THANK YOU, Kim Thorpe!
A special message from Becky Davidson
There are people who enter our lives at a critical moment and their faithfulness can change the trajectory of the future, for us and for others. Helen Keller said that the most significant day of her life was the day her future teacher and companion, Anne Sullivan, came to her with a heart to help. With Anne’s support, Helen, who was born blind and deaf, transformed from what many deemed a discardable “burden” to becoming a dynamic world changer with global impact.
We also see this principle at work in the life of Moses. The Amalekites, a group of nomadic raiders, attacked the people of Israel in the desert. Joshua led the army but Moses led the war. It was observed that when Moses held up his arms, the Israelites prevailed in battle, but when he dropped his arms, the Israelites would begin to lose. In his weariness, his faithful friends, Aaron and Hur came to him. They moved a rock into place so that Moses could sit, and then they held his arms up until the battle was won. Sometimes the critical component for success is not the leader, but the faithful friend.
A few months after my husband passed away, a friend of mine stopped by the Rising Above office for a visit. I had known her for several years through church and she also volunteered at Rising Above events including By the Brook. She was a balm to me in those difficult and heartbreaking days. I was humbled when she shared that she felt she was to be an “Aaron and Hur” to me; to come alongside and support me when I became weak and overwhelmed.
This friend had been working as a chemistry teacher in a nearby community for years, but she sensed God might be leading her in a new direction. Several months later, a position at Rising Above opened up. She applied and was hired. This change of career involved a pay cut and meant she would no longer have summers and school vacations off with her kids, but she and her family were willing to make that sacrifice.
It is hard to convey the magnitude of impact this friend has had on the ministry of Rising Above, and on my life. She has diligently applied her vast array of skills and abilities to transform our work at Rising Above, and she has stood by me, for better or worse, as a faithful friend.
Her name is Kim Thorpe.
Kim has challenged us as a team to think outside of the box. With her skills, creativity and initiatives, she has helped Rising Above grow from a national ministry to an international one. It was her idea for us to develop an interactive app so that families could be encouraged day or night with hope. She took that idea and brought to life the beautiful app Rising Above now provides. She was also vital in helping us navigate and thrive in the pandemic with all its shifts and turns.
Kim has managed every Rising Above event she was responsible for with excellence and she always made sure things went off without a hitch. On the rare occasion when something did go wrong, which happens, she always kept her cool and came up with a plan to pivot.
Whenever we travel as a team, I never worry about any of the details. I always know if Kim is in charge we will get where we need to be. I can safely follow her anywhere!
For the past six years Kim has served on our team at Rising Above with excellence.
She has more than fulfilled her commitment to be an “Aaron and Hur” in my time of need and has brought so much joy, skill, and strength to the ministry, but times change and assignments shift for all of us. Kim is now being led into another opportunity and adventure. She will be leaving the team at Rising Above to pursue a new call as a real estate agent, so if you live in the Cookeville area and are looking to buy or sell a home, she’s your girl!
There are no words to describe how she will be missed on the Rising Above Team, and by the Rising Above community. I mean, what is this world without "Betty Bumpkins"? How do you properly thank a person who can genuinely make your sides split with laughter and also tell you the hard things in love?
Thankfully Kim will still be in Cookeville and serve as a high level volunteer so she will be close by. I’m not sure we can do without her, but we release her in love and with confidence.
Kim, on behalf of all of the families you have so beautifully loved and served over the years, thank you! Thank you for your selfless service. We honor you and pray God's blessings on your new adventure.