Yesterday afternoon a young man called the church wanting information about it. They were looking for a church to join, and wanted to stop by and visit. I sat with this young couple for over an hour listening to their story. It's a story of pain and disappointment. Though neither grew up in the church, they are now recognizing their need and hope that by committing their lives to Christ they can find peace and navigate life's challenges a bit easier.
.
I gave them a Bible and made some recommendations for them to begin reading. I gave them information about the church. I prayed with them. They plan to attend the church picnic this Sunday. She wants to join the choir, and they wanted to know how soon they could join the congregation.
.
In the evening I met with the son and daughter of a woman who died last month. Her memorial service will be Wednesday. They told me a story of dysfunctional families and the challenges of growing up poor. We talked about their mother's flaws, and also about her strength. We talked about alcoholism, adoption, and abandonment. We talked about the faith of their mother, a faith that carried her through some pretty big challenges.
.
We talked about her death, and her suffering in the hands of our health care system.
.
Yesterday I heard stories of deep pain, and the hope that faith brings in the midst of suffering. As always, I was honored to be given the trust of family stories. Have I mentioned recently how much I love ministry?
No comments:
Post a Comment