Sunday, March 16, 2014

Thinking About the Trials of Others

Lately, I've been more emotional than usual and have found myself tearing up more than normal. In the past few weeks the griefs of others have seemed a little more grievous.
  • The death of a lost person I know is always sad, but this time it was closer than I wanted to feel.
  • Someone I know and loved was imprisoned over foolishness then sent away for a year to rehabilitation from drugs and alcohol.
  • Courtney moved out of town to live with and minister to her recently widowed grandmother.
  • A young girl we know and love is facing trials that seem to weigh too heavy for a young lady.
A couple of weeks ago, friend and local pastor found out that the brain tumor he has had for four years is growing rapidly and the prognosis is very bad. When Ray and I visited him at the hospital he had smile on his face and kind words in his heart. He spoke of Scripture and his joy of knowing that he would be with his savior soon. He and Ray talked about a sermon entitled "Dead Man Ministering to the Dying." When our whole family went to visit them, it was so encouraging to see the whole family, five children - ages three to nineteen, worship God together. We sang hymns, read Scripture and prayed; we enjoyed conversation and laughter. Proverbs is right when it says laughter does the heart good, like a medicine. What a blessing to see a godly family facing their hardest trial with such faith!

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