There is a common saying that brings comfort to each of us who lose a loved one that says “Heaven gained.”  

I beg to differ and agree.  I don’t believe any person leaving this World, who has a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, will be a ‘gain’ to God’s majestic Kingdom.  I believe it is fair to say the Omnipotent Father of all creation continues to gather his children home.  I believe it is safe to say that the immeasurable worship and splendor in Heaven grows as saints move from this short physical life into everlasting life in Heaven.  I believe that humans, with our limited ability to perceive and after God’s gift of breathing the divine words of Scripture, still cannot fathom what is coming in totality.  Life on this earth is but an immeasurable millisecond compared to eternity in either Heaven or Hell.

Earlier this week, Dolly gained Heaven.  The deserved accolades honoring her well-lived life have poured in and are a testament to a woman who maximized her time and purpose.  I have read comments like ‘she remained grounded,’ ‘she stayed true to her roots,’ and ‘her faith was important to her.’  All true (I think).  Dolly was this confusing force because the equation that was her life seems to have be very contrary to who the World thought she should or would be.  Famous first.  Self aggrandizing.  Lavishing herself and those around her with “deserved” relaxation, diminishing workloads, mandatory island or Italian vacations with PR driven photos causing envy and discontent, all supported by carefully worded and strategically posted social media clips and TikTok videos meant to cause us all to long to be her.  Ecclesiastes 1 is likely how she would have responded.  Meaningless!

I believe Dolly had a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.  And because she was a child of the King of all kings, she did not have the option to choose a life expected by a broken World.  You see, Dolly understood that everything g she had achieved was a responsibility.  A responsibility to use it wisely and widely to share hope and love while living out her assignment in this life.  When she realized the God had not assigned her to be a biological mother, she chose to be a mother to millions of children through her Imagination Library and then used her millions to fund a hospital where children could come and receive help and healing.  Dolly spoke of her hard early life with appreciation for the life lessons learned and never seemed to accept the victim mentality that the World tells each of us is deserved.  Dolly was clearly a time management expert, understanding that whatever years she was gifted in this earth were for purpose and impact.  Dolly showed us love towards all while understanding that a life surrendered to Christ was the only reason for living and giving.

Few seem to know when Dolly learned of her cancer.  True to the daughter of King Jesus, she seems to have become acutely aware that time was short and committed to giving more generosity, love, joy and hope in the waning days of her life.  

So Dolly gained Heaven.  She knew she could not earn it.  She could not buy it.  She could not work her way into it.  She simply and completely accepted the grace and mercy offered because her King Jesus, had already bought her eternal salvation…and she chose to accept the gift.  I am guessing she took an Apostle Paul-like approach to those final days, getting what she was leaving behind in order to assure that the work continued.  I am guessing she was a terrible patient because she cared more about the nurses and doctors caring for her than caring for herself.  Hmm, that sounds familiar to how my King Jesus approached his final days here on earth.

“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”  2 Timothy 4:7 NIV

Let’s go.  The work continues.