Kathy's Memorial Article
How Someone I've Never Met Still Inspires Me to Write Even Today
ARTICLE
9/16/20262 min read
Kathy's Memorial Article
How Someone I've Never Met Still Inspires Me to Write Even Today
Though I never met her, I wouldn’t be here today as a writer without my grandma, Kathy Farinella.
At first glance, my grandma’s life may seem tragic and short lived. However, that’s because people never got to look at her story after her passing. That’s why I write this; to share the true impact of a life lived for God even to the very end.
Kathy came from a broken home; a bus kid on Sunday and for the rest of the week lived in the home of a drunk. Through the Lord’s grace that brought her through those long years but, it was also through those trials when the foundations of her walk with God were being built.
Following the Lord’s will a step at a time, she went to Bible college where the Lord brought her journey to cross with my grandfather’s, Rich Farinella. Newly married, Rich and Kathy felt the Lord calling them to plant a church in Washington state.
With Rich’s leadership and Kathy’s support, they were used by God to establish Woodin Valley Baptist Church. During their ministry, the Lord blessed them with four kids of their own who Kathy loved dearly. The Lord even used Kathy to write a few books, which we will get back to later.
It was all short lived.
They found cancer. After months of a losing battle, she passed away at the age of 42. She left behind my grandfather to not only run the church by himself, but to also care for their children, the youngest still only ten.
It’s here where people look at Kathy’s end and shake their heads saying, “what a poor, woman. What a tragedy.”
I will say this: from my perspective, she was anything but poor. To this day, the Lord is still using her. Woodin Valley is a thriving church and is an anchor for spreading the Truth in the Northwest. My grandpa Rich, as of last year, retired from the pastorate after 40 years of faithful ministry. I’m blessed today to have an incredibly close-knit family where just about everyone serves in ministry and, even better, loves the Lord with all of their heart.
Then there were those books that she wrote. 20 years after her death, one of her granddaughters, who she never got to meet, got saved after reading one of her books. It is her testimony that inspires me today to be a writer for the Lord myself, honing my pen for His glory.
In many ways, my grandma’s life reminds me of Abraham. Abraham faithfully followed the Lord even when he would never see the Lord’s promise fulfilled in his lifetime. I don’t think my grandma ever expected the Lord to use her in the way He did and it’s sad that she never got to see all the fruit of her faithfulness. But just like Abraham, my grandma never did it for gain or blessings.
She was faithful for one simple reason: her fervent love for the Lord. She only wanted His relationship. She wanted Him. And it’s because of my grandma’s simple, trusting love in the Lord why I’m here today.
It is because of the Lord’s work done through her why I’m inspired to give my pen to Him.
Elijah Farinella
Love God. Be Positive. Never Give Up.
elijah@elijahfarinella.com
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