28 January 2024

“HAIL, TANYA, FULL OF GRACE!

THE LORD IS WITH THEE, AND WE ARE BLESSED THOU ART WITH US!”

Dear Tanya,

I have written Pastor York a separate letter of thanks and appreciation; but I think he would concur that his ministry and influence would not be what it is without your companionship and contribution as you have travelled, appeared, served, and ministered alongside him. You fulfil all the portrait ‘excellencies’ of the Proverbs 31 wife, but I think especially of a couple specific commendations: “The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will have no lack of gain (verse 11),” and “Her husband is known in the gates when he sits among the elders of the land (verse 23).”

You know how that over the past few years I will occasionally greet you with this [what I have come to call] “Ave Tanya” greeting. Obviously, it’s a takeoff on the traditional ‘Hail, Mary’ or ‘Ave Maria’ prayer. I have adapted it for myself: ‘Hail, Tanya, full of grace! The Lord is with thee, and we are blessed thou art with us!’

It is not really even a jest…or a parody – I am full of sincerity. Because you are full of God’s grace. And the Lord is truly with you. And you have blessed us everyone by being with us. Everyone universally bears that same testimony. Everywhere you go, everyone you meet, everyone with whom you associate – they all testify, without being asked specifically, that the first, most prominent, and lasting impression they have of you is that you are full of grace!

You are full of grace in your character and conduct. I know we are more accustomed to thinking about and defining ‘grace’ from a theological perspective, but the English definitions are more expansive and inclusive: ‘Seemingly effortless beauty or charm…; a characteristic or quality pleasing for its charm or refinement; a sense of fitness or propriety; a disposition to be generous or helpful; goodwill, mercy; etc…’ You embody, demonstrate, and live out all the graces of Christ-like character and conduct in everything you do.      

You are full of grace in your very presence. Maybe ‘exude’ would be the best word here.Grace enters our presence when you come among us. You present yourself with grace; you carry yourself with grace; you approach us and interact with us with the grace of love, cheerfulness, and encouragement. You still minister grace to us, even when we are not face-to-face with you, but see you interacting with others.  

You are full of grace in your correspondences among us – especially social media. And this is a rare gem of grace, to be sure – but you practice it consistently and with ease. You don’t have to pretend or ‘put on’ to be gracious. You are a constant source of encouragement to us all as you wittily and graciously ‘cheer on’ all of us to Christian love and fellowship and good works.

You are full of grace in your personal expressions of compassion and sympathy. This is so one of your hallmarks of grace. So many times, especially pre-Covid, when one of our sisters in distress or heavy-hearted would approach the steps of the platform during response time to kneel and pray, pouring out their hearts to God. And you would go to her, wrap your arms around her, and cry and pray with her. We knew that you knew and most probably had previous correspondences with her. But whether you did or not, you would exercise the grace of sympathy in its purest expression: to ‘feel along with.’ And we know this goes on all the time, behind the scenes, and so much more than any of us even knows.  

You are full of grace in your modeling of what a Christ-like, Christ-honoring marriage is and how it works. You have been for us all such an example and model of a gracious counterpart in your-all’s marriage. How you two love, adore, respect, and interact with one another; how you team up with one another in the lessons, seminars, and sessions on Biblical, God-honoring marriage that you have given – not only to us, but all over the world. Your grace has been an invaluable and indispensable asset of that witness to the grace of God and the Gospel.

You are full of grace in your abundant epieikes. I think I have the correct word here. I know Pastor has referred to it more than one time in his sermons. I think it often referred to as ‘forbearance,’ but Pastor has often given us the ‘York paraphrase’ as ‘put-uppance.’ I’ll just leave that one right there – but you are full of that grace also!

And I could go on… But I just want to give you my heartiest “Grace to you!” because you have given yours to us!

~Dave Parks