Drawing Near

Kathy Antoine

When Belinda Duvel, a friend and much-loved member of Kathy Antoine’s small group entered the presence of Jesus, Kathy had the honor to speak at her celebration of life service in October. Kathy not only shares part of her talk but also some insights on the staying power of a small group that began in 2001.

I was honored to be able to speak as a best friend of Belinda and representing our small group. I first met Belinda in 2003 in her home, where she had been hosting a small group of seven single gals from College Church in a Bible study since 2001. The original group of seven had become four, and three of us joined in 2003 and one more woman joined in February 2020. We call our group “Drawing Near,” based on James 4:8, “Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.” After talking about Belinda and our small group at her celebration of life service, I was asked to share some insights of how our group has stayed together.

For the last 18-20 years, our small group has drawn near to God by studying the Bible together, trusting him, having faith and praying together twice a month. We switch up studying a book of the Bible and then a book from a Christian author. We’ll go through a book of the Bible—sometimes with a study guide and sometimes with questions such as what surprised you about the passage or what commands were given and other questions along those lines. We also will go through a book by a Christian author, and currently are going through Gentle and Lowly by Dane Ortlund and using the newly released workbook.

Our small group really enjoys being together outside of study and prayer time too. Each group member may not be able to attend each event, but all are welcome. We have gone on women’s retreats together. We have gone apple picking with other mutual friends and the husbands some group members married along the way. We enjoy summer band concerts at

Memorial Park. We celebrate birthdays, Christmas and the Superbowl. We have a standing Sunday lunch for the group and anyone else who wants to join. Four of us attend the same Adult Community, two families vacation together, and one member has “season tickets” to another member’s son’s school orchestra performances and also catches some sporting events.

We have helped each other in many of life’s challenges. Our group has had its share of surgeries and medical procedures. One member reminisced how two summers in a row she had medical issues and one summer a member took all her laundry home and brought it back all clean and on hangers. The second summer another member and her son did the same. Then there were the meals brought over while recuperating. She spoke how that ministered to her and meant so much to her.

Our group even went tent camping three years in a row. Belinda had joined on the last two trips. She was adventurous and courageous. She helped prepare the meals and hiked and explored with us. The camping trip to end all camping trips was to Devil’s Lake in Wisconsin as it turned out to be a rainy weekend, filled with mishaps. We were all ready to go to a motel but decided to stick it out. The next day we went to an outlet mall, and all seemed right again.

As a small group, we have shared in each other’s job losses and searches. Everyone in the group has changed jobs at least once. One gal worked on Sundays and found the group to be very welcoming as she had a harder time plugging in when working the weekends. Now she has a new job, a Monday through Friday job, which allows her to participate much more.

Our small group has developed strong friendships and we are in mourning over our dear friend Belinda Duvel. We all share so many lovely memories and feel her loss deeply. The rest of this article are the words I shared at her celebration service.

Belinda would move mountains to come alongside to share in your joy or your grief no matter how hard it was for her physically and asking us how she could pray for us. I will never forget her joy as she shared in my joy of my first ever, long-awaited and prayed for house and how she stood by me in my grief in the passing of my mom. Belinda and her dad drove nine hours roundtrip to be with me at my mom’s funeral service, what a surprise and what a support.

Belinda was our encourager. She would encourage us in our group’s job searches, numerous losses of family members and she also shared in the joys of three weddings, two sons, birthday celebrations and holiday dinners. Our small group has lived life together for 18 years as a family, as sisters in Christ. I miss her so much, but I picture her hearing every word in heaven, pain free and jumping for joy and that shifts my focus from my loss to her gain of being with her heavenly Father and getting to see his face.

For years I have been telling Belinda she is the strongest person I know. We watched over time how her health diminished, and our God got bigger. It was because she entrusted her life to Christ daily. She continues to influence us, and she has impacted our small group with her kind, caring ways and all her prayers have shown us how to love deeply. Belinda has taught us that life is short, don’t neglect what is truly important, our days are numbered by God and life without Christ is empty. Belinda had a full life, and her life continues in heaven. Our small group family looks forward to seeing her again in heaven when our days are done here on earth.