Jennifer Elizabeth Grant

Beloved daughter, sister, wife, mother, daughter-in-law, sister-in-law, aunt and friend Jennifer Abegg Grant, 44, of Ponca City, OK, was welcomed home by Jesus on August 23, 2021, in Phoenix, AZ, where she received treatment for cancer.

Jennifer was born and raised in Loveland, CO. “She was the one who made a case for bringing all of her friends on family vacations,” recalls her sister Suzy Waldron. “She was always surrounded by friends.” Jennifer graduated from Loveland High School in 1995. During her time in high school, some of those friends explained the gospel to Jennifer: that Jesus died on the Cross for the sins of all who would believe, that she could receive eternal life based on His perfection, not on the merits of her own efforts. She received Christ and grew in her faith at Faith Evangelical Church in Loveland. Soon she began praying that she would someday marry a pastor.

At Colorado State University, Jennifer studied journalism and wrote a weekly opinion column. Because of her moral stance, “The Right View” columns sparked more adversarial letters than any other columnist. (Jennifer’s editors loved it.) Upon graduation from CSU in 1999, she joined the staff of Campus Crusade for Christ (now known as Cru) in Orlando, FL, to write for their flagship magazine, Worldwide Challenge.

Jennifer traveled to more than 20 countries, writing about God’s work around the world. She delighted in travel and writing for the magazine and Cru websites. And she made some of her best friends during those nine years in Orlando. But in her heart of hearts, she longed to be married and have a minivan full of kids. Jen expressed that desire in a website article “Not the Life I Would Have Chosen,” detailing her ultimate desire for God to orchestrate her adventuresome life.

Four years after the article was posted, while researching for a sermon, a pastor in Memphis clicked on the title. Intrigued, Kevin Grant noticed an embedded email address and contacted Jennifer. They began a lively correspondence. In time, the two met in Memphis when Jennifer was visiting Suzy. Sitting in the pews at Kevin’s church, spellbound by his preaching and poise, Jennifer wondered how someone so handsome could still be available. (He wondered the same about this beauty before him!)

They went to lunch after church where they talked and talked. Then, they went to Starbucks and talked and talked. They were smitten. A few months later, they were married, sealed by their first kiss, the prayers of family and friends and most importantly, the blessing of God. Jennifer’s prayers to marry a pastor were answered on September 6, 2008.

On their one-year anniversary, the newlyweds moved to Ponca City, OK, where Kevin became the pastor at Providence Baptist Church. A van load of five children arrived in succession, each born in Oklahoma between 2010 and 2017. Jen loved being a mom and homeschooling her children. She loved being a pastor’s wife, especially influencing younger women for the Lord and listening to Kevin preach.

In December 2017, she received a grim cancer diagnosis and somehow still homeschooled the kids, relishing in their company and creativity.

For three-and-a-half years Jennifer enjoyed great physical health overall. She often said, “If I didn’t know I had cancer, I wouldn’t know.” Later, Jennifer described her cancer journey as manageable, until the last couple of months. The Grants’ journey was supported by the generosity of many friends, special treatments in Germany and months in Arizona, where they stayed at the home of her gracious aunt and uncle, Bob and Bert Mizke

Jennifer and Kevin documented their journey on Jen’s website, Journalist Mom Blog, sharing their faith in God’s goodness—all the while inspiring thousands of friends and followers to trust God more. “Jennifer’s faith was radiant,” says long-time friend Jenn Bauer, who cared for her during the very last days. “Everyone she met, she blessed.”

When it looked as if Jen’s days were lessening, friends and family began to fly to Arizona from all over the country—Colorado, Florida, Oklahoma, Tennessee—just to sit with her, pray with her, laugh about memories, and rub her swollen legs. She ate her favorite mac and cheese once forbidden by her strict cancer diet, and had pizza and Starbucks brought in regularly.

She posted updates on her Facebook page about the nearness of God. Hundreds responded in real time, echoing the same encouragement she had offered them. From her hospital bed she recorded messages, implanted in stuffed bears for each of her children and presented them at a hospital ice-cream party. Jen did what she did best: she loved on people, buoyed them in their faith, and left a pink-hearted imprint on each one.

Jennifer wanted people to know she was not afraid to die because she knew the moment she left this earth, she would be in the presence of her Savior Jesus. Even her hospice nurse said Jennifer’s passing was the gentlest she had ever seen. Her faith and faithfulness leave a legacy of love for her beloved husband Kevin and children Matthew (11), Jonathan (9), Andrew (8), Priscilla (6) and Benjamin (4) of Ponca City; parents John and Betsy Abegg of Loveland; sister Suzy Waldron of Germantown, TN; brother Mike and Megan Abegg of Thornton, CO; brother David Abegg of Tampa, FL; and eight nieces and nephews.

Jennifer will be buried at Resthaven Memory Gardens in Ft. Collins, CO.

In honor of Jennifer’s memory, gifts may be made to Neverthirst, a ministry who brings “clean and Living Water to unreached communities worldwide.” Living Hope Pregnancy Center of Ponca City, offering pregnancy help and support. Cru staff members in Bangladesh Sunil and Dipika Adhikary or other Cru staff friends of Jennifer.