The Family would like to invite everyone to come to Sono’s Memorial Service:

Saturday, July 10, from 10:30am – noon.

Here are the details:

Good Shepherd Community Church

28986 Southeast Haley Rd.

Boring, OR 97009

503-663-5280

www.goodshepherdcc.org

Though I only knew Sono a short time, the impact she has made on my family will carry on for the cause of Christ into Eternity.

Sono is known to many around the world as the wife of Gregg Harris (speaker, author, pastor), the mother of Josh Harris (author, pastor, speaker), Joel Harris (musician for the Lord), Alex & Brett Harris (The Rebelution Boys, authors & speakers), Sarah Harris (performer in True Heart Productions), Isaac Harris (Speech & Debate Champ), & her youngest son James (who is ten years old, yet according to his father has shown amazing maturity and strength through these past few months).

There was so much more to this woman… she was gentle, quiet spirited… yet she was a womanof strength who lived on purpose. One purpose… to serve her Savior. How did she serve? I can not accurately list the ways, but one thing I am sure of, she served her King through her service to her to husband and children. They are a reflection of being well taken care of and nurtured, both physically, educationally, and especially spiritually.

Sono left a powerful legacy through her children, and also through the women she has inspired over the years through her books,speaking, and relationships.

Being a home schooling mother of seven and a pastor’s wife is a privilege but also a huge responsibility, and I watched her do it with grace, never losing sight of the most important things… her relationship to Christ, being a help meet to her husband, and being a mother.

The thing I admire most about Sono is how steadfast she was. If I was weary or tired, she always encouraged and edified with scripture, prayer and song… and never in a judgemental way.

I knew, she knew how busy life can get with so many little ones… she had experienced it. She understood what it was like to be married to a man with a passion and vision that compelled to him to be constantly building and growing; and she offered bibilical wisdom in how to be the best kind of help meet for that kind of man. Sono was transparent and real… but strong!On JoshHarris.com Josh quotes John Wooden-

“The best thing a man can do for his children is love their mother.”

As a friend, Sono knew the important job we have as young mothers and did not ever try to consume time away from that purpose. She encouraged young mothers to put their best energies into their families, rather than other friendships and activities. I have learned that it is ok, not to be everything to everybody, and not to feel pressure from the world to try to be. My focus right now is my home and that is more than enough to keep me plenty busy. I finally have let go of all those extra expectations I used to put on myself, and I have to tell you, it has freed me up to delight in my children so much more. Sono taught me how to do that, not by telling me to, b/c that is so easy to do. We all know we need to delight in them and enjoy them b/c they grow up so fast. Instead she taught by her example, she did what she preached. She put the time in with her own kids, delighting in them along the way, and when they grew up she was ready to let them be adults. Sono laughed with my kids and I when she came to visit, she had such a joyful spirit. My children and I will greatly miss her.

I remember one time I was really down on myself… I was feeling like I wasn’t getting “enough school” done with the kids b/c I was on semi bed rest. Instead of just saying, “oh you are going through a lot right now, you can’t be expecting this from yourself, you need to just rest, why don’t you put the kids in school,” or something similar that you hear so often from the rest of the world. Instead, she understood the greater vision behind home schooling and had seen the benefits in her grown children… encouraging me with examples of times when she was ill or on bed rest and how God had something different for those kids to learn… other than science… they were learning selflessness and servant hood because it was necessary for them to help. Today, with the prosperity we have in America, kids are not learning work ethic, gratefulness, servant hood, selflessness, and how to delight in helping and having responsibilities. Today children are indulged, selfish, ungrateful, and spoiled rotten. She would tell me, “You can not teach a child to be a servant and never give them the opportunity to serve… no they need to develop the character quality of servant hood by doing it regularly.” She encouraged me that what they were learning was something they can’t teach in the classroom… character and love. She said my suffereing was not just for my learning but for my children and husbands learning as well. She opened my eyes to look for the good things I saw in my children through my incapabilites. And she was right, they were learning and serving. Recognizing that brought so much joy and peace to my soul. Sono was a kindred Spirit to me… we would often laugh at funny memories of similarities with our families. We grew close so quickly, then she was gone just as suddenly. I will especially miss seeing her worshiping the Lord on Sunday mornings with arms stretched out as wide as her tiny body would stretch. Sono sure knew how to worship, abandoned (wholly free from restraint) to God!

I am deeply, selfishly grieved that I won’t see her again here, but rejoice that we will be reunited in Heaven with our Lord Jesus!

She through the integrity of her life has truly inspired me.

If I can raise my children to “do the hard things for Christ” with the gusto she has raised hers to, I will count myself blessed. Looking at the Fruit of her life… I see amazing fruit! I want to follow that example! Thank you Sono for blessing me with your friendship this past year, and setting the bar high, I respect you so much for that and I will miss you…

A Picture of Sono with her family… what a legacy!

“She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come. She speaks with wisdom and faithful instruction is on her tongue. She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all. Charm is deceptive, and beauty fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. Give her the reward she has earned, and let her works bring her praise at the city gates.” Proverbs 31:25-31

If anyone would like to contribute to the Harris’ family to help off set bills you can make tax deductible contributions at the Noble Institute.