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IN MEMORY OF LU DUNBAR
A WOMAN WHO KNEW HER GOD!
1939-2004
Approximately eight years ago, the paths of several women converged and a dream became a reality.
God inspired these women to create a safe environment where other women could learn to be confident and competent in the investing of their treasure, time and talent for His Kingdom. Lu was one of the visionaries who created this work we now know as Royal Treasure. As a Board Lu constantly reminded us that this was no ordinary organization, "it was a God-thing". Lu would say of those early years, "As I began the assignment God invited me to live-envisioning this organization and inspiring others to see the need." Wow! Finding your purpose, living it out, bringing others with you, and never giving up no matter how hard it gets. Lu spent her days yielding her life to the legacy our great God had for her.
Luke 1:45, says "Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished
Lu not only believed God, but she embraced her calling with passion and love.
She knew that stereotypes must be broken and Christian women need see their true value as stewards of all God has given them. Few of us realized that eighty-seven percent of all wealth ultimately goes
through the hands of women. Lu was full of research statistics, but she knew that figures alone would not create change. Only God and the work of the Holy Spirit can transform people's lives. She set out
to create a community of women who were proactive and positive influencers, impacting eternity through their abundant and overflowing lives.
Lu Dunbar was a net-worker-extraordinaire.
She seemed to know every Christian woman in the whole world. Furthermore, she had an amazing gift for pouring love into individual lives. When I think of Lu Dunbar, what I remember is the encouragement, caring and honoring she did of all women everywhere. The loving community that was created by Lu and Royal Treasure brought us together. We learned from each other, prayed together, loved one another and soon began to share stories about what God were doing in our midst. Lu would be the first to tell you that God wants to write a story about each of your lives. My granddaughter constantly asks me to tell her a story, but at the moment she asks even though I have seen and heard many things I simply can't think of one. In contrast, Lu had a remarkable ability to remember and was never at a loss for God stories. She believed that we could be built up and challenged by hearing how God was using other Christian women. Lu wanted us to catch a vision and start thinking, "If God did that in her life, maybe He can use me too".
Lu perceived her job on earth as one of a miner looking for the precious gems that she knew her owner had put on his property.
She loved the treasure hunt and would go wherever it took her. She could spot God's gems even when they were covered up by the wear and tear of living in a difficult place. Lu would dust the gem off and honor it as something of value while it was rough and dull. She would then bring it to a Royal Treasure Symposium where it would be tumbled around with other gems until it began to have a little shine to it. At the Symposium the gem would learn what it meant to be a valuable asset instead of something with no worth. Here, Lu's found gems would catch a vision for finding other gems, honoring them, and spurring them on to finding and fulfilling God's purpose in their lives. Lu would put it this way, "We are treasure hunters-women who are mining for precious jewels in ourselves and others to place at the foot of the King to impact eternity.
For Lu it was all about eternity and her King.
For you Patrick, her children, grandchildren and other family members and friends we are praying for your comfort as we are grieving with you for the loss of Lu's presence. We do want you to know that it brings a smile to our faces to envision Lu and La Verne, one of our Board members who also died from cancer two years ago dancing pain-free and singing praises to their King. We long to be with them, but our work and your work is not done. Some of you are gems that need to be found, some of you need polishing and some need purpose.
Lu's legacy will continue because it was never about an organization, but it was always about loving the brethren and influencing them to make a difference.
Some are giving money, some are helping others invest wisely for the kingdom. Some are using their talents to help others learn God's purpose, while others are helping widows in Afghanistan. Some use quilting to reach unbelievers, while others invest in micro enterprise. Some reach out to the hurting, the poor, the widow or the stranger, and still others focus on teaching Godly stewardship to their families. It would take me hours to tell you all the stories God has written since the beginning of Royal Treasure.
We thank God for the life of Lu Dunbar, but her death reminds us all how quickly life can change. Our God is the one thing that never changes.
He is what we all need to boast about. He used Lu to impact eternity and become a Royal Treasure. This same God wants to do it again in your life. All you need to do is trust and obey Him. Ephesians 1:18,19 would be Lu's prayer for us: "I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe.
Thank-you all and God Bless you.
Pat Cannon, Board Chair of Royal Treasure
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Lucile H. Dunbar
Lucile H. Dunbar of Marietta died August 6, 2004. She was President of Royal Treasure, a non profit Christian Ministry of equipping and educating women on biblical stewardship.
She is survived by her husband Patrick Dunbar; daughters, Sharon Burdick, Sugarland, TX; Maxine Williams, Pontiac, IL and Marceleen Wurst, New Hope PA; sisters, Clara Cohrs, Charlottesville, VA and Arlene
Goodyear, New York, NY; grandchildren, Joshua and Austin Williams.
A celebration of life service will be held Saturday, August 28, 2004 at 2 P.M. at The Church of the Apostles.
A fund has been established in her memory, contributions may be made to:
The Lu Dunbar Memorial Fund at the National Christian Foundation, 1100 Johnson Ferry Road, Suite 900, Atlanta, Georgia 30342.
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