Our daughter, Amber, went home to be with the Lord on June 8, 2000, as the result of injuries sustained in a triple fatality automobile accident just thirteen days before she was to graduate from high school.

Amber was born in Spokane Washington, on August 10, 1981. By age 3, she was already using her active “im-a-gee-a-tion” and exhibiting some of the artistic and dramatic talents for which she was so well known. In grade school, she won a singing role in the Spokane Civic Players’ season-long performance of the musical, “Oliver.” In junior high, she sketched beautiful pictures of horses. In high school, her sensitive fingers coaxed favorite hymns from the piano keys. And her sweet alto voice could be heard singing in the church choir or with her family, or humming the lovely melodies of “Be Thou My Vision,” and “O Love That Will Not Let Me Go.”

The “lady tom-boy,” Amber’s terrific sense of humor was most frequently displayed in her quick wit. She was equally as comfortable on the computer as she was with roller-blading, skiing, swimming, horseback riding, and camping. She loved adventure and physical activity, and was working with determination on her basketball skills to use at the Bible College she was planning to attend in the fall. Her love of taking risks was evident in her preference of snacks: jalapeno-stuffed olives!

She was enjoying her new part-time job as a receptionist at a real estate mall office while completing her course work and SAT’s and preparing for dorm life to come in the fall. Her home-school graduation was just 13 days away. But the most important preparation she ever made was her preparation for eternal life. On November 7, 1996, Amber accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as her personal Savior. She loved Psalm 51:10-12, and her life resembled her Savior in her honesty, commitment to duty, sensitivity to the needs of others, a sweet spirit, and compassion to all, especially young children.

At least 15 people were saved at Amber’s funeral. Several of those were people found on her prayer list in her journal. In her Bible are found many notes among them are the two words, “Don’t quit.” We often remember those words as a reminder to us never to quit and to continue doing what God has called us to do.

Pastor Chris & Lori Knutsen