4 minute read
Chloe Samuelson - “Molly Roth: A Living Saint”
Molly Roth: A Living Saint
On a late night in Lawrence, Kan., Molly Roth puts her three young children to bed. Molly and her husband Chris just moved their family out there and are feeling very isolated in their current situation. As she laid in her bed and fell off into a deep sleep, she was quickly awoken by a frightening nightmare.
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In this nightmare, she saw her children dying and it was her job to save them, this is now a recurring dream in her life.
Trembling from this horrendous nightmare, she woke up and immediately picked up her Bible. It was at this exact moment she knew in her isolation that she had allowed the devil to get to her, and she needed Jesus more than ever. As she read, she instantaneously felt amazing, her heart was on fire while she read the word of God. With no idea where to start, she opened the Bible and read from the book of Genesis. From this moment on, the nightmares that were terrorizing her mind were replaced with God’s everlasting love. Growing up, Roth was raised in a Catholic household that taught her the importance of a never ending spiritual journey. She did all of the things expected of a young Catholic; going to Mass on Sundays, having a good prayer life, and being an active member of the Church. When it was time to go off to college, she slowly started drifting away from God. Her biggest regret was not being confident enough in her faith to speak up and continue to grow on her journey. Drifting away from God during college can be a common occurrence, and Roth was just another example of this. After college, Roth got married and started her own family. Still not completely recovered from falling away, she had not yet let the Holy Spirit fully back into her life. The move to Lawrence had her feeling very isolated. Lacking the religious foundation that she had once established, she was feeling confused. Ever since the night she picked up her Bible, she now reads it every night before bed, ensuring that the devil will not get to her in her sleep again. She began to lead faith groups and got back into the Church and fully emerged into Christ. In Lawrence, she led a Catholic women’s group and dedicated herself to helping other women encounter the Holy Spirit. She moved her family to Omaha in 2007, and has continued to do the same here ever since. As a member of St. Vincent de Paul Parish, she volunteers her time and has led her fair share of prayer groups for people of all age ranges. Her goal is to make people feel welcomed by God, and not intimidated to embark on a religious journey of their own. She shows kindness to everyone in her life, including her family, friends and peers. If someone is in distress, she will step up and be the first to help them out. Many people refer to her as a “living-saint” because of the many compassionate deeds she completes on a daily basis.
Fast forward to 2020, Roth was diagnosed with breast cancer. She went through chemotherapy and all of the treatments necessary to help her beat this terrible disease. Later, she found out that she was misdiagnosed by her doctors and discovered it was actually a rare cancer called sarcoma cancer. It is an uncommon diagnosis of cancer that not many researchers study. This was obviously a major shock to her and her family. Everyone in the community was devastated by this tragic news. These many months were filled with lots of pain and sorrow. They taught Roth not to take anything in life for granted, especially the precious little moments.
During her battle with cancer, she clung to God and remained hopeful. She kept repeating the phrase, “Thank God ahead of time,” meaning thank God no matter what because he knows your ultimate plan and will not lead you astray. This allowed her to find positivity and to trust this long, hard process. As of right now, Molly has been cancer free for several months. With the
By J1 Reporter Chloe Samuelson
immense support from her family, friends, and ultimately her strong relationship with Christ, she was able to overcome and beat this heart wrenching disease.
Molly Roth is the epitome of an inspirational figure. Living by the phrase, “Love big forgive always,” she serves as a role model for the people in her life. Her ability to love and show kindness to all shows her grand purpose in this world, which is to help people grow closer to God. She truly was placed in people’s life for a reason and everyone she encounters, she deeply touches. Through everything she has been through, she role models optimism and hope. Being inspired by Mother Teresa herself, she is a model of compassion for everyone she knows. She is a mentor that helps guide people through life by giving advice, a shoulder to cry on, and an overall feeling of love that will be cherished forever.
