JILL BRISCOE
1935-
Continuing A Legacy
After their home-goings, it was Stuart and Jill’s desire to continue sending their teaching around the world—reaching generations with timeless and trusted Bible teaching. Should you want to honor Jill, please make memorial gifts to their teaching ministry Telling the Truth.
All the Way Home…
Jill would have told you she was no extraordinary lady, just an ordinary woman led by an extraordinary God. In her lifetime she walked closely with God—not perfectly, but completely. In addition to being Stuart’s wife of 64 years, Jill was mother to her beloved David, Judy, and Pete. She was grandmother to 13, and great-grandmother to 5 who called her Nana. Her roles as wife, mother, and Nana took priority in her life and relationships.
Carrying the Cross All the Way Home
Shaken, drained, discouraged, sickly
Tired and troubled and depressed,
Glad the time of serving over,
Now I could go home and rest.
Hot and humid was the weather
Sad and needy was the crowd,
Feeling I had done my duty
Earned the time of rest allowed.
Soon I could return to family
“Yes,” tomorrow I’d be gone,
Sitting in the last hot meeting
I tuned in to what went on.
Listened to my husband preaching,
My, it was a great last talk,
All about the call of Jesus
All about our life’s “faith walk.”
Stuart opened up the Scriptures
Talked of Jesus’ pain and loss,
How He Who was our great sin bearer,
Bore our guilt upon His cross.
What a great word for the students!
Hoped they’d listened, yielded their hearts,
They were young, their lives before them,
Now their turn to do their part.
Time for prayers of dedication
I was tired, so late at night,
Shut my eyes and wished it over
When a picture sprang to sight!
Saw a cross alone discarded
Laid at rest against a wall,
Who’d laid down such holy symbol?
Who’d abandoned life’s “faith call”?
Then a voice so dear, familiar,
Asked a question, pierced me through,
“Who is it that you’re expecting
Carrying it home for you?”
How could I lay down that crossbeam?
How to think that no one saw?
Who did I expect to lift it,
Carry it to heaven’s door?
“Jesus, Jesus please forgive me,
Carried Thou Your cross for me,
All the way to hell to save us,
Help me carry mine for Thee!”
“I’m no hero, special woman
Just a lady, old and grey,
But my cross, Lord, I will carry
Home, Lord. Home, Lord. ALL THE WAY!”
Spoke His voice so quiet—but clearly then:
“All the way home, Jill, all the way, all the way home!”
~Jill Briscoe ©2012
When Jill penned those words, little did she know that 10 years later she would be reading them at Stuart’s memorial service. In her grief and pain, this was the poem that she read to honor Stuart and his faithfulness to God.
In recent times, Jill often talked about “the great crowd of witnesses” who would cheer her into heaven—her husband, Stuart, waiting at the front. How fitting it would be for her as she walked into the arms of Jesus to see Stuart nearby, standing tall and straight, beaming with joy. And with his British humor teasing, “How come it took you so long?”
Jill Briscoe carried her cross unwaveringly right up to God’s front door. Now, she is part of that great crowd of witnesses who will one day greet us in heaven! Until that day, she cheers each of us on to carry our cross—all the way, all the way home!
Thank you, Jill. We love you!