Resurrection Adventure!
Dear friends,Nicola died very peacefully just after 6pm this evening to continue her resurrection adventure. When Abigail and I arrived at the hospital on Thursday morning the doctor told us that Nicola had deteriorated over night and that we should call the family together which we did. We stayed with Nicola from then until this evening. We have prayed and read and sung together and these hours have been very rich indeed to us. We each have had the opportunity to tell Nicola how precious she is to us and Nicola was able to speak a little sometimes, the last thing she said was 'I love you'.
Yesterday morning when it was just Abigail and I in the room before the rest of the family arrived I prayed and then Abigail prayed and then Nicola took off her oxygen mask and prayed a really beautiful prayer of gratitude to God. She spoke in a voice clearer than it had been for quite some days and thanked the Lord for her life, her family and all the many blessings she had received. After that she was not able to speak with any clarity again, although she did say the odd word or two now and again. The children have been magnificent, sitting with Nicola all through these last hours of her life. I am so proud of them, they are chips off the Nicola block!
Nicola was a totally committed follower of the One who is 'the Resurrection and the Life' and thus faced death with hope and confidence rather than fear and despair. Our life together has been a great adventure as we have attempted to follow in the power of the resurrerction. Nicola has taught her family and many others I suspect how to live well and how to die well and for her now the resurrecton adventure continues beyond death.
With much love and deep gratitude to you for being with us through the last eighteen months,
Phil
PS I will post the funeral arrangements on the blog when we have sorted them out.
posted by The Garnhams @ 9:33 PM
20 Comments:
Dear Phil, Rebekah, Abigail, Hannah & Sam,
Just now our thoughts and prayers are with you all as you come to terms with the loss of your wife and mother. Whilst we are sad, we can celebrate that Nicola has lived and died as a real servant of Christ and her example has been a true light in the darkness.
The first thought I had when I read the news was of one of the first Gospel Choir practices back in the Southwark days. I was not feeling particularly good about my situation but Nicola was there with an encouraging word and her wonderful smile!
God bless you all and we praise Him too that we were privileged to know Nicola!
Graeme & Zoe xxx
Dear Phil, Rebekah, Abigail, Hannah & Sam,
Just now our thoughts and prayers are with you all as you come to terms with the loss of your wife and mother. Whilst we are sad, we can celebrate that Nicola has lived and died as a real servant of Christ and her example has been a true light in the darkness.
The first thought I had when I read the news was of one of the first Gospel Choir practices back in the Southwark days. I was not feeling particularly good about my situation but Nicola was there with an encouraging word and her wonderful smile!
God bless you all and we praise Him too that we were privileged to know Nicola!
Graeme & Zoe xxx
Dear Garnham Family
Thank you so much for the brilliant blog, its been great to keep us all updated and in our thoughts and prayers.
We feel very sad that Nicola is no longer here with us on earth but happy that she is with Jesus and not suffering any more.
She was truly remarkable in her strength and determination throughout the last 18 months and an inspiration to everyone.
Richard was remembering meeting Nicola at Alpha in 1996 and Sam being a baby and running around!
Lots of Love
Richard, Jennifer, James and Daniel Wallington
Dear Phil - I have prayed and followed your blog recently. I am so sorry that Nicola and the rest of you have suffered this way. In your immense pain and sorrow may you know the Resurrection weeping with you and shining brightly upon you.
Richard - Hillside Church
Phil and family,
We salute Nicola - Soldier of Christ well done!
We too like others have followed your blog and kept you in our thoughts and prayers and continue to do so in the days ahead.
Yours in Christ,
Matthew & Debbie Bennett (Peterhead Corps)
Very sorry to hear the news. You have always been in our prayers, especially over the past months.
Nicola and all of you, have always been amazing and the friendship offered to us all is one we cherish.
Love and prayers always
Ruth, Karl, Natasha and Arran XXX
God will bring some fruit for His Kingdom out of all of this, we do believe. We will praise Him when all is revealed in Glory. May Christ's love continue to hold you and bring you joy, Helen and Shaw
Whilst obviously saddened by Nicola's death, we celebrate her much deserved Promotion to Glory. What an example she has shown to us all through her faith and determination over these past 18 months.
I was always encouraged by her ministry and teaching at WBC and cannot remember a time when I left her presence having not been encouraged or uplifted in some way.
An encouragement to the end. Thanks for including us in this journey. Our love and prayers are with you all.
Dan, Carol-Anne, Kathryn & Hannah Rous
Our prayers join with may other who know you and love you. Thank you for sharing so much of Nicola's journey with us - it will always be an inspiration to us. Love Gillian and Richard
I wanted to write and say that I am in England right now, and we prayed for you all this morning at Bath Citadel!
I was just remembering that Nicola prayed for me last year at Roots - she was of course sick then, but she ministered to me self-sacrificingly and with great joy... it made a tremendous impact on me and I will remember it for ever...
My thoughts are with you all...
Sarah Ilsters
To The Garnham family.
We have followed your blog and received so much encouragemnet from it, Nicola not only was an example in Life she was also an example in deat.
You all have shared your journey and this has given us all the privelege of sharing in your feelings.
Nicola has received her well done and for yourselves God's grace shall prove more than sufficient.
God Bless you all.
John Howie West scotland Prayer warriors.
My prayers are with Phil and the family at this time.
Nicola's committment to her Saviour and her passion for the Gospel always shone through in Mission classes at the William Booth College and she was an inspiration to all.
I doubt that I will be able to attend any funeral service because of work committments and cost of travelling: but whenever it is I will be with you in prayer.
Vaughan Rowland
Clacton-on-Sea
Dear Phil,
I can't imagine the heaviness of your heart today - my prayer is that the love and support of so many people who love you and Nicola will wrap around you and bring you comfort and peace today and in all your tomorrows.
You and Nicola opened my eyes to Missio Dei - and I have tried to respond in both Paris and Sydney to your example. May Nicola's legacy life long in the lives of many people across the world
with deep love
Lyn
Dear Phil,
I pray that the the support of the thousands of people who love you and Nicola will wrap around your heart today.
You and Nicola opened my eyes to Missio Dei and I have tried to live that out in Paris and Sydney. May Nicola's example continue to live through the lives she has touched across the world.
with deep love
Lyn
Dear Phil,
I pray that that the support of the thousands of people who love you and Nicola will wrap around your heart today.
You and Nicola opened my eyes to Missio Dei and I have tried to live that out in Paris and Sydney. May Nicola's example continue to live through the lives she has touched across the world.
with deep love
Lyn
Dear Phil and family
My thoughts and prayers are with you all as you celebrate Nicola's life and come to terms with her resurrection journey.
I greatly valued her teaching and support at WBC and know that her experiences over the last 18 months have been a tremendous support to many people, not least the staff of the hospitals that provided the care for her.
I was collecting in Richmond on Saturday and met a member of the radiotherapy team from Charing Cross. He spoke so highly of Nicola and the effect that she had had on his life and others in the hospital. There will be many others echoing those sentiments as the news spreads.
I praise God for such a wonderful lady as Nicola. Bless you all.
Jenny D
hello all.. So so thinking of you all right now. Really proud of how you are coping ( Annika said you are amazingly strong) keep your eyes on Jesus his love for you and be strong in him... and know I am very grateful for having known your Mum .. your beautiful wife.. an amazing lady and I will never forget when she helped me move house and was an absolute legend!!.. the comedy of trying to ensure my wardrobe didn`t fall out the boot mid journey and nicolas genius in being very practical about it all!!! :-) love you loads and i`m sorry i`m not near to help out in whatever way but please know i`m thinking about you all loads. God bless you, sustain you and love you xxx sara bowater
Dear family,
Our hearts are heavy.
I like many others have wonderful memories of you all and it is not difficult to raise a smile amonge the tears when david sarah robert and i think of the wonderful holidays we had together you will all have these times when you will see your mum and wife I thank you that i shared a part of nicola life. Her love for Jesus will live on because she inspired so many I echo the words of many well done faithful servant.
Chris Warburton.
Dear Phillip, Rebekah, Abigail, Hannah and Samuel,
Just to let you know that you're on our minds and thoughts at this time. I (Anna) cant help but think of the time when we lived next to you on Champion Grove, and all of Nicola's cooking and warm welcome into your home, the walk to school through Ruskin park with her and all the children. Our prayers are with you.
We give praise to the Lord and we believe in His word that ALL things work together for good to those who love the Lord.
Love and prayers from
the Giannaros family
You are all in my prayers during this time of sorrow, knowing that the same God who has sustained you will continue to give comfort and peace. I'm sorry I was never able to meet Nicola, but feel that through knowing you, Phil and Abigail, I have had some understanding of what a special woman she was. Praying God's presence will hold you and His people will surround you, as I know they have.
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