Today many friends and relatives will say good-by to a great soldier of Cross, Mrs. Sylvia Palmer 95 year-old powerhouse of the Gospel.

Her preacher-husband went home to the Lord in the late 80’s. You might expect that a lady who had given her life serving others along side her husband would decide to sit back, relax, a prepare for a smooth transition into her Heavenly home. Not Sylvia! She headed off to Hong Kong for short-term mission service, and then came home to lead her small church in many mission endeavors. For almost three decades she kept the small congregation in Vona, CO alive with just a handful of members. I remember preaching one Sunday when we were in the area about ten years ago; Sylvia stood to lead the singing for the twelve of us who were gathered there. Behind her was the attendance board, which showed that the week before the attendance was 1 with an offering of $20. Sylvia (then in her late 80’s) had walked two blocks in a blizzard to open the church and prepare communion just incase anyone should venture out for services that day! On another occasion Beth and I stopped by the Church building when traveling through eastern Colorado and found Sylvia (almost 90 years old) wearing hat and gloves and working with a young woman in her 70’s to clear brush from a recent storm. When moved into a nursing home just a few days before her passing she said, “I have one more soul to win before I go”.

Wish we could attend her send off, but she'd tell us that it was more important to be preaching the Gospel in revival in DeWitt, AR this week. So we'll take comfort in knowing that.

Sylvia taught us a lot about conviction, commitment, & enthusiasm. We shall miss her, but look forward to seeing her wonderful smile again someday when we meet on that Beautiful Shore.

*NOTE: The picture above is of Sylvia (@ 92) when she drove herself 25 miles every night from Vona, CO to Burlington, CO to attend our Rock Solid Revival.