Blessed Sunday to you all!

What a wonderful day! Worship was so uplifting today. Our scripture passage was from Luke and the story of the bent-over woman. When she saw Jesus she was healed of her bent-over status and was able to stand straight. She had been bent over for 18 years. Upon seeing Jesus and receiving healing, she immediately praised God.

1 Peter 4:13 “But rejoice inasmuch as you are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when His glory shall be revealed, you may be glad also with exceeding joy.”

Those of you who read this on a fairly regular basis are aware that I am attending Brite Seminary working on a Master’s of Divinity degree. When I began this journey two years ago I thought I would seek a degree that would allow me to continue to teach as a post retirement career, just in a different capacity than in the public schools. While walking the road with Casey, my direction was changed. As Casey suffered with incurable cancer, I was witness to his suffering and death. I was also witness to other people and their suffering as they also loved and supported spouses, loved ones or friends who were carrying the disease of cancer.

I do not think I was granted the time to be with Casey during this time and met others by accident. As I was at MD Anderson with Casey I talked to so many people and shared in their suffering. That is when my direction changed. I began to hear the very strong call to help others through these hard and difficult times as a pastoral care giver. I learned to pray for not just Casey and my family, but for others: those who carried the disease and those who supported them. I learned to offer prayers for the troubled soul and prayers specifically needing to be answered. The other thing I learned is that life goes on even after the trouble and distress and the pain of each day had passed.

God calls each of us to learn from His Life of suffering so that we can help others. I watched Casey sing through his pain one night and it was as if there was a gleam of sunlight on a very gray day. When we can recognize the presence of God even in the most difficult of times and situations then we can help someone else to see a bit of hope in their suffering. After all, believing that there is sunshine behind the clouds is what hope really is. Offer a kind word, a word of encouragement and a word of hope to someone who needs a bit of joy in their life.

Take joy in the journey. Wear comfortable shoes, count your blessings and say your prayers. Let us continue to pray for each other. Love you all, Bruce, Gaylene, Geni and Travis.

Gcapplenotes@aol.com

I am not moved by what I see. I am not moved by what I feel. I am moved only by what I believe and I believe God.

PS Please pray for all of us who are returning to school as teachers, students and administrators. Geni attends orientation for her observations and methods classes in the morning and then she will go to her school to begin her last year. Please pray for her especially. Thanks! gc