So there we were, Christi and I, walking down the hall, leaving the hospital, thinking that meeting and praying for the family of Mrs. Pat Freeman was what God had in store for us. Believe me, we were perfectly content with that. We walked out into the well kept courtyard of the hospital, the sun blazing, the air thick with humidity, and were approached by a man. He was an elderly man. His white hair was neatly kept. His clothes where neatly pressed, collared shirt tucked into brown slacks. His slender body stood at about six foot two inches. The features of his face were very gentle and a little worn. Immediately conversation started. He began telling us about his wife of seven years. She was up on the eighth floor, the cancer ward, recuperating after having received an extremely intense round of chemo therapy. She was diagnosed with Lymphoma this past December and had received her last of twenty five treatments in all. The doctors were very hopeful that they had "gotten it all." If all would go well this evening, Linda and Allen would be heading to a hotel tomorrow for a short stay while frequent doctors visits would be manditory over the next couple of weeks before heading home. Home for them is close to Habersham, GA, a good little drive north of Emory Hospital. Allen went on and on about his new bride Linda, how they met, their adventures together, and how happy she made him after having lost his first wife of 35 years. "I can't be without her. I haven't left the hospital since we arrived 16 days ago." Christi and I were awe struck. Such a bitter sweet story. Finally I asked Allen if we could meet this amazing woman and with a look of joyful shock his response was, "Absolutely!" As we headed back into the hospital, I could see the surprise and nervous smile on Christi's face but she nodded to me as if to say, "Let's do it!"
Before entering into Mrs. Linda's room, we had to mask our faces and gown our bodies to prevent as few germs as possible from entering into her body. Her immune system had been quite depleted from all the treatments and it would be a major set back if she were to get sick. From the moment we entered and were introduced, Linda was grinning from ear to ear. Her smile lit up the room. Her noggin was as bald as a new born baby and just as perfectly round as you could get. She was beautiful and just as amazing as her husband described. After some time of getting to know each other, we didn't want to over stay our welcome, so we asked if we could pray over her before we left. With gleaming excitement, she agreed and stretched out her hands for us to hold. After our prayer was through, she said, "Before you girls leave, can I tell you a story?" With tears in her eyes, this is what she told us:
"A couple nights ago I spiked a fever of 104.6 and fell into a deep sleep. I saw myself standing at the top of a hill and across a deep valley was another hill where I saw all of my family and friends who have passed away. I was experiencing heaven. I was so excited and just kept praising and thanking God for bringing me here and couldn't wait to reunite with my loved ones. I began to run down the hill as fast as I could to get to the other side. Just as I reached the bottom, a hand (remember my mention of a hand earlier) reached out of the sky and placed itself on my chest. Colors and brightlights illuminated everything around me. It was more beautiful than I can find words to describe. I heard the voice of the Lord say, "It's not time yet Linda. You have a husband, children and grandchildren to enjoy for a little while longer. It's not time." Soon after, I woke up, and my fever had dropped. Girls, I am here to tell you, He is ALIVE. If you have ever doubted, doubt no more, He is real and He loves you with all His heart. HE LOVES YOU!"
As if that story wasn't enough, they went on to tell us that the doctors had found a blockage in Allen's heart about a week before Linda was diagnosed. Allen was refusing to go in for the procedure for fear of not being able to be there for his wife. She proceeded to tell him that he couldn't take care of her if he were dead so he went. After being prayed over by one of the hospital's orderlies, the doctors could no longer see the blockage. It was gone!
We walked out of the hospital in amazement. Jesus had just shown us amazing things and we were speechless the whole way home. The following day, we received an email from the sweet couple, telling us how much we blessed them (completely opposite in our eyes. We were the ones blessed by them.) and that Linda was able to leave the hospital that afternoon. Praise God! He is AWESOME!!!
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
I couldn't make this up.
Last Saturday evening, Christi and I left our women's conference to go and visit another friend of ours and her husband. Dave and Edwina were at Emory University Hospital. A major opporation had been performed on Dave's lung and they were trying to get his pain levels under control before releasing him. Hours before we arrived for our visit with this wonderful couple, the Lord had given me specific instructions for how our visitation was to go with them and also that we were to visit with other patients as well. As the emotions of excitement and nervousness welled up inside my chest, I was overtaken with amazing joy. The willingness of my dear friend to go with me into these strangers' rooms was especially comforting and I knew God had something amazing in store for us.
The hospital was marbled with beautiful architecture and stained glass. It was not your typical setting, at least on the main level. As we made our way down the hall, Christi following behind me, I felt a hand push on my arm. I turned to ask my friend what it was that she needed to which I received a very confused look. "I didn't say anything." She replied to my question. "Oh, you just touched my arm, I thought maybe you needed something," I said. "I didn't touch your arm either," came her response. "Huh? Weird," I said as I slowed my pace. "Uh, Joy, we just passed the doors to the hospital chapel when you asked if I touched your arm, maybe we should go in. The Lord may have something in there for us." Half expecting ghosts to be flying around with hands pushing us around, my mind reeled. We slowly opened the doors. Nope, no ghosts, in fact the place was empty, phew! I could now put down my pre-dialed phone to the ghost busters. ;-) The chapel was small with dimed lighting, coated in church burgundy (you know the color I'm talking about), and a huge bible placed on a pedistal with a bright spot light alluminating it's words. Christi immediately went to the scripture while I roamed around, looking at the different pictures and the guest list. She brought me over to read the passage that the large bible had been opened to. This was the verse that stuck out to us: Matthew 25:35-36 "For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me." For us it was confirmation that we were there to visit more than just our friends.
We visited with Edwina for a while and it was wonderful to see her smiling face. Dave was off getting x-rays so our time with him was short but very sweet. Before we left, we gathered in a circle to hold hands and pray over Dave's recovery and the Lord wanted to hear us worship, so we sang:
When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.
The hospital was marbled with beautiful architecture and stained glass. It was not your typical setting, at least on the main level. As we made our way down the hall, Christi following behind me, I felt a hand push on my arm. I turned to ask my friend what it was that she needed to which I received a very confused look. "I didn't say anything." She replied to my question. "Oh, you just touched my arm, I thought maybe you needed something," I said. "I didn't touch your arm either," came her response. "Huh? Weird," I said as I slowed my pace. "Uh, Joy, we just passed the doors to the hospital chapel when you asked if I touched your arm, maybe we should go in. The Lord may have something in there for us." Half expecting ghosts to be flying around with hands pushing us around, my mind reeled. We slowly opened the doors. Nope, no ghosts, in fact the place was empty, phew! I could now put down my pre-dialed phone to the ghost busters. ;-) The chapel was small with dimed lighting, coated in church burgundy (you know the color I'm talking about), and a huge bible placed on a pedistal with a bright spot light alluminating it's words. Christi immediately went to the scripture while I roamed around, looking at the different pictures and the guest list. She brought me over to read the passage that the large bible had been opened to. This was the verse that stuck out to us: Matthew 25:35-36 "For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me." For us it was confirmation that we were there to visit more than just our friends.
We visited with Edwina for a while and it was wonderful to see her smiling face. Dave was off getting x-rays so our time with him was short but very sweet. Before we left, we gathered in a circle to hold hands and pray over Dave's recovery and the Lord wanted to hear us worship, so we sang:
When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.
- Refrain:
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul. - My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul! - And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,
- The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
Even so, it is well with my soul.
It was angelic. The hospital walls echoed of his praises. Tears of joy flowed from our faces and Christ's love spilled out into the hallway. As soon as we finished, we had one of the other patient's family members come in and thank us for doing that, for he was very blessed and touched. His mother-in-law was in the room next door recovering from a major surgery as well. Pat Freeman is now on our prayer list and we know God will do great things for her.
As if that whole scene was not enough, God had more in store for me and Christi, something even more amazing and wonderful, more than our hearts could image.
I am out of time, and must be off to pick up my daughter from school as well as get dinner prepared. I promise I will write again soon. You won't want to miss what's coming up next!
Friday, August 5, 2011
If Jesus stood in front of abortion clinics
I recently had a friend "rant about abortion" (her words, not mine) on her facebook page. She was feeling very convicted and concerned for the mothers entering into abortion clinics and being bombarded by "Christians". She felt calling these women horrible names and nailing them to the cross on their way in to their appointment was very un-Christlike and should not be happening by our fellow Christian brothers and sisters. Of course I completely agreed with her and am not exactly sure where she saw this happening but I can only image that if Christ had the opportunity to talk to a woman before entering into one of those clinics it would go a little something like this:
Two rocking chairs, on the walk way of an abortion clinic, sat swaying to and fro, one's movement was caused by the wind and the other's by it's occupant; a man with gentle and stricking features. He sat poised and relaxed, enjoying the sun as it warmed his face. As the woman walked past, shoulders down, her face sullen, her steps determaind, the man spoke; breaking through her concentration, calling her by name. "Beloved!" His voice, almost a whisper, echoed in her soul. "Where are you going?" Her cutting glance his way spoke for her as if to say, "Where do you think?" "Come, sit with me a while. The breeze is nice today and the lover of your soul awaits you in this chair", he reponsed. Her body grew tense, and blood rushed into her face. "I do not need this today." she thought. She tried to hurry past but found that her legs would not respond to her commands and instead she found herself right in front of him, unable to move. "I know him." the man said. Her eyes brows pushed their way down her wrinkled forehead and a knot swelled in her throat causing her lips to tighten, giving way to yet another answer that was given by her expression as if to say, "Who?" "Your son." He pointed to her womb. "I have plans for him. Plans that will prosper him, not harm him. Plans to give him a hope and a future." Hoping against all hope, the man waited, still, quiet, and gentle, stretching out his hand, inviting her to sit beside him. "I promise there is a better way."
Her response is not my story to write. Regardless, whatever her actions, they will not sway Christ's love for her. We pray she will choose to follow Him. We pray that though Christ is not actually here in person, that the ministers that are called to talk to these women are seeking out HIS actions and we pray for the unborn, that their lives be saved.
Two rocking chairs, on the walk way of an abortion clinic, sat swaying to and fro, one's movement was caused by the wind and the other's by it's occupant; a man with gentle and stricking features. He sat poised and relaxed, enjoying the sun as it warmed his face. As the woman walked past, shoulders down, her face sullen, her steps determaind, the man spoke; breaking through her concentration, calling her by name. "Beloved!" His voice, almost a whisper, echoed in her soul. "Where are you going?" Her cutting glance his way spoke for her as if to say, "Where do you think?" "Come, sit with me a while. The breeze is nice today and the lover of your soul awaits you in this chair", he reponsed. Her body grew tense, and blood rushed into her face. "I do not need this today." she thought. She tried to hurry past but found that her legs would not respond to her commands and instead she found herself right in front of him, unable to move. "I know him." the man said. Her eyes brows pushed their way down her wrinkled forehead and a knot swelled in her throat causing her lips to tighten, giving way to yet another answer that was given by her expression as if to say, "Who?" "Your son." He pointed to her womb. "I have plans for him. Plans that will prosper him, not harm him. Plans to give him a hope and a future." Hoping against all hope, the man waited, still, quiet, and gentle, stretching out his hand, inviting her to sit beside him. "I promise there is a better way."
Her response is not my story to write. Regardless, whatever her actions, they will not sway Christ's love for her. We pray she will choose to follow Him. We pray that though Christ is not actually here in person, that the ministers that are called to talk to these women are seeking out HIS actions and we pray for the unborn, that their lives be saved.
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