Greetings from Austin Street

Blessed Sunday! This has been the best day since July 16^th. Today I got to spend most of the day with Geni, Cody (Geni’s boyfriend) and Bruce. Geni and Cody went to Bruce’s apartment and brought him to church. It was so awesome to have him there today and have communion together.  We went out to lunch, got his glasses repaired and he came back to the house for a while. For just a little while it was a regular day filled with love, joy and a simple walk in the mall hand in hand. He got a little emotional and so did I when we walked into the sanctuary and every face smiled, waved and applauded. I cannot begin to tell you the depth of my thanksgiving and gratitude to the God of healing and the soaking prayer we have received during Bruce’s recovery and healing from what should by the world’s knowledge been completely devastating.  The road I have been told is long a slow to recovery. But so far, each step has been a step forward. Bruce is determined to make as full and complete recovery as possible. As we drove from place to place he would motion the direction to which I should go and was perfectly correct each time.  He is the epitome of Team Chrystie for the win!

“The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.”

Psalm 145: 18

I love Bruce. I am in love with Bruce. I love being near him. I love talking quietly to him at the dinner table, on the couch, in the car and the last brief conversation before we go to sleep.  That last conversation of the night is the one I miss the most. While he has been recovering from the stroke I have been messaging him via text message a good morning and a good night. Sometimes I get a response and sometimes not. The words are usually interesting, but I don’t care because they come from him. I also call him and can have a brief conversation and whether the words make sense or not it is his voice I love to hear.

The voice of God is as near as our whispered prayers. God listens attentively to each of our prayers even if we only whisper the name of Jesus. They prayers are heard and understood. Holy Scripture tells us that the LORD hears all who call on Him. God listens to our silent prayers. But when we say our prayers out loud we hear our own voice and it makes us feel closer to God and reinforces our connection to God. Although we do not hear the actual “voice of God” (or at least I have not) we hear God’s intentions in scripture, in preaching, in the words of God’s people, in music and maybe in a text message or a phone call. All of these ways are avenues for the gentle whisper of God to reach our hearts with a message that says, “I love you. I am with you and I will never leave you for forsake you.”  God is good and love wins!

Take joy in the journey remembering that hope does not disappoint. Wear comfortable shoes, pray with a heart filled with gratitude, let us cast our cares upon the LORD and get some sleep. God is up all night anyway so there is no need for all of us to be awake! Love you all, Bruce and Gaylene