Hello friends,
As I have been involved
in the Proverb31 Online Bible Study and reading the book, “What Happens When
Women Say Yes To God”, I tend to look at the big events, or the times that are
major turning points in my life, when I have said #YesToGod. However, Melissa
and Nicki, our OBS leaders, reminded us that we can say #yestogod in small ways
daily. At first I feel like I was overlooking those small yeses, but as I asked
God for direction for this blog He has begun to show several of those small yeses.
I’d like to share one specific event, that I feel was a simple #yestogod, and
the way my obedience turned into overwhelming blessings for me.
A little more than 2
years ago there was a fire at one of the cement plants in town. Four men were
badly burned and taken to area hospitals, one by ambulance, the other 3 by
helicopter. Because we live in a fairly small town, and tight-knit community,
the word spread quickly about the accident. There were posts all over Facebook.
So when I read that one of my friends and former co-workers knew one of the
men, I immediately began to pray.
A few days later I was
on a site for our church, and noticed that the family of Brent, the same man I
had been praying for, had been attending our church. Wow! I already had felt
great compassion for this wife and their children, but now…now it was personal!
These were people in my congregation!
I felt God tugging at my heart. I began to follow Brent’s progress on Caring
Bridge. Caring Bridge is a website for patients (with long-term illnesses etc.)
and their families to keep the rest of the world updated on the patient’s
progress. I felt God leading me to do more. I read, not only about what Brent
was going through, but the fact that his wife, Jenice (pronounced like Denise
but with a J), was sitting at the hospital all day. She was allowed to go in
and see him like once every 2 or 3 hours for 30 minutes, due to the fact that
he was in the Intensive Care Burn Unit. God helped me remember a time in my
family when we had to spend a lot of time at the hospital. He reminded me that some
of the best things to have around were snacks and bottled water. If we didn’t
have those we had to buy them and hospital vending machines get expensive. So I
said #YesToGod and presented an idea to our HomeGroup for everyone to donate
snack items and I would take them to the hospital for the families to share.
The day I drove to the
hospital in Dallas, I must admit, I was quite nervous. You see I had never
actually met Jenice, or the other wives. In fact the only thing Jenice knew of
me were comments saying that I was praying for them on Caring Bridge. I had
never seen her either. So I was directed to the waiting room for the burn unit.
I walked in carrying a huge bucket overflowing with snack items and bottles of
water. I asked for Jenice and she stood up. I introduced myself and told her
what I had brought and why. She then introduced me to the wife of one of the
other men. Her name is Pei. We all hugged and we talked. They caught me up on
the progress of each man. Including the fact that the man who was brought in by
ambulance had been able to go home. What a praise and a blessing! The other 3
however were still very critical.
Over the next couple of
months I made 2 or 3 more visits, but spoke with the wives at least once a
week, while their husbands and the third man made (I never have gotten to meet
them) miraculous strides in healing. By the end of the summer, all three were
home from the hospital, and returning for physical therapy on an outpatient
basis.
Since then I have
remained friend with Jenice and Pei. They have each had ups and downs through
this journey. Their husbands are continuing to recover. I believe from a simple
#YesToGod He has changed my life, by adding friends and experiences I never
would have had if I had not said “Yes”.
This whole experience
reminds me of this verse.
Matthew 25:35(ESV)
For I was hungry and you gave me food,
I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me,
Living in Grace,
Angie
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