A litany of rememberance: my Mentee H

My tribute eulogy remembrance speech for Heather Lynn Parman. 1/18/2011

Good evening everyone!
My name is Kristen Driscoll but most of you know, Heather always gave people nicknames so you might know me as Kristen Ment or Mentor or just Ment. You see, I had the honor and privilege of being Heather's mentor. I met Heather 13 years ago when I was leading a team in Student Impact here @ willow creek. She was a freshman and the little sister of one of my students and now dear friend Jill. However, I didn't get the chance to really know her until her senior year.

At this point in Heather's life she was very different from the woman we all know today. She had this wonderful apathy
and anger
towards God, church, people and life in general. During that year, through asking her to use her gifts in art, God began to break through her wall of frustrations and our team was blessed by her amazing talents both visually as well as her humor in doing games and dramas during team room. For she and I though, this was only the beginning.

One of my favorite memories is the day I became her "mentor." I had stopped by to see Jill and her mom Lori said to me, "Thanks so much for being Heather's mentor." I really didn't know how to respond because Heather and I had only hung out one or twice and never established that relationship. However, that's a really special part about h,
she
chooses 
you.

Literally, she decided I was "her" mentor and that's the way it's been ever since.

Mentoring Heather was a GIFT and a BLESSING. She and I met together once or twice a week  for about 3 years and wrestled through what it meant to love Jesus. One meeting, she introduced me to the legend that is, "Algonquin Sub Shop" as she sought advice on whether or not to go to YWAM NY.
I LOVE that memory and how it played out in her life.

My favorite part about mentoring Heather was her eagerness to learn and be changed by God. Her thirst for knowledge was inviting.  I liked to refer to her as my little sponge sometimes. Days, weeks, and even years later she has shared with me things she remembered from our times together and has passed it on to others in her small groups. She would call me up and say, you have a new grand baby mentee, Ment. That's what she called them. That's the legacy I feel blessed to have been a part of...a mentoring circle that has reached all over this world.

I loved watching Heather seek to understand as the theme today says, how to love people best.  One summer we studied  "the five love languages", and made it our goal to try and figure everyones out. Go figure...She picked that one up like a champ! I specifically remember her talking about the deep love for her aunts and grandmother, her Starbucks co-workers and customers, Kristen Gac and her heart for special needs kids.

I also worked with her at the Algonquin Starbucks and was able to observe her uncanny ability to remember peoples drinks.  For some this may not seem like an important piece, but Heather knew it would make people feel special, remembered and spreading joy as she did to us all.
Hi Carmel machiatto with a double shot.

While mentoring Heather, I was both teacher and student. For as much as I poured in,
she gave back and often times
so
much
more.
She taught me to laugh at myself and about deep deep faith.

Thank you my Ment for granting me the unique vantage point of watching God's love transform a frustrated and angry girl into one of the most
passionate
and loving
women I've ever met.
I love you!