Caitlin Soleil Lucas was only 3 years and 7 months old when her body succumbed to the infection of a rare blood cancer. She sweet young girl with a whole life ahead of her. But despite the pain and questions, there is no shadow of a doubt that she lived victoriously.
Caitlin, or better known as "Courageous Caitie," departed from Earth having fulfilled the will of the Father on March 31, 2016. Besides fighting off the pain and suffering of a treacherous disease for seven months -- a feat that others would have given up on easily -- she and her family used the curse as a platform to inspire and bless others all around the world.
So many testimonies have been shared in the last few weeks about her passing -- one of them was mine. Caitie transformed the way I viewed life, death, God and family. A 3-year-old became one of the best teachers I will ever have.
Many people consider Caitie's story as something that has changed so many lives. I'd like to take that claim up a notch and say that she has changed history. How? First, she has revolutionized the way hundreds of thousands of people value life here on Earth and beyond. Second, her sickness became a platform to spread the Gospel to so many. And last, Caitie's death has become a modern day testimony of God's grace.
Caitie's life is an example of the life that God has in store for everyone. Sickness aside, God has a plan for every believer to impact the lives of others. Look into the life of Abraham, whom God called to be a blessing to all the nations, or the life of David, whom God used early on in his life to liberate a nation. That is the plan that God has for us.
When God calls us, He uses our lives in great and mighty ways, just as he used the life of a young girl who has inspired and transformed so many. What amazes me most about the story of Caitie is her and her parents' obedience to the perfect will of God. Though it doesn't seem like God was in control, they put their trust in Him knowing that our Father knows best. And I believe that having complete trust is the greatest ingredient in a life lived the way God wants. When we have complete faith, we live a life of immeasurable impact and blessing not just for ourselves but for others -- a result of the unwavering and undivided devotion and faith towards a faithful God. When we give our life to God and put our faith in Him just as Abraham, David, Moses, and the many other history-makers in the Bible had, God will use us to change the course of this world.
Life isn't about going on vacations, making plenty of money or experiencing as many indulgences as we can. When those become the reason for our living, we miss out on what truly matters -- being a blessing to others. In the three years that Caitie lived on Earth, she lived the exact life of influence that God wanted for her and the life that God desires for all believers. The life of a champion. The life of a history-maker.
Congratulations, Caitie. You just changed the world.
