Today my beloved Nanna, Mary Rowland, died suddenly.

If you ever met her, you would remember her. She was the sort of person that you couldn't ignore. Words to describe her: feisty, fierce, fun-loving, loyal, loving, prayerful.

With my wonderful Pop, Stan Rowland, she was generous with her time, her energy, her money, her possessions and with her faith in Jesus Christ. She shared everything she had. She always had time for people, and she always had a wonderful way of pointing you back to Jesus and to words in the Bible.

At the age of 83, she was still running a Bible study every week and was an active leader in her church. A couple of years ago, she decided to help out in the creche at her church's playgroup so she could get to know the young mothers and encourage them. Up until just a few years ago, she and Pop could still beat all of us in the younger generations in a competitive game of doubles tennis.

Many people of her age end up having small funerals, but hers will be enormous because her world and her reach and her outlook were so wide.

I can't believe it's happened. And I'm really going to miss her.

Love you Nan xxx