Kaitlyn’s Story

Site created on January 1, 2023

Welcome to our CaringBridge website. We are using it to keep family and friends updated in one place. We appreciate your prayers and words of hope and encouragement. Thank you for visiting. 

2 Corinthians 1:2-7
2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. 5 For just as the sufferings of Christ are ours in abundance, so also our comfort is abundant through Christ. 6 But if we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; or if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which is effective in the patient enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer; 7 and our hope for you is firmly grounded, knowing that as you are sharers of our sufferings, so also you are sharers of our comfort.

Newest Update

Journal entry by Byron Johnson

"Thus far, the LORD has helped us." - 1 Samuel 7:12

This will be our final post. It is a little long, so bear with us.

We start with a genuine THANK YOU for walking this journey with us. Your prayers have meant so much to our family. We ask that you continue to pray with us and for us as we grieve the loss of our precious Kaitlyn. She will be missed! We have sensed the presence of the LORD throughout this entire process of affliction and suffering and are being comforted by Him. 

THANK YOU to the 1000+ that was physically present and celebrated with us Monday, January 23rd, at Kaitlyn's Celebration of Life Service and the many others who later watched the recording of the service. We have heard from several of you regarding how God was honored during the service. My response has been, "TO GOD BE THE GLORY!"

Also, many of you have contributed financially to VISION 9:38 in Kaitlyn's honor. THANK YOU! If others would like to honor Kaitlyn in this manner, you can do so by clicking here

Here are a few more encouraging comments regarding Kaitlyn's Celebration of Life Service:

  • "The service was one of the most encouraging, gut wrenching, hopeful, honoring to the personality, and character of Kaitlyn, and glorifying to our Lord." - R. C. 
  • "It was incredible! It was like a revival." - J. H. 
  • "Kaitlyn's service was beautiful and Christ-centered." - B. H.
  • "The Celebration of Life Service was one of the most beautiful worship services I have ever experienced. A fitting tribute and a foretaste of the ultimate worship service that is to come." - J. H. 
  • "Kaitlyn's celebration of life service was the most powerful and moving service I have ever experienced. Never before have I seen truth claimed so clearly and deeply in the midst of tremendous pain and loss. I will forever associate Firm Foundation with Kaitlyn's words about what it meant to her. Our Lord was indeed magnified!" - P. P. 
  • "The memorial service was probably one of the most moving and significant I've ever attended. I believe that as Kaitlyn made her dent in eternity, this service made many more." - K. E.
  • "It was such a beautiful service, and it really led me to renew my fellowship with God." - C. S.
  • "Kaitlyn's service was a beautiful celebration of her joy, her light, and her love for God and His people." - V. C.
  • "My heart was just full—all the thanks and glory to the Almighty." - D. D.
  • "Kaitlyn's celebration of life service was one of the most incredible experiences of my life. The service was simply the most spirit-filled, God-honoring event I have ever been a part of. I have never cried so much in my life. This experience was confirmed by so many others in attendance, including my children. I should have expected nothing less... God is very big. He gave us all great hope, even in the face of death... your precious daughter's life was not in vain, and her death is already producing fruit. 1 Corinthians 14:24-25 comes to mind, "But if an unbeliever or an inquirer comes in while everyone is prophesying, they are convicted of sin and are brought under judgment by all, 25) as the secrets of their hearts are laid bare. So they will fall down and worship God, exclaiming, "God is really among you!" Anyone present at the service would have to exclaim that God was among us! Thank you for sharing the gift of your daughter's life and death with us all. I will not be the same. This will undoubtedly be an Ebenezer in many people's lives." - D. D.
  • "Kaitlyn’s service was a beautiful way to celebrate the beautiful soul that God created her to be. I am inspired by witnessing your faith and dependence on the Lord in a time when many would run away from His promises. You give glory to God during one of the hardest seasons and experiences as a family." - L. R. 
  • "Amazing. Inspirational. Glorifying. Truly a Celebration of Life." - M. H.
  • "Kaitlyn's Memorial Celebration was the most beautiful witness of God's peace that passeth all understanding I have ever experienced. Your family's words and hugs later were balm for our souls." - J. T. 
  • "Thank you for allowing us to celebrate Kaitlyn with you, to honor her, to experience the sweet joy of her spirit, and to cry tears of 'grief and glory.'" - S. J.

In conclusion:

We hope to grieve but not grumble, mourn but not murmur, and weep but not whine while trusting our Heavenly Father. We will be forever grateful that He gave us Kaitlyn.  

We desire to remain steadfast and immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord (1 Cor. 15:58). 

- Byron and Kim, along with our four remaining adult children (Kelsey, James Byron, Jordan, and Jonathan)

 

THANK YOU again for walking this unique journey with us! God's presence and grace are comforting us. May we continue to look to Christ, who is our FIRM FOUNDATION!

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