In the way of righteousness is life;
and in the pathway thereof there is no death.
~Proverbs 12:28
***
Prayer Request:
Join me in praying for a dear friend of mine.
Sheila was a gift to me from the Lord, while I was on the mission field.
Though she grew up in the church that was our home/sending church,
I did not truly get to know her until God put us near each other on the mission field.
There we spent many an evening…
hiding in the comfort of air-conditioned bedrooms,
folding laundry,
scratching and sniffing Yankee Candle catalogs from her sweet sister’s care package,
eating fresh guacamole,
washing dishes (by hand!),
crying tears of joy from laughter,
and those from heartache.
Sharing moments…
from our childhoods,
our days in Okalahoma,
and the deputation trail (raising our missions support),
experiences with culture shock,
raising kids in a foreign culture,
and homesickness.
We drank gallons of coffee,
ate mocha chocolate chip muffins,
and shared our latest find from in the Import Aisle of the grocery store.
We have shared times of joy as she visited me at the hospital when my youngest was born.
We have shared times of ‘faith-testing’ and a trip to the same hospital
which followed her frantic call,
telling of disaster;
a young son’s head gashed open,
of blood pouring,
and her husband being more than an hour’s drive away at the mission church.
Thankful, to serve, to wrap fresh towel and carry to van,
to drive and watch over sons unhurt, and receive the call, “He’s gonna be okay.”
I left with few words, not knowing what to say,
it left me feeling we were on shaky ground,
though we were still both standing firm on the Rock.
I was glad God brought healing there,
it came with the word
CANCER
close on its heels.
A hard eucharisteo.
Please pray with me, for Sheila,
as she battles against that which is waging an unwanted war within her.
She now faces a bone marrow transplant.
***
As I grapple with the variety of possibilities
(because there are many and physical death is only one)
the future may hold,
God brought this verse to mind and whispered,
“there is no death.“
For truly,
IN CHRIST,
THERE IS NO DEATH…
just a bend in the trail,
where lies a new beginning,
of things more wonderful than we can ever imagine.
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