2010 CHALLENGE 9: SORROW UPON SORROW

How can this happen? Tanya and Sue, both close to my age, were my sisters in Christ who sat not too far away from me each Sunday morning. They both have left behind husbands and young adult children! How can this be?
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When Steve gets up to preach, he always begins his sermon with "God is good all the time..." and then the congregation responds with, "and all the time God is good!" These were two women who believed this wholeheartedly! I can hear them now responding to Steve. Oh, wait! That's not them I hear! They've passed on... Tanya on January 1st and Sue last week of a massive heart attack.



What we saw in Sue was God! From her effervescent smile to her advocating for students with special needs to her.... Oh, wait! I'll just let some quotes from a "sharing time" at her funeral let you get a glimpse of the goodness of God:

• "They were a family of best friends."

• "Can we emphasize the pivotal role that Jesus played in her life?"

• "She loved these songs: "Living for Jesus", "I'll Fly Away", "Great Is Thy Faithfulness", "One Step at a Time", "This is My Father's World", and "I Come to the Garden Alone".

• "She was a big part of the ministry at Park Place seniors center - often visiting the residents in their rooms who could not come out to the main room."

• "When a local high school opened opportunities for people to teach adult education classes on Tuesday evening, she was Jay's #1 supporter as he began a class on looking at the Bible."

• "Bethany, you are your mother's daughter... very smart." (Bethany was valedictorian of her high school graduating class).

• "Sue quietly sent a letter/card to Jessica Sikes each week."

• "Sue hurried to the hospital to see Ilene (a sister in Christ who is a widow) this last Saturday when she heard that Ilene had fallen and broken her back."

• "Sue handed me a bag with a tea set and tea bags and told me to use this to sit down for chats with my teenage daughter."

• "Sue did what she said she would do... she showed up at our family movie night with popcorn and drinks."

• "To many of her students Sue was known as 'Mrs. Wonderful!'"

• "Her dinner table was a sacred space!"

• "Sue's Proverbs 31 service to Jay freed him up to "be respected" in the workplace." (spoken by a co-worker)

• "When Bethany was asked what her mom's favorite scripture was, she said 'the whole book of Colossians'!"

Emphasis was made on the following scripture from Colossians. She lived it! She gave us a little picture of the characteristics of God.
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Colossians 3:12-17
12 Therefore, as God's chosen people,

holy and dearly loved,

clothe yourselves with

compassion,

kindness,

humility,

gentleness

and patience.

13 Bear with each other

and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another.

Forgive as the Lord forgave you.

14 And over all these virtues put on love,

which binds them all together in perfect unity.
15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts,

since as members of one body you were called to peace.

And be thankful.

16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly

as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom,

and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs

with gratitude in your hearts to God.

17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed,

do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus,

giving thanks to God the Father through Him."

2010 CHALLENGE 8: SORROW

3:16

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For God so loved the world

that HE GAVE His only begotten Son

that whosoever lives in Him

shall have ETERNAL LIFE.

John 3:16

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Today is March 16 or 3/16 and I am reminded that Jesus came to give LIFE and to give it abundantly. I have also been reminded that the "abundant life" that we may think of as humans probably does not align itself to God's version.

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This is Kristy and her mother Kathy in a picture taken at our church building several years ago. When I think of these two women, I think of LIFE... ETERNAL LIFE...

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This past Sunday morning, Kristy spoke to our women's class, telling her story of her recent trip to Haiti. Her account was sobering. Kristy is no stranger to mission trips. Throughout her young life, she has been on several. She has had a great model, in how Kathy, in how to give of herself through missions. After graduating from Rice University, Kristy spent 2 years working with the Peace Corps in the jungles of Ecuador. She realized that her undergrad degree in mediterranean cultures would help more if she had a nursing degree. So, she returned to the states and took more schooling to become a nurse. Her trip to Haiti was with a christian medical team.

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As she spoke to us on Sunday morning, there was one part that was revolutionary to my thinking. Kristy said that arriving in Haiti may have been much like the experience those had arriving in New York after 9/11. There was grief beyond measure. There was wailing. There was a stench. She quickly thought of our Lord Jesus who was no stranger to any of this. She said that she gained perspective as she "thought a lot about The Man of Sorrows who was well acquainted with grief."

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As she talked, I began to think a little bit of what Jesus' last three years of life on this planet were like for Him... all the people He served... Here are just a few of the stories of His service with the scripture locations of the stories after each one. My mother-in-love's "gospel zip codes", after each story listed below, help to find multiple places the same story is told in the gospels. Example: (for instance, the first one about healing the nobleman's son is not found in Matthew, Mark, or Luke but it is found in John 4).

• Jesus healed the Nobleman's son - 0004


• Jesus healed the man with demons - 0140


• Jesus healed Peter's mother-in-law - 8140
  
• Jesus cleansed the leper - 8150


• Jesus healed the paralyzed man whose friends let him down through the roof -9250


• Jesus healed the man at the Pool of Bethesda - 0005


• Jesus healed the man with the withered hand -12,360
  
• Jesus healed the Centurion's servant - 8070


• Jesus raised back to life the widow of Nain's son - 0070


• Jesus healed the blind and mute man - 12,000
  

The gospels are full of story after story of hurting and sorrow. Jesus was there. He ministered. He listened. He served. Jesus was well acquainted with sorrow and grief.

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Isaiah 53 says,

"He was despised and rejected by men,

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A MAN OF SORROWS,

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and familiar with suffering.

Like one from whom men hide their faces

He was despised,

and we esteemed Him not.

Surely He took up our infirmities

and carried our sorrows..."

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As Kristy continued to talk about Haiti, she told of the primitive conditions. She was in charge of a large tent with 50 cots holding injured women. They used buckets for toilets and bed pans. Death and dismay were all around. She shared about the nursing school that collapsed while it's nursing students were still in class. Gone! The Department of Health... gone! The Medical School... gone! Sobering!

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Kristy saw lost limbs and open wounds. There were many orphans! Yet, in the midst of the death, sorrow, and great grief people began to seek God. They wanted life that is eternal! They wanted something that would give them hope!

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Because of Kristy, and those like her, seeds of hope have been and are being planted of a God who is good all the time. Kristy said that she is aware that, oftentimes, it is sorrow that draws people to Him!

3:16
For God so loved the world
that HE GAVE His only begotten Son
that whosoever lives in Him
shall have ETERNAL LIFE.
John 3:16

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Jesus is LIFE and LIGHT,

the CHIEF SERVANT,

and the WOUNDED HEALER!!!

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GIGATTAATTGIG!!!

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Note:

You may learn a little more about Kristy Here.

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2010 CHALLENGE 7: THE LONG HAUL

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Perseverence and endurance or not easy. Yet, what better way to endure than by hanging on to the hand of the Living God, who is good all the time!!??!!!! I am so thankful for His goodness that sees us through the long haul!
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Over the years, I have come to know some of my own personal heroes and heroines of faith. They were people who chose to persevere and endure through extremely difficult years and years and years:

• Margaret cared for her son, Terry, who had polio and had to sleep in an iron lung for 50+ years
• Sue is still caring for her son, Curtis, who has cystic fibrosis and turned 40 this year.
• Woody and Katherine cared for a child they had to carry everywhere.
• Many parents of children I have taught over the years are committed to a lifetime of service to that child with special needs, whether it be, down's syndrome, autism, cerebral palsy, etc.
• Others, like my brother, Steve, and his wife, Sandi, care for adult parents who have Alzheimer's and must live the "36 hour day".
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Some of you may already know about the story of a soldier who was severely injured last month in Pakistan. LeGrand, called "Grand", has been in a coma, had both legs amputated, and contracted meningitis. The last month has been horrific for Grand and his young family. They know that they are in for a "long haul".
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Family members are chronicling the daily unfolding of this remarkable story on a site that Grand's in-laws have set up. Last Wednesday, his wife, Carrie posted this:
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"He ate applesauce, and he gulped down a cup of water.

He drank half a can of Dr. Pepper

and also took a few bites of pureed turkey,

mashed potatoes,

and pureed green beans.

After the trache came out,

he was talking clearly and giving orders.

As the day went by,

Grand told Major Sturm and me that

he was having Phantom leg syndrome.

This surprised both of us,

and we wondered how he knew about that.

Apparently he had been really listening in his sleep!

We also asked him if he remembered what happened,

and he said, "I got shot or something."

We discussed the incident with him a little,

and he asked who was with him.

We just said we would talk about that later,

and he was okay with that.

I told him God loves him

and saved him for a reason and he said,

"I know!!"

He really came alive today

and everyone that came in to see him

from Doctors, nurses, therapists -

EVERYONE was amazed by what they saw.

That Phantom pain really is bothering him right now

so please keep that in your prayers....

your prayers are carrying us right to the Throne Room,

and I thank you with all my heart that you love him

that much to pray day and night.....

GOD IS SO GOOD, GOD IS SO GOOD,

GOD IS SO GOOD, HE'S SO GOOD TO ME."

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Please click the picture to connect with this family's story and leave them some encouragement to endure:

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GIGATTAATTGIG