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A Peek Inside the Parsonage

RefreshHer

Being in the ministry requires stepping outside the parsonage to minister to people. One of the places we frequent is the hospital. It’s not always easy – especially if things are critical, but sometimes it is truly a special time – especially if we visit a strong believer who has gone through, or is going through a hard trial. That may sound odd, but the blessing is in finding a seat, and then just listening as they speak.  That was the joy I had yesterday.  I sat and listened to a dear lady who has been ill for over a year share what the Lord has been teaching her.  Wow!  I heard what God’s grace has done in her life.  Let me hit some of the highlights with you:

  • If I had been wealthy, or had lots of possessions, even that wouldn’t have stopped this from happening.  However, those things couldn’t have given me the peace the Lord’s given me.  You can’t put a price tag on that!
  • The Lord has been so faithful.
  • I’m not afraid. I can honestly say, whatever the Lord wants, I know will be good for me. 
  • I wish I could be doing other things, but I’ve had lots of time to pray and I’ve been praying about…..and….and….
  • I used to have to be in control, but the Lord’s showing me that I must take my hands off and let Him be in charge.
  • The Lord’s been teaching me some wonderful truths from His Word…
  • A wife needs a husband that will stick with her in times of sickness like mine has.  You don’t just stay together when things are easy.
  • The Lord has been so faithful.
  • I’ve been through some painful things, but I try to cooperate with the hospital staff.  When they tell me what a sweet patient I am, I tell them it’s because of God’s grace.
  • The Lord’s been showing me unconfessed sin and He’s digging deep in my heart.  It’ been hard, yet so sweet as He’s revealed these things to me.
  • The Lord has been so faithful.
Do those sound like things that come from the lips of a woman who has been battling illness for a year?  The only kind of woman that can say that is a woman who is walking closely to the Lord, as she is. This verse came to my mind as we stood around her bed and prayed:
They that fear thee will be glad when they see me; because I have hoped in thy word. Psalm 119:74
Indeed, I was glad!  Glad I’d left the parsonage and come to the hospital.  I had come to be a blessing, but I received one instead!
With gladness,

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Published by RefreshHer

3 thoughts on “A Peek Inside the Parsonage”

  1. Denise I feel the same way when I leave that hospital room. Oh how I pray that I could have that testimony and people could say that I was a blessing to them. Only by the Grace of God would that be.

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