Go Beyond

Vicki atop Masada in Isreal.

Today the Kingsland family bid farewell to Vicki Hoyle, our Minister to Children. Vicki died after a difficult but courageous battle against cancer. After more than twenty years of faithful service at Kingsland, her absence will be deeply felt by all who knew her and by the many children and families that were the beneficiaries of her wisdom and kindness. Vicki was always forward-looking and so concerned about every aspect of ministry that touched the lives of our children at Kingsland. Every January she and I had preliminary discussions about our upcoming Vacation Bible School and which of our international missions initiatives to children would benefit from our VBS offering. But now, she is with the Lord whom she loved and served and the rest of us are left to carry on and to continue to build on the foundation that she laid.

On October 30, the New York times featured a story entitled, “A Sister’s Eulogy for Steve Jobs.” Jobs met his sister Mona Simpson, a writer, later in life. Mona spoke about her famous brother and what his final hours were like. She used a Latin phrase in her eulogy that caught my attention. She said, “We all — in the end — die in medias res. In the middle of a story. Of many stories.” What a simple but profound insight. Mona’s brother was involved in so many things right up until his final days. And then he died in the middle of it all. As the day of his death drew near, Jobs knew that he would not live to see the realization of so many of his incredible dreams. However, he died knowing that others would build on his foundation and continue the story.

As I have reflected on Vicki’s life and ministry over the past few days, I have also thought about Mona Simpson’s insightful words. Vicki too died in the middle of a story — in the middle of a beautiful narrative of loving and investing in the spiritual welfare of the next generation of Christ-followers. And although she will not be here to take part in so many of the activities she enjoyed with the people she loved, Vicki will continue to have a voice in the larger narrative of God’s story. In Psalm 30:9, David complained, “What profit is there in my death, if I go down to the pit? Will the dust praise you? Will it tell of your faithfulness?” The good news is that our dust can indeed praise God from the grave and tell the world of His faithfulness. One day, each of us will die in medias res. However, the story does not have to end there. Like our dear friend Vicki, we must determine to live in such a way that when our obituary is written it will declare God’s glory and tell the world of His faithfulness. Because Vicki wrote such a beautiful script while she was alive, her story will continue to encourage and inspire all who hear it.

Over the past thirty-two years of service in full-time vocational ministry, I have had the privilege of working alongside some of God’s finest. I especially appreciate the service of those who invest in our children — who equip the next generation of Christ-followers to love God and to love and serve people. When I came to Kingsland a little more than six years ago, I met Vicki Hoyle, or Miss Vicki as she was affectionately called by all who knew her. Miss Vicki served as Kingsland’s Minister to Children. It did not take long for me to be both impressed and inspired by her example. Miss Vicki was passionate about investing in kids and helping them to understand those foundational truths about God that others build upon in later years.

When it came to teaching children, Miss Vicki was like an artist who understood what to do with the canvas of a child’s life. She understood underpainting. I learned about underpainting from my mother-in-law who is an artist. She explained to me that an artist must envision what a painting will look like and then begin by applying an initial layer of paint to the canvas that will accentuate and more clearly define the colors that are applied later. Like an artist, Miss Vicki skillfully brushed the foundational truths of God’s story across many young lives. She made it easier for parents and many teachers to add their brushstrokes to the canvas in order to help children develop a more complete picture of God.

Yesterday at 9:00 o’clock at night, Miss Vicki closed her eyes and took her last breath on this earth only to awaken in the place she had talked so much about with our children — Heaven. As a faithful follower of Christ, Miss Vicki believed that death is never an end but rather an entrance into the presence of the Lord. Her journey is now complete. She served the purposes of God in her generation. And, she made a difference in the lives of many children and their families because of her leadership in our children’s ministry. Forest Witcraft (1894‑1967), a teacher and Boy Scout Administrator said: “A hundred years from now, it will not matter what kind of car I drove, what kind of house I lived in, how much money I had in the bank … but the world may be a better place because I made a difference in the life of a child.” Thank you, Miss Vicki, for making our world a better place because you made a difference in the lives of so many children. We will miss you.