This blog is dedicated to Julie Check, 40 years old, of Wausau WI.  I didn't know Julie for very long. She was a wife and a mom of 3. Recently she appeared in the lobby of my church. I greeted her and she told me that she was bringing her son who was 10 to our AWANA program at church. I wanted to visit with her, but she seemed preoccupied with a book and was reading. The following week, February 25th, 2009 she showed up with asking me if we had an Ash Wednesday service. I told her no, but we had a prayer service upstairs and a women's bible study as well. She thanked me and went upstairs. I then continued to visit with my girlfriends in the lobby while our kids were in AWANA. Then I felt the tugging at my heart, I knew I needed to go and share Christ with Julie. I was so enjoying these ladies, some of whom I had not seen in a while. Finally I pulled myself away and went upstairs. There she was sitting alone on a bench and she was happy to see me. I asked her what she was looking for in a Ash Wednesday service, and she answered she didn't know, but something. It was then I asked permission to share with her the good news. I told her the Bible tells us we can know these things for certain we have eternal life. I asked her if she thought she would go to heaven and she said she hoped so, cuz she was a good person. I then shared with her (Evangelism Explosion) that heaven was a free gift and she prayed and received Christ. She marveled at how simple the gospel was! Friday night, February 27th, 2009 she called me. She was struggling with family life and it was her 40th Birthday. I prayed with her again and told her to call me in the morning. Monday morning March 2nd, she called me again and she sounded really great. She said she had just taken her 4 year old twins for haircuts and herself. We had plans to meet Wednesday night so I could get her started on her walk with the Lord through a small discipleship booklet. She didn't show. I didn't hear from her for over a week. Thursday March 12th I opened the Wausau Daily Herald and there was her obituary. I was blown away. I learned she died of pneumonia. Julie died 13 days after she prayed to receive Christ! Her husband told me how she had gotten sick during the week, finally went to the walk in on Sunday. He said they admitted her immediately and she had a very aggressive pneumonia that was bacterial and got into her blood stream. She died of sepsis. Julie is a perfect example of not waiting till you are good friends to share the gospel. Often times we as believers wait so long to share, we never share and clearly articulate the gospel. I was guilty of this for the first 18 years of my walk with Christ. For the past 2 years I have been part of a team at my church called evangelism explosion, it has changed my life. Often times we will wait so long to share "Friendship Evangelism" we never get around to sharing Christ and people are dying 2 every second, another dead. Mark Cahill wrote an excellent book on this topic: You do not need to "earn the right to share the gospel" ..where is this in Scripture? No, I don't force the Gospel on anyone, I always ask permission, we are called to proclaim Jesus with gentleness, grace and truth. I am so thankful I spoke up for Julie's sake......I know I will see her again. http://www.markcahill.org/news.html www.evangelismexplosion.org Blessings in JESUS, Sheila
Julie Check, 40, 2464 Sundown Place, Kronenwetter, died of complications of pneumonia Tuesday, March 10, 2009, at Saint Joseph's Hospital, Marshfield.Julie was born Feb. 27, 1969, to Virgil and Marcia (Quick) Pufahl in Platteville. She married Scott Check on April 17, 1993, in Platteville. Julie enjoyed family activities and animals, especially her dog Roodie. She also loved outdoor events, planting trees and flowers, in addition to gardening. Visiting craft fairs was another practice Julie frequently experienced. Being an excellent writer, Julie was initially employed as a technical writer at Marquip in Phillips and later managed the Technical Publications Department. More recently, she was a communication specialist in the marketing area of Northcentral Technical College until becoming a full-time homemaker. Survivors include her husband, Scott; a son, Nathan (10); twin daughters, Jenna and Lindsay (4); parents, Virgil and Marcia Pufahl, Platteville; father-in-law, Richard Check, Kieler, Wis.; and a sister, Amy (Shawn) Stoffregen, Sparta. Services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday, March 14, 2009, at Saint Andrew Lutheran Church, 3200 N. Mountain Road, Rib Mountain. The Rev. John Roseth will officiate. Burial will be at Gate of Heaven Cemetery in Kronenwetter. Visitation will be from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. today, March 13, at Brainard Funeral Home-Everest Chapel, 5712 Memorial Court, Weston, and again from 9:30 a.m. until the time of service Saturday at the church. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the family for the children.
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