Never Give Up Hope: Lorie’s Story

She partied hard in the bar scene, suffered through abusive relationships with boyfriends, traveled solo to Australia and jumped out of planes. Lorie visited mosques, because she was part Arabic, to find something she couldn’t quite put her finger on.

A Passionate Urgency

Lorie confided in me that a medical condition had driven her to living a life “of passionate urgency.” Lorie’s diagnosis was very rare because of its complexity. Her doctor invited her to speak about her condition with a class of 1st year medical students at the University of Alberta.

She invited me along.

I’ll never forget her calmly telling the class, ” I have been diagnosed with cystic fibrosis, insulin dependent diabetes, osteoporosis, asthma, hypertrophic osteoarthropothy and most recently have been battling aspergilloma.  I have recurring lung infections, staphlococus, haemophilus, and pseudomonas.  I had about 16-17 surgeries including thoracic surgery on my lung after it collapsed.”

Then she added, “But I’m glad I don’t have cancer.”

The students laughed, nervously.

What else could they do?

That was Lorie.

Her enthusiasm was infectious and her joy was contagious. You couldn’t be in her company and not feel lifted by her spirit.

When we first met on a Sunday in December ’97 at old Central Tabernacle she introduced herself as Lorie Van de Klashorst. She was 32 years old.

A Life Changing Experience

A week earlier she attended a performance of Central’s “Singing Christmas Tree” at the invite of her new boyfriend, Larry Lorence.

The presentation concluded with an invitation to believe on the Jesus as the Saviour, Son of God. Lorie decided to believe.

She explained to me, “I said the prayer you asked us to pray about Jesus. Jesus changed my life!  I know now that Christ was what I was missing. Physically and emotionally, I was OK, but spiritually there was such a hole. I am full now! I found what I’ve been searching for. I’ve found Jesus. I have no words to express how blessed I am to have Jesus in my life.”

“When I came to Central, I knew this was where I was supposed to be. I asked if Larry would take me again to the service the following weekend. All week I somehow could not wait to get back there. I feel like I’ve found home.”

A Brief Honeymoon

I officiated Larry and Lorie’s wedding on May 22, 1999.

Less than a week later I was summoned to the hospital. Lorie told, “We had to cut our honeymoon short because my kidneys failed. But we still had a really nice time and it was an adventure to see if we could get back before they shut down totally and I died. Even though a lot of this sounds bleak, you have to make the best of it. I’ve made my lifetime out to be what I wanted because I do know how precious it is.”

Once again, calm, cool, collected in the face of death.

Lorie and Larry plunged head first into volunteering.

“I loved serving the Lord in the drama with Larry for the Singing Christmas Tree and serving on a Care Team, co-leading an Alpha group, serving on the young marrieds executive, following up couples who were new to Central, helping to start the “Happy Scrappers Club” and being a part of the young marrieds book club.”

A Second Home

Pastors aren’t supposed to have favourites, but Lorie was one of mine. Her attitude was extraordinary. Even in the hospital she was positive.

In her final year of life, the University of Alberta Hospital became a second home to Lorie and Larry. She spent most of the year in a hospital room. Every Friday night was “date” night.

Larry would bring her dinner, which always included a Diet Coke and a Mr Big chocolate bar.

They would fall asleep on her bed watching movies.

An Eternal Home

On June 2, 2002 Lorie wrote to me, ” I have learned that having faith is the biggest and the best thing you can do for yourself, your family, and your life.  Have that faith in God and do not question.” Much to the surprise and delight of her caregivers, she recovered enough strength to leave the hospital and go home. The first time she was back in church she shared her story, seated in a wheelchair.

Everyone had high hopes for Lorie. We prayed God would spare her life.

On July 22, 2002, just 5 months short of her 34th Christmas, I got a call early one morning from her husband, Larry. Lorie had passed away.

A few weeks earlier she had written a note to be read to her parents at her funeral: “I am now with my Father in heaven, which is something I have looked forward to my whole Christian life.”

A Village Of Hope

Lorie’s influence lives on in many ways.

One couple loved her so much they named their daughter after her. A banquet was held in her honour after her passing.

In 2003, Central (now North Pointe) became involved in a fledgling initiative in Harare, Zimbabwe. Compassion to provide for orphans of HIV/AIDS had birthed a vision to develop a “Village of Hope.” 

The Village would provide housing, education, medical care and most of all caring, Christian house mothers who would love and nurture orphans.

In 2005, the very first home was created in Lorie’s memory with money donated at her funeral and through the giving of her friends and family at North Pointe.

Today, that one home has become eight, along with a school for 600 children, a medical clinic, a feeding program for 1,000’s each week and a community centre/church.

Lorie was only one, but her life and death was the initial kickstart to provide an opportunity for many boys and girls to find the same hope that carried her.

“Never give up hope. Always persevere. There’s a solution to every problem if you try to find a way.” Lorie Lorence

What are you facing? Is your hope under stress? I pray that Lorie’s words, echoed from heaven, would be just what you need to read. Need a way? God will make a way. Hold onto your hope in God. He is faithful.

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