My friend Bev who has leukemia is having her bone marrow transplant on November 23rd. Needless to say, this is a very scary time for her as she anticipates the transplant. There's a 20% chance her body will reject the marrow, which means death. She's not afraid of dying because she knows where she is going. But she doesn't want to leave behind her husband and her two little boys. The boys have some very tough special needs, probably too tough for her husband to handle on his own. But that's a whole other story. Anyway, Bev has asked me to gather 30 Bible verses from my friends to hang on the wall of her hospital room, so she will surrounded by truth from God's Word. I want to take her request a step further. Since she will be in the hospital a minumum of 6 weeks (2-3 months is more likely), I want to collect a verse for each day she is in the hospital. And I want these verses to come from all over the country, so she can know how wrapped in prayer and the love of Christ she truly is. As of right now--9:50 Friday morning--I have had 51 verses that have come in, representing 9 U.S. states! My goal is 100 verses. As each verse comes in, I'm printing it, mounting it on a brightly colored sheet of scrapbook paper, and attaching the sender's name and photo, which I have pirated off of your facebook accounts or taken from my personal photo files! I will put all the posters into a scrapbook, and take it to Bev when I go to see her in North Carolina on Wednesday. Her husband will hang them on her wall when she goes in for transplant. The bright colors will cheer up the drab room, and the verses will keep her focus on Christ in the midst of the "valley of the shadow of death."
If you haven't already, please post the reference of a verse (or verses) that have either encouraged you, or you think will be uplifting for Bev. Thanks for helping out! I'm so excited about this whole thing, and I am storing away some new favorites of my own as I read what comes in!
As for the book...
"Same Kind of Different As Me" by Ron Hall and Denver Moore...
I finished it a 1 a.m. night before last. And then I had to take a sleeping pill, which didn't work fully until 2:30 a.m. because that book was in my head and I couldn't stop thinking. It is a book I will be purchasing to add to my permanent collection. Here are the reasons why.
1. It is a recent true story of three remarkable people.
2. It addresses some issues in our country, both historical and current, that I believe all people MUST be aware of.
3. There is no watering down of hard truth. The authors speak life just as it happened to them. I love people who are real and transparent about the events of their lives. That's the kind of person I am striving to be. I want God to use me to speak to others.
4. It breaks down stereotypes and infuses compassion for a "least of these" people group.
5. It opens eyes to a painful struggle, one that I have walked through once, and am walking through again. Reading this book was like opening a window into my spirit. Want to see into my heart? Read the book and you will.
6. It is a story of victory, of overcoming, of healing.
7. It vividly shows how "God causes ALL things to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose." Romans 8:28.
8. It is written proof that God speaks to those who are listening for Him, and that He still performs miracles today.
I will be honest when I say this is not an easy book to read. It WILL make you cry because it deals with real pain and suffering. But it will also change the way you think about life, freedom, suffering, and the goodness of God. Don't expect to sit down for a light, before-bed read because it is not! If you must read it at night, make sure you have pre-purchased some Tylenol P.M.! But do be ready for a book that will stick with you and inspire you.
Okay, that's my newspaper for today. Have a safe Halloween, and let you light shine!
1 comment:
What a wonderful idea, Emily!
I was thinking of these two verses:
Psalm 119:49-50
Remember your word to your servant,
for you have given me hope. My comfort in my suffering is this:
Your promise preserves my life.
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