“I hope I go there,” he replied.  She asked him a series of questions to find out what he believed.  He said a born again, Christian lady  had been talking to and praying for him.

She then gave him a little New Testament that she tries to always carry with her when she travels to share with someone if God gives the opportunity. She asked him if he would like to pray and ask Jesus to be his Savior and he reached out and took her hand.  He prayed to receive the Lord.

Before they prayed, he said, “I’ve been wanting some answers, and to think I just happened to sit next to you!”

She knows it  didn’t “just happen” but was  a divine appointment.

She hadn’t really “felt” like talking to him when he first sat down, but felt tired and discouraged.  Yet  God gave her a “second chance” to show friendliness,  as she told us about this with  much joy.

Why is Christmas less than merry for many people? Why is depression fairly widespread this time of year?

I’ve struggled with depression over the years. I ended up becoming quite a student of the topic because I was determined to get some answers.

I’ve learned that “expectations” can be one big problem. Best advice I ever got was to lower my expectations, then lower them again, then lower them real low. Then when anything fun and happy did occur, I would be pleasantly surprised and grateful. And when the usual stresses of the season happened, I wasn’t too upset because I was expecting even worse ones!

Also, I learned to not expect “one day” of the year to “cure” any and all strained family or friend relationships. I think sometimes Norman Rockwell paintings subtly cause us to expect that! Instead, I try to work on those relationships all year long, to make them enjoyable, fun and healthy as possible all year long. The one day event called Christmas now has much of the pressure removed. I can let whatever happens, happen that day. I enjoy whatever positive and enjoyable moments do occur. And I’m not as upset when the stresses, and unexpected, unplanned hassles take place.

My merry Christmas activities now include connecting more with people, keeping things real simple, and taking naps as needed!

Joy to my world!

Seems to me there’s a good chance Mary and Joseph experienced financial pressure, inconvenient obligations and traveling hassles, and unexpected stresses too! They traveled out of town. Relationships in Bethlehem didn’t appear to be so perfect. No one went much out of their way to make a pregnant woman comfortable!

But God showed up in unexpected ways. He sent that heavenly choir of angels for example. I have a feeling He will show up for us to encourage and perhaps even amaze us, during our own Christmas hassles.

Hark! May He sing His glory into your heart – and mine- this time of year!

It is  two blocks down the street from where we worship.

The grandmother of the unborn baby was determined her daughter would abort, but her pregnant daughter wasn’t so sure.  Thanks to the faithful pro lifers gathered outside the facility, this new mother and the grandmother were driven to a pro life counseling center instead of keeping the appointment for abortion!

Pro Life Action Ministry  has many similar documented success stories.  I’ve been joining their worker  Judy as her prayer partner on Thursday mornings in August at AWHC  on the  public sidewalk in front of the facility.   She skillfully offers literature and words to people entering the facility.  I silently pray pray pray. We  know we are not fighting flesh and blood but spiritual forces of wickedness in heavenly places.

Will you please say a prayer or two for success in this Proverbs 24:11 -12 ministry?  “Rescue those who are being taken away to death, hold back those who are stumbling to the slaughter…”  The rewards are great.   But the work is hard – and sadly, so are many hearts of  clients entering the facility.

If you can come for an hour or so, please contact me!  There are various locations and times from which to choose.

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R was 34 years  old.

On a recent visit one Sunday afternoon I found her in a fetal position, crying softly on her bed. I told her “Hi” and she  smiled.  We chatted some. I turned on her bedside CD of the Bible so she could  hear it after I left.  She seemed more  peaceful and smiled a bit by the time I departed.  She seemed the epitome of loneliness to me that day, though  she had a loyal  husband who visited regularly  and brought  their 8 yr old daughter.  R  had loving nurses, and friendly fellow residents, especially others in the Bible Study.  But she was confined to her bed or wheelchair and worst, confined in her body.  The MS affected her speech so it was very hard to understand her words.  She knew this and would laugh with us, as we asked her to speak one syllable at a time and tried to decipher what she was saying.  She ended up with many lonely hours in her bed. She cried easily, no doubt from depression.  Her mind was sharp but her body was ravaged by MS that began in her late twenties.  She faithfully attended our Bible Studies and seemed to have a background in knowing Christ.  She grew deeper in her faith it appeared to us, while she was living at the facility.

She enjoyed  Christmas gifts more than one year from OGC folks who chose to adopt her for that holiday.  Her daughter attended Christian school for a few years and eagerly took an active part in our Bible discussions when present with us.

Our group met last Tuesday and comforted each other by sharing our memories, regrets and feelings related to knowing R and being a part of the last several years of her short,  pain filled life.

We are thankful she no longer has the constant misery of a body ravaged by MS.  But we will miss  her.