Happy Birthday Ellen and Juli
Today is a very special day in my world because of two very special people—Ellen G. White and Juli Ling Miller.
You may be familiar with both of these incredible women, but if not I’ll tell you a little bit about them.
Ellen G. White was the co-founder of the Seventh-day Adventist church, so I consider her to be my church family mother. I know that she was particularly influential to my birth mother, because they both talk and write in the imperative tone. However, my birth mother did not misuse Ellen in her parenting. She did not quote her endlessly or hold my actions up to what would Ellen do. So I don’t have Ellen issues as some of my generation do. I cherish Ellen for her supreme love of Jesus, for her organizational skills, and her ability to stand up to General Conference presidents. The community that she built is a beloved heritage. I am grateful for her.
I cherish Juli for her friendship skills, for knowing how to show up in a person’s life at just the right time and make all the difference.
Juli and I attended Takoma Academy together, and then La Sierra University where we were roommates. Then I worked for her at Marshall Hospital in Placerville. But the important thing to know about Juli is her outstanding talent for friendship. She shows up, listens, and acts in a way that few people can match.
For instance, as a member of the Spectrum community she has attended many Adventist Forum Conferences. Last year she volunteered to help with the fund raising committee. Week after week she showed up in my e-mail box saying when are we getting the committee together again, what will our agenda be, who is writing thank you notes. She kept the committee working and bit by bit, with your help we worked on and reached that big goal of $250,000.
So, when a check came into the office this past weekend from Juli’s borther Ben in honor of his sister, I decided that I wanted to join him in honoring Juli today on her birthday with a donation to Spectrum.
If you know Juli, I invite you to join me in honoring her. If you appreciate what she has done within the Adventist Forum community, I invite you to join in honoring her today. I think it is also a way of honoring Ellen and the family that she started.
Bonnie Dwyer is editor of Spectrum Magazine.
