A ‘Warrior Spirit’ remains in Baker
Kadence, by all accounts, was a teen every parent would be proud of. An over-achiever of sorts and a tremendous role model to peers. In her early teen years, she was selected as Crestview’s Citizen of the Year – she was the youngest ever chosen. She founded Kada’s Promise, donating over $15,000 teddy bears to children in crisis. She gave more than 1,200 hours of volunteer service to various organizations. She also served as Miss Okaloosa County Teen USA and advocated for child abuse awareness and animal welfare. Her list of accomplishments in her young life were many – so many – and she left a huge impact on her community.
When a light that is so bright gets extinguished, it sends shock waves throughout the community. Someone who was well-connected and had so many friends doesn’t just cease to exist. The beautiful part of it is, Kadance’s light will continue to live on through all the people she touched and impacted.
The Bible gives us comfort in many ways when we suffer a tragedy like this.
Isaiah 57:1-2 says, “Good people pass away; the godly often die before their time.”
Ecclesiastes 3:1-2: “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted.”
Psalm 34:18: “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”
Psalm 116:15: “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.”
John 14:1-3: “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.”
We know Kadence is at rest. We know God has accepted her into His arms and told her, “Well done my good and faithful servant.”
We grieve for ourselves because we are the ones left behind without her. Be comforted to know that in this community, her light will always shine – and it will shine brightly.