A lot has been going on over the last week or so. If you read last weeks post, you know about Kathy's mom passing away. Since then, a memorial service was held at the assisted living facility that Gladys spent the last almost 3 years at. A funeral was held yesterday and tomorrow Gladys will have her ashes buried.
All of this has caused me to reflect about God, His character and ultimately His sovereignty over all things. Last week I share about three of four truths that I have been teaching about:
1. Christ is Risen
2. Christ is Lord
3. Jesus is making all things new
4. He has chosen us for this particular time and place
I left out truth / observation number four. It is that truth that I would like to share a little bit about today.
The truth that God has chosen us for this particular time and place can be found in Acts 17:25-27 - "25 nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything. 26 And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, 27 that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us,"
We all were know by God before creation, were formed in the womb by God's hand, and our days are numbered by God (Jeremiah 1:5; Psalm 139:13-18; Job 3:16; Isaiah 44:24, 49:1; Job 14:5-7; Psalm 139:16; Psalm 39:4).
As a part of all that has been going on in the last week, we as a family saw many moments of seeing God at work. I would like to share one of these stories.
This story involves four lives - lives that if we believe in God's sovereignty and the truth of God putting us into this specific time and place - where living out this truth at God's hand.
The people involved here are Gladys, her daughter Mary, her daughter and my wife Kathy, and an older woman on a flight from Atlanta to Milwaukee with Mary.
This story begins with Mary and her husband having a trip planned to Savannah, GA to celebrate the birthday of one of their grand children. They had plans to leave on Tuesday October 22nd. Since Mary went over to see her mother Gladys at the assisted living almost daily, Kathy planned to drive down to be near her mom Gladys while Mary and her husband drove to Georgia.
On Monday October 21st Gladys is found in her apartment in assisted living on the floor having fallen out of bed with what appears to a broken wrist. Mary and Kathy coordinate so that Kathy heads down early to be with her mother, so that Mary and her husband can still go to Georgia. Kathy arrives early on Tuesday the 22nd and Mary and John head for Georgia. Gladys has been receiving extra care as her health had been declining, Kathy and Mary were told her mothers passing was not likely in the immediate week - that she probably had a few weeks to a month.
Kathy makes sure her mother is taken care of, getting a brace for her arm (given her age they could not do surgery or set the arm), that the pain is addressed properly. After all that is done, Gladys is finally comfortable and sleeps most of the day Wednesday the 23rd, with Kathy spending the day by her bedside. Mary and John finally arrive in Georgia.
My wife is a believer, a woman of faith in Jesus Christ and her mom Gladys has been a faithful Catholic all her adult life. So Kathy spends much of her time with her mom praying over her on Wednesday, even calling me Wednesday evening to ask for scripture verses that she can share to comfort her mother. Although her mom is not awake Kathy is certain she hears Kathy's prayers and scripture readings. That evening as Kathy is getting ready to leave her mother wakes up and Kathy is able to help her mother drink some water, and was able to speak with her mother - Kathy especially touched by her mom sharing her love with Kathy.
Kathy leaves for the night and returns on Thursday morning (all the while she has been keeping her sister Mary up to date because Mary is ready to return as fast as she can if something new happens). Kathy goes to her mothers apartment and her mother is sleeping, so Kathy spends time saying prayers over her. She then leaves about 10 am to talk with staff about added services to make sure her mom is kept comfortable and to discuss getting Gladys the Catholic sacrament of last rights.
When Kathy returned to her mom's apartment 10 minutes later, her mother had passed. Kathy immediately let Mary know. Mary caught the 1st flight she could get out of Savannah routing through Atlanta.
She almost missed her flight in Atlanta because the connection was tight. She was in the very back of the plane sitting next to an older woman. Mary was not talkative as she was contemplating her mother's passing. However, 30 minutes ahead of arrival in Milwaukee, the woman next to her asked Mary if she reads because the woman wanted to give her a bookmark. After chatting a bit about reading, the woman shared the bookmark was to put in a Bible for someone who had passed away - Mary broke down in tears letting the woman know her mother had just passed away.
They continued to talk and Mary explained that she should have been with her mother when she passed since she normally was there everyday. Mary went on to explain to the lady that her sister Kathy was there and why she, Mary, was in Georgia. The woman than said to Mary that there is an explanation for why Kathy was there and not Mary. She told Mary that Kathy was there because God needed a person of faith with Gladys, someone who would prayer over in the name of Jesus Christ before she passed away. Mary, although she believes in God is not as deep in her faith as Kathy is.
Mary was stunned as all of us have been as we heard this story shared by Mary. Kathy, I and others, see God's sovereign and providential hand all over these events.
Four lives that were a part of God's plan, His plan for Gladys, for Mary, for Kathy and for this woman on the plane...
What do you think about this fourth truth - that God plans and directs the time and place for our lives? Do you see God's hand in this story?
I do and it is amazing.
Lord Jesus, my prayer as we go into this weekend is that all who believe can and do find hope and comfort through stories like this and that those who need You Jesus find reason to dig deeper because of stories like this. You are the author of our Hope and our lives! Amen!
Enjoy this weekend knowing the truth of the work, the peace and love of our Lord and Savior Jesus,
Patrick Engesser
All of this has caused me to reflect about God, His character and ultimately His sovereignty over all things. Last week I share about three of four truths that I have been teaching about:
1. Christ is Risen
2. Christ is Lord
3. Jesus is making all things new
4. He has chosen us for this particular time and place
I left out truth / observation number four. It is that truth that I would like to share a little bit about today.
The truth that God has chosen us for this particular time and place can be found in Acts 17:25-27 - "25 nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything. 26 And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, 27 that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us,"
We all were know by God before creation, were formed in the womb by God's hand, and our days are numbered by God (Jeremiah 1:5; Psalm 139:13-18; Job 3:16; Isaiah 44:24, 49:1; Job 14:5-7; Psalm 139:16; Psalm 39:4).
As a part of all that has been going on in the last week, we as a family saw many moments of seeing God at work. I would like to share one of these stories.
This story involves four lives - lives that if we believe in God's sovereignty and the truth of God putting us into this specific time and place - where living out this truth at God's hand.
The people involved here are Gladys, her daughter Mary, her daughter and my wife Kathy, and an older woman on a flight from Atlanta to Milwaukee with Mary.
This story begins with Mary and her husband having a trip planned to Savannah, GA to celebrate the birthday of one of their grand children. They had plans to leave on Tuesday October 22nd. Since Mary went over to see her mother Gladys at the assisted living almost daily, Kathy planned to drive down to be near her mom Gladys while Mary and her husband drove to Georgia.
On Monday October 21st Gladys is found in her apartment in assisted living on the floor having fallen out of bed with what appears to a broken wrist. Mary and Kathy coordinate so that Kathy heads down early to be with her mother, so that Mary and her husband can still go to Georgia. Kathy arrives early on Tuesday the 22nd and Mary and John head for Georgia. Gladys has been receiving extra care as her health had been declining, Kathy and Mary were told her mothers passing was not likely in the immediate week - that she probably had a few weeks to a month.
Kathy makes sure her mother is taken care of, getting a brace for her arm (given her age they could not do surgery or set the arm), that the pain is addressed properly. After all that is done, Gladys is finally comfortable and sleeps most of the day Wednesday the 23rd, with Kathy spending the day by her bedside. Mary and John finally arrive in Georgia.
My wife is a believer, a woman of faith in Jesus Christ and her mom Gladys has been a faithful Catholic all her adult life. So Kathy spends much of her time with her mom praying over her on Wednesday, even calling me Wednesday evening to ask for scripture verses that she can share to comfort her mother. Although her mom is not awake Kathy is certain she hears Kathy's prayers and scripture readings. That evening as Kathy is getting ready to leave her mother wakes up and Kathy is able to help her mother drink some water, and was able to speak with her mother - Kathy especially touched by her mom sharing her love with Kathy.
Kathy leaves for the night and returns on Thursday morning (all the while she has been keeping her sister Mary up to date because Mary is ready to return as fast as she can if something new happens). Kathy goes to her mothers apartment and her mother is sleeping, so Kathy spends time saying prayers over her. She then leaves about 10 am to talk with staff about added services to make sure her mom is kept comfortable and to discuss getting Gladys the Catholic sacrament of last rights.
When Kathy returned to her mom's apartment 10 minutes later, her mother had passed. Kathy immediately let Mary know. Mary caught the 1st flight she could get out of Savannah routing through Atlanta.
She almost missed her flight in Atlanta because the connection was tight. She was in the very back of the plane sitting next to an older woman. Mary was not talkative as she was contemplating her mother's passing. However, 30 minutes ahead of arrival in Milwaukee, the woman next to her asked Mary if she reads because the woman wanted to give her a bookmark. After chatting a bit about reading, the woman shared the bookmark was to put in a Bible for someone who had passed away - Mary broke down in tears letting the woman know her mother had just passed away.
They continued to talk and Mary explained that she should have been with her mother when she passed since she normally was there everyday. Mary went on to explain to the lady that her sister Kathy was there and why she, Mary, was in Georgia. The woman than said to Mary that there is an explanation for why Kathy was there and not Mary. She told Mary that Kathy was there because God needed a person of faith with Gladys, someone who would prayer over in the name of Jesus Christ before she passed away. Mary, although she believes in God is not as deep in her faith as Kathy is.
Mary was stunned as all of us have been as we heard this story shared by Mary. Kathy, I and others, see God's sovereign and providential hand all over these events.
Four lives that were a part of God's plan, His plan for Gladys, for Mary, for Kathy and for this woman on the plane...
- God numbered Gladys' days
- God's plan led Kathy to spend the last few days with her mother, praying over her
- God's plan led Mary to be with her grand children
- God's sovereignty and providence placed the woman on the flight with Mary
- God directed the words that were shared by this woman with Mary - the woman had no knowledge of Gladys passing, of Kathy's and Mary's faith
What do you think about this fourth truth - that God plans and directs the time and place for our lives? Do you see God's hand in this story?
I do and it is amazing.
Lord Jesus, my prayer as we go into this weekend is that all who believe can and do find hope and comfort through stories like this and that those who need You Jesus find reason to dig deeper because of stories like this. You are the author of our Hope and our lives! Amen!
Enjoy this weekend knowing the truth of the work, the peace and love of our Lord and Savior Jesus,
Patrick Engesser
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