Tribute to Amy Rhinehart Ramba

September 11, 1980-January 29, 2011

I am posting a tribute to a godly woman who I met as a teenager at a camp I spoke at in 1995. Her name is Amy Rhinehart. She was in the youth department that I worked with, along with her brother Tom. I got to know them both, as well as the family. They welcomed into their home many times after meeting them at camp.

Amy was a Cavs fan, especially a Mark Price fan. He beig a Believer in Christ and playing for the Cavs in the mid 90's. I was and still am a Blazers fan. So we would go back and forth about the Blazers and Cavs.

But more importantly than that was Amy's committment to Christ. I saw it at camp and in her home and at her church. She had a beautiful voice which she used to praise our Lord Jesus Christ. She is now using that voice to sing praises to Him in Heaven today. She was totally healed from her breast cancer by being take home to glory.

Please PRAY along with me for the husband, parents, family and friends who are now left behind, missing this dear young lady.

Followig are the obituary and a posting she did on August 10, 2006.

February 1, 2011 from Recordpub.com in Streetsboro, Ohio.

Amy Marie (Rhinehart) Ramba 30 of Streetsboro passed away Saturday, January 29, 2011, surrounded by her family. She was welcomed into heaven not only by her older brother Jeff, but more importantly, her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amy was an inspiration to many people over the past five years as she courageously fought breast cancer. Her faith in God never wavered, and that faith is now reality for her. Amy was born on September 11, 1980 in Ravenna, Ohio, the daughter of Charles and Marie Rhinehart. She was a lifelong resident of Streetsboro and married Mike Ramba in 2003. In addition to her husband and parents, she will be missed by her brother Brian and brother Tom, sister-in-law Jenn, and nieces Olivia and Emily, all of Streetsboro. Sister-in-law and brother- in-law Gwen and Reed Graham, niece Kaylee Rhinehart, nephews Josh and Nathan Rhinehart and Austin and Andy Graham, all of Louisville. Father-in-law and mother- in-law Glenn and Linda Ramba of Stow, sister- in-law and brother- in-law Jessie and Ben Schussler and nephew Cory. Loving grandparents Papa Kolbenschlag, Mosu Ramba and Grandma Ramba all of Cleveland. Her three dogs Annie, Tike and Brody, and many aunts, uncles, cousins and friends. In 2006 she was preceded in death by her brother Jeff and grandmother Joan "Nina" Kolbenschlag. Calling hours will be from 2-4 & 6-8 PM Wednesday February 2, 2011 at Shorts-Spicer-Crislip Funeral Homes Streetsboro Chapel. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 AM Thursday February 3, 2011 at Fishcreek Nazarene Worship Center in Stow. Burial will follow services in Maple Grove Cemetery in Ravenna, Ohio next to her brother Jeff. The family requests memorials may be made to Amy's medical checking account to any First Merit Bank (with account ending in 5083). Condolences may be shared with the family at www.sscfuneralhomes.com (Shorts-Spicer-Crislip, Streetsboro Chapel, 330-626-4966, RC, 2-1-11)



This is a post from Amy on August 10, 2006.

August 10, 2006

In the summer of 1995, I attended Peniel Holiness Camp in Pennsylvania just like I did every summer prior since I was 3. My brother, Tommy left a short message about this camp on the website dated July 23,2006. Camp has held special memories and meaning for everyone in my family, and many other families as well. This particular summer, I went to the missionary service on the last Thursday of the week. I have always been drawn to missions, ever since I can remember. I loved to hear about these ordinary people going to places I hadn't even heard of, and seeing the slideshows of all of the people they had grown to love and witness to. Kato Boldon was the missionary speaker that day, speaking on the American Indian Field. I had met him the summer prior at camp when he was a counselor. I remember the song by Al Denson playing, "Will you be the one?". I went to an Al Denson concert a few years prior to this day and I remember standing up and singing the words at that concert as the song was played. I gave my life to Jesus at a very young age, and my parents did a wonderful job raising us in a good church. I want to post the lyrics to this song for you all to read.

Be The One

In a world full of broken dreams

Where the truth is hard to find

For every promise that is kept

There are many left behind

Though it seems that nobody cares

It still matters what you do

Cause there's a difference you can make

But the choice is up to you



Will you be the one

To answer to His call

Will you stand

When those around you fall

Will you be the one

To take His light

Into a darkened world

Tell me will you be the one



Oh sometimes it's hard to know

Who is right and what is wrong

And where are you supposed to stand

When the battle lines are drawn

There's a voice that is calling out

For someone who's not afraid

To be a beacon in the night

For a world that's lost its way



There are still some battles

That I must fight from day to day

Yet the Lord provides the power

For me to stand and say



I will be the one

To answer to His call

I will stand

When those around me fall

I will be the one

To take His light

Into a darkened world

I will be the one




At the end of the missionary service that day at camp, there was an altar call. I know that sometimes, young people especially, can get caught up in the emotion in services like that, where they go up to the altar because their friends go up. Not that their intentions are not good, but life decisions were not always made and carried out as a result. I went up to the altar that day and I told God that I wanted to take His light into a world that needed to hear how much He loves them. As I said, my brothers and I were raised in church. We went every Sunday morning, Sunday night, and Wednesday night. The comedian Mark Lowry once said in a show he performed that anytime the doors at church were open, they were there. Our family was the same way. My dad used to lead the worship portion of the church service at Frost Road Chapel, and I used to stand on a folding chair right there next to him behind the pulpit and sing away. We had a very Christ centered home and parents that love each other. We were a middle class family, but I consider us to have been rich in nonmaterial things we had.. the values that were instilled in us. I knew God loved me, and I gave my life to him when I was very young. That being said, I knew I wanted to share what God had done for me, but I did not feel like I had a testimony that people could relate to; That people who were in need could talk to me and feel like I understood where they were coming from. I was never addicted to alcohol or drugs or gambling, etc. to say that God had freed me from these things. I prayed for God to give me a testimony that people would truly see what God has done for me, and how much He loves us and takes care of us. At all the missionary services I had been to, they would always say, "you don't have to go away to Africa to be a missionary. You can be one right there at home, or work, or school. You can be a missionary to your neighbors and friends." For me personally, at the time, I felt like this was a cop out. I felt like in order for me to be really dedicated and committed, I needed to go far away and live with no running water and no electricity, just like those missionaries who would come to our church. Since that day in 1995, I kept waiting for God's call to a specific place in the mission field. I was willing to accept where ever He wanted me to go. When I graduated high school, it was time for me to start making the decisions about what I would do for the rest of my life. I struggled with it because I felt like I wasn't in the place I needed to be, or doing what I was called to do. Still, I continued to pray for a testimony. I had no idea what God had planned!

When I found out that Jeff had cancer that summer in 2004, I was very confused. None of us had ever been sick, no broken bones, nothing. I have honestly never been mad at God through this, He has given me the peace of knowing that sickness does not come from Him, so my anger would be directed in the wrong place if it was at Him. I felt helpless at the time.. what could I do for Jeff that would make any sort of difference? It was very hard to absorb and deal with. It has been amazing to see Jeff's attitude through his battle. He has been calm and at peace with God. He continued to work, to run, to sing at church... all of the things he loved doing. When Tommy wrote that Jeff has been a role model for all of us, he really and truly has been. When I was diagnosed with cancer the following year, I really felt like God was finally extending His call to me 10 years later. I would never wish cancer on anyone, but I am so thankful that I had Jeff there to know how I felt. I would call him whenever I got good results, and we would encourage each other. Kaylee, Josh, and Nathan would pray for me every night (and they would pray for my hair to grow back!). I could not think of a better person to look up to during this time. I tell people all the time that if I had it to do over again, I wouldn't change my situation. God has given me a great testimony. I now have proof that other people can see, that when I was sick, God healed me. While I was going through my treatments, I felt like God was calling me to write a book about my experiences. One night in particular, it was really on my mind. I prayed about it, and God gave me Psalm 102:18 "Let this be written for a future generation, that a people not yet created may praise the Lord." I felt like God was confirming that I needed to get my story out there, and give Him the glory for what He has been doing for me. When this website became available again, I thought, what better way to let people know? I am so thankful for the volume of people that check this site, and continue to lift our family up in prayer. I am confident that God can see the bigger picture of our family and that He is in control of everyday.

We see Jeff on a daily basis, so we see how God is moving. I just have to tell you all that Jeff's faith and love for God is unlike anything I have ever seen in my life. A few nights ago, my dad prayed with all of us in Jeff's room before we went home for the night. Afterwards, Jeff asked to add something. He began singing: "Thank you, Oh my father, for giving us your Son, and leaving Your spirit here till your work on earth is done". My dad thanked Him for the love he has, and Jeff stated that he doesn't know it any other way. On our drive home, my husband commented on how much faith Jeff has. It is hard for me to express how much I feel God's hand on Jeff in words that I think people would really understand. Jeff encourages us daily . He smiles more than I ever remember him smiling before. He is an incredible witness to his doctors, nurses, the other residents and families, and to all of us. We never know what God has planned for us. When I was 14, I promised to go through whatever God wanted me to. I know Jeff has done the same at some point in his life, and God has given him a calm and gentle spirit as he fights this. I am not saying that you will have the same situations occur if you agree to follow Him. I am just saying that He will bless all of our situations if we will let Him.