Originally shared May 28, 2018
Two years ago today, Memorial Day, I stood by the love of my life’s grave and asked God: “Lord, is it wrong of me to have this conviction that Sharon gave up her life for mine? Minutes later I got a Bible verse texted from my street preacher friend in Mississippi. “No greater love hath anyone than this, to lay down one’s life for their friend.”
This is the Sharon Tree. This is in a remote area in the Medicine Bow Mountains west of Laramie, Wyoming. Something supernatural happened to me here. When I came here about this time 12 years ago Sharon had died of cancer the previous November. I had been a self-serving alcoholic and drug addict almost all my life. I laid face down and wept all over this mountainside, begging God and begging Sharon to forgive me for who and what I had become.
I believe this tree somehow represents Sharon and I and our salvation. They both grow out of the same stump. The Sharon side is straight and tall. Sharon was a half head taller than me. I used to call her Lurch Pie. (I know, I’m pretty pathetic). 😉
I buried my 16-year-old companion, Jake, here two Summers ago where I always knew would bury him someday. Jake was a big beautiful Goofy Weimereigner that thought he was the people and I was the dog. My friends all said Jake was right! ☹ Jake must have ridden with me to the abortion clinic over 600 times. Maybe that is a record. Giving Jake back to God was an amazing God story all in itself. The day I returned from my trip up here to say goodbye to Jake I messaged 4 girls online who were planning abortions. Normally only one out of 20-25 of these girls choose life. 3 out of 4 of those girls chose Life! Wonder Jake struck again! 😊 Or rather our Wonderful God sent another one of His Beautiful Messages!
Some strange and beautiful events have been centered around this tree.
The first spring I returned here I had to hike through the snowdrifts to get here but I was determined. I no sooner walked up to the Sharon tree and started talking to Sharon and to God and a Big Beautiful Bald Eagle positioned himself soaring only several feet above the tree and hung out there for a few minutes. The wind was gusty and every time a gust would blow him out of position he would flap his wings and get right above the tree again and resume soaring there.
A couple years after that I returned here and no sooner arrived and a Sage Grouse came out of the Timber and hung out with me for about a half hour. On my old phone, I’ve got pictures of it about a foot from my boot.
Last summer all the Aspen’s had sprouted their leaves that were going to. All but the Sharon Tree. I was alarmed and wondered how long before it would topple over. I even took about 20 paces back and looked at it closely. No leaves. The Kevin side was full of leaves. Since they are both out of the same stump I prayed that the Sharon side would receive sustenance from the Kevin side. That afternoon I was reading my Bible beside Jake’s grave and looked up. WHAT??? There were leaves sprouted all over on the Sharon Tree!!! We have a Strange and Beautiful and Magnificent God!!!
Not in vain
Sharon was/is such a beautiful soul. When I met her she was working 3 jobs. Her and her dad built the house we lived in. I once asked Sharon “Baby, why do you act so strange around children? You don’t act like this any other time?” She then broke down sobbing and weeping and told me about her abortion she had many years before. She was crying uncontrollably telling me that she had always just wanted to be a Mother.
Now every time God uses me to turn a girl from abortion, Sharon’s broken heart was not in vain. Now every time I help a girl to heal after their abortion and point them to God’s Tender Mercy and forgiveness, it honors Sharon. I have a conviction that we are somehow “in this together.”
A few months ago, first thing in the morning, I picked up my Bible and was going to start reading. I usually do my prayer time first so I laid it aside. As I did I sensed the Lord say very clearly “When you get done with your devotions and pick up your Bible I have a special word for you.”
Afterwards, when I picked up my Bible the first verse I laid eyes on was Isaiah 65:10 “Sharon shall be a fold of flocks.”
Again, we have a Strange and Magnificent and Beautiful God.