But God...

On Saturday, December 7th, 2013 my (Nathan's) grandmother, Dorothy Champion, went to be with Jesus! She joined her husband of 72 years who made it to heaven slightly ahead of her.

We called her 'Grams' and she and 'Pop Pop' are part of the reason our family is serving as missionaries in Albania today.

Grams loved Jesus more than anything else, and she modeled service to others. Called to start a Christian school in southern New Jersey, She and Pop Pop left a comfortable life and job to pursue a life of living by faith, first at Mount Carmel High School in Kentucky and then as teachers and later a principal of Bethel Christian school in Port Republic, NJ.

There are many things I will remember Grams for. My ending the last sentence with a preposition would have frustrated her. She was a great teacher and knew how to manage a classroom. Even at family reunions, we would all snap to if Grams requested. The night we first brought Ellie home from Albania, our extended Champion family was celebrating Christmas in Wilmore. When we brought Ellie in to meet the family everyone quietly stood in a circle and greeted Ellie individually as we went around the room. We later learned that Grams had correctly realized that Ellie would have been overwhelmed any other way and had orchestrated the greeting.

There were two words that Grams used often and always with a knowing smile,

"But God..."

Whenever Grams would hear of the 'impossible' she would utter those words...But God!

There are no excuses when those words are added. I'm too young, too old, too poor, too uneducated, too tired, too weak...But God!

If you asked for her story, those words would emerge...But God.

When she heard of two orphans from Albania, she said...But God as she welcomed them into the family.

Grams suffered with Alzheimer's in her later years, and my children will mainly remember her through pictures and my stories, But God gave Ellie and Reni the heritage of Grams and Pop Pop Champion!

In the chaos of the days surrounding my mom's stroke, Grams' words once again proved true!  When you have But God... You have enough!

Meeting Ellie, December 2006

Meeting Reni -- August, 2011


As we post this, it appears that my mom is having a setback in her recovery from her stroke.  Understandably she is grieving the loss of her mother.  This morning she exhibited signs of a possible second stroke, and though tests to this point have been negatives, the symptoms remain so she is being held overnight for observation.  It's difficult to be this far from family during times like this, But God!