got I was with Suzanne, I was with her. I went to the church with her and helped her with things while she worked, I went to her house with her and played games or just relaxed when I needed to get away from home, we went out to eat and just did a whole lot together. Suzanne has always been someone I knew that I could talk to, I went in her office and cried to her about 100 times, and I called her on the phone and have cried to her plenty of times.

Suzanne was there in the roughest patch of my life. Almost 4 years ago, My baby cousin Anthony was born stillborn, and Suzanne was there for my family and I. Suzanne came to the hospital and prayed over us, she took Abby and I out of the hospital and took us to get something to eat and back to her house so that we could get that off of our minds, she came and spoke at his funeral, and was overall a huge help in the grieving process. Suzanne was also there for me through high school, which was another rough patch of my life. I had been going through a lot with my home life, and dealing with a lot of stress, anxiety, and truly just not loving myself like I should.

There are so many good memories I have with Suzanne. I remember the first day that I met her. I told Abby that our new Family Ministries Pastor was here and that I wanted to go meet her. Abby was shy as usual but after the church service was over we ran to where the children's church drop off was and there she was standing right there. I said, "Hi! My name is Kayleah but you can call me Kea if it is easier." and she said "Hi Kea!! My name is Pastor Suzanne." Another memory I have of her is we were on our way to go to a Back to School Rally somewhere with some of the youth group, and on the way Suzanne is talking to one of the boys and we pass by some animals and the boy goes, "Hey look there are horses" and Suzanne looks and starts laughing really loud and goes, "Those are cows". I have way more memories, but for the sake of the length we are just going to keep it at 2.

Suzanne let me tell you has one of the biggest hearts, and is one of the most selfless people I have ever met. Suzanne would do anything for anymore. Suzanne has gone through some tough battles in her life as well, some that she struggles with silently but, I know that she is strong and she keeps God at the center of her life. Her strength, selflessness, and loving tender heart helps me to remember to have those as well. To be like Suzanne. To love like she loves. To worship God like she does. To be as kind as she is. To show Jesus to everyone like she does.

In 2018, Suzanne came and picked me up and took me to her house. She said that she had to tell me something and deep down inside I knew that she was getting ready to tell me that she was leaving our church and moving somewhere else. She sat me down and told me that she accepted a position down in Newburgh, Indiana. I started to cry I felt like I would lose the relationship that Suzanne and I had. I cried in Suzanne's arms. I definitely was attached to her and I didn't want her to leave especially 2 hours away but I knew that it was for the better so that she could be close to her family and that she would be happier living in Newburgh. After crying we went and picked up my sister so that Suzanne could break the news to her as well. Once back at her house, I started crying again, as Suzanne told Abby that she was leaving. Suzanne said that we were like family to her and that really got me as well. Suzanne was definitely more than a friend to us, she was our family as well. Suzanne then packed up her stuff and moved down to Newburgh. It was a hard adjustment going from seeing her almost everyday to never seeing her.

Suzanne has made a huge impact on my life, I don't know if she knows that or not(which I know she does), but she means the absolute world to me. I have been forever changed since I met Suzanne and I truly wouldn't know what I would do without her in my life. She is someone who will forever be apart of my story and will always hold a special place in my heart. Suzanne pushed me in ways I didn't want to go...she had talks with me that I didn't want to hear, she encourages me, she supports me, and she makes sure that I know that I am loved.

I hope that Suzanne will always know and remember that she is so loved. She has made a huge impact in the people lives that she has met. Her church is so lucky to have her down there. She is an amazing Family of Life Pastor, and I know that she is changing lives down there like she changed my life. I love you so much Suzanne, thank you for everything that you have done for me.

Remember. I love you, but God loves you more. You are so special to me and to God.