Celebrating Lyubov Dashkovskaya

So the lyrics of Toby Mac were never supposed to be taken literally, little sister...

"Echoin' inside your head,

Are the words that your sweet mama said.

"Shoot for the moon, my dear"

So you took aim out of this atmosphere."

It is with heavy & torn hearts that we announce the passing away of our sister & daughter. And endure yet another hard blow to the family. Lyubov (Luba) went to be with her mother in heaven yesterday as she peacefully passed away in her sleep. She has battled serious liver disease for some years now but recently began to feel better, so it comes to us as a shock. She was constantly surrounded by family with love, support, encouragement and pleas with her to keep going in her progress. We were all hopeful for her recovery, but fate had different plans...

Terms like "Live Fast, Die Young" only sound cool until experienced in reality. And while she did both, she also often found herself living not so earthbound, as if it was a foreboding of the future. From her tween days, she loved to study astronomy & astrophysics. Always looking to the sky & the splendor of the stars. A telescope was her treasured possession. She wanted to be out there! Away from the ugliness of this ball she called “the third rock from the sun.” The vastness & sparkle of space dazzled her. Who knew she would arrive where she aimed so literally and so soon...

Deep down, Luba had a wonderfully loving & caring heart for people and their suffering. She could not fathom why there is so much evil & cruelty running amok in the world, and especially around her. Once she was gripped by an astronomical or a deep philosophical question, it would bother her to no end. With dogged-determination she searched for answers to make sense of the endless uncertainties of life.

In the end, death came as a friend. Your search is over. Fly free & fly high, restless angel! Jesus, Himself, has answered all your questions and comforted you completely. In Jesus Christ, death is not a loss, but a gain of eternal life with Him. In the end, you made peace with the Lord & were baptized unto the Lord. In the end—you beat the enemy at his own game!

We ask for your prayers & support in any way you can, to help us get through this difficult time. Above all, may the name of the Lord, Jesus Christ, be praised forever! Thank you, friends.