Care

Death of a Loved One

Someone you love becomes terminally ill and you begin a grieving process with them.  When they have a relationship with Christ, there is often a surreal mixture of peace, joy, and anticipation, along with the sadness, pain, confusion.  There are many things you will miss about them such as future shared experiences on earth. Yet, there is an excitement about the possibilities of your interactions once in heaven together.

But, what if your loved one doesn’t have an expressed relationship with Christ?  What if you are unsure about where they stand in their faith? 

Pray for wisdom and boldness to proclaim the truth of the gospel message to them.  Plan a time to sit and talk with them.   Ask them about their spiritual journey.  Share what Jesus means in your life.  Let them know Jesus loves them no matter what and that He died on the cross to pay the price for their sins.  Tell them they simply need to ask for His blood to cover their sins and let God guide their time left on the earth.

But, what if you don’t get or take that chance?  How do you live with the uncertainty of their eternal future?

God desires everyone to know Him, and wants no one to perish [2 Peter 3:9].  He may work through others, or the nature of the Holy Spirit may directly touch their heart without any human knowledge.  He alone knows their heart at the end of their lives.  He alone knows the choice they made…and we have to trust the God who loves us…no matter what. 

Small Thing, Big Impact

A light-hearted phone call, a friendly visit, or a card of encouragement.  These are small things that can make a big impact in someone's life!  Here's a recent example from a couple chaplains:

Alan and I went to the visitation for Richard at the Zion Lutheran Church in Dysart, tonight.  As we were driving into town, we stopped a young man on a bicycle and asked for directions to the church.  His face lit up and he said, "Did you come to see Richie?"  (Only in small-town Iowa!)  We visited Richard's wife and daughter at the church.  They said this past week that all Richard talked about his visit with Alan and I.  He said he'd made his peace with God, and was ready to go.   - Joyce

"Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." Galatians 6:9, NIV

Chaplains that Care

A couple weekends ago, Tim and I decided to go to Saturday night service, something we hardly ever do.  After the service started, Pastor John introduced a baby and while the congregation was praying for the family, I heard a noise behind me -- but couldn't tell if it was laughter or someone sobbing uncontrollably.  After the prayer, I turned around to see that the woman sitting in the row behind me was sobbing, and was all by herself.  I turned around to ask if she was okay, and she told me that she had lost her baby five months ago --  and had it been born, it would have been born at the same time as the one who was just introduced.  I held out my hand for her and she took it and we talked for just a few moments.  After that, Pastor John asked people to greet those around them and I stood up, gave her a hug and asked if she wanted to go pray.  At this point, my husband Tim had also entered into the situation, and the three of us went to the family room to pray.

Before praying we talked with her for just a little bit and learned that she had just recommitted herself to Christ in early April.  When we asked how that came about, she explained that her friend just never gave up on her and she finally took the step.  (It turns out that the friend who helped her take this step was a gal that Tim and I prayed with after the sermon on marriage.)  We also found out that she never usually goes to Saturday night service either, but had decided right before the service that she would go.  It was really powerful to see how God had orchestrated all of these events, interworkings, and connections and clearly none of them are coincidences.  She was so incredibly grateful and surprised that we had even asked her if she was okay when we heard her crying.    

- Anne Bonsall Hoekstra 

This is just one of the many examples of our amazing Prairie Lakes Chaplains, hard at work.  Please keep them in your prayers that God would continue to orchestrate divine appointements, just like this, that will further the Kingdom!