My friend Kylee Kingery Boden went to be with her Lord on March 17, 2010.
Kylee was eight months pregnant when she was rushed to the hospital where she died of a stroke following an emergency c-section. The baby — a boy named Caleb — is doing well.
Her husband — and my friend — Matt is left with 4 small children: Seth, Lydia, Sarai and Caleb.
Matt and Kylee worked for New Missions Systems International and lived in Ft. Myers, Florida.
Kylee was a 2001 graduate of Florida Christian College in Kissimmee. That’s where my wife and I met Kylee and grew to love her deeply. We cherished Kylee and miss her so much.
Kylee had a zest for life, a passion for the Lord and an enthusiasm that was contagious. She loved people and loved His church. She had a true servant's heart. Kylee lived her life with an infectious joy and a broken heart. Very rarely did we see her when she was not laughing hysterically or crying on behalf of someone else. Often she was doing both at the same time. She loved God with every ounce of her heart and longed for people to see the love of Christ in her. Her marriage, her children, her ministry, her life are all a screaming testimony of the hope that she carried inside of her. It is that same hope that we are clinging to. Hope that surpasses impossible grief.
In my grief I decided to try to do what I could to help Matt and the kids so I talked with Matt, prayed about it, and — with Matt’s permission — Kylee’s Kids was born.
Kylee’s Kids is a fundraising effort that I’ve established to raise money for a one-time gift to Matt and his kids. On November 7, 2010 I’m fulfilling a personal goal and dream by doing an Ironman Distance race in Las Vegas called the Silverman. I’m doing the race as a fundraiser for Matt and Kylee’s Kids. Between now and race day my goal is to raise $5,000 for Matt and his four kids. I am underwriting this fundraising effort and EVERY SINGLE penny that is collected in this campaign will go directly to Matt and Kylee’s kids.*
The fund will be closed at 5pm on the Monday, November 22nd and a check will be sent to Matt and his kids just in time for the holidays. All gifts need to be made on or before 5pm on November 22nd.
If you’d like to join me in this effort by making a donation to Kylee’s Kids click here. If you prefer to pay by check make the checks payable to “Kylee’s Kids” and send to: Kylee’s Kids, 6908 W. 18th St., Greeley, CO. 80634
Running for Kylee’s Kids,
Arron Chambers ( www.arronchambers.com )
I Corinthians 9: 24
“Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.”
Here’s a post from Kylee’s blog in which she talks about Heaven. You can reach her blog here: http://bodenssojournings.blogspot.com/2009/01/hungry-for-home.html
Hungry for Home by Kylee Boden – January 11,2009
This week I had a conversation with a friend. It was difficult, sad, and full of truth at its purest. What was spoken was nothing to be argued with and yet it made me long for Home.
Last week Matt was gone for our staff retreat. I chose to stay home with the kids and it was difficult, fun, and full of laughter and some tears. I realized that I am deeply connected to Matt. The kind of connection that I am scared to admit. Part of me wants to believe that if I had to, I could make it on my own. But the truth is, I am a better person with him around. I laugh more, choose truth more, cry more for others, seek Christ more fervently, am sharpened and well...more like Jesus because he and I are deeply intertwined. It made me wonder what Home will be like, with all of us together in our purest form, tightly wound around each other, depending on one another without self-protection, without reservation or fear.
I am longing for Home. I know this is good because I was never meant to nestle in here. The verse that has haunted me often is when Jesus is talking and says that birds have nests, foxes have dens, but the Son of man has no place to lay his head...it sobers this world up a bit. It keeps me from being intoxicated by what it has to offer. There is a line in a Rich Mullins song that says, "Nobody tells you when you get born here, how much you'll come to love it and how you'll never belong here. So I'll call you my country, but I'll be longing for my home. I wish that I could take you there with me."
What I do long for on this side of heaven is deep, intertwining friendships that never question the realm of purity and never tap into self-protection. There is a loneliness that subsides only for a little while, usually with a hug or a warm smile. But usually...usually it haunts me because I know I have no place to lay my head and weep.
Posted by kboden at 6:19 PM
If you prefer to pay by check make the checks payable to “Kylee’s Kids” and send to: Kylee’s Kids, 6908 W. 18th St., Greeley, CO. 80634
