Ministering to PALS and CALS (part I)

Several people on Facebook ALS groups have invited me to join. Most people are there to support one another. Some are PALS or family members, while others joined because a loved one died from ALS. Still, others participate to raise awareness of the disease or to raise funds for a cure. 

I follow a PAL on social media who's a Hospice Chaplain but resigned because he, too, had ALS. These people grew on me—I view them as family, though we haven’t met. We share a bond and a connection that reminds me of the Christian body of believers.

A lesson for me to learn (part II)

This morning on the way to church, my cell phone rang.  It was Dad.  I knew right away it was not good news.  Dad called to tell me Granddad passed away this morning.  Dad stated that he was in Heaven and with Grandma Freddie.  I told him he couldn’t know that for sure.  As of the last time I talked to him he was going to Hell.  Not comforting words for a grieving person that just lost their loved one.  His salvation lately has encompassed me, and I blurted out the words without even thinking about Dad’s feelings.  Yes, it was what I was thinking, but not what needed to be said.  I don’t know even sitting here, what I should have said.  I guess, I can ask Brother Bill how he normally replies when the person’s salvation is unknown.

Yes Granddad could have within the last few weeks had a personal encounter with the Lord.  The Lord could have personally spoken to him or something that was said before could have finally sunk in.  God could have used my dream to speak to Granddad too.  Or when the Chaplin came by, he could have led him to the Lord.  I hope I can find that out, or the Lord will reveal it to me.

U  If the loved one’s salvation is unclear, are you being careful with your words making sure you are being considerate of the other person’s feelings?  (Everyone wants to think their loved one may be in Heaven even if they may not be.  This should press us even more to witness to our loved ones.)  U

I talked to one of the preachers at my church this past week.  He made the suggestion I could have said to Dad that I hoped Granddad made that decision.  He mentioned focusing on the living and the opened doors my granddad’s death had created such as conversations in leading others to Christ.

U  What open doors have been created for you to witness to a loved one?  U

A lesson for me to learn (part I)

For quite some time now, Joann and I have made a conscious effort to witness to Granddad.  Joann sent him 90 MINUTES IN HEAVEN, hoping he would see his need for Jesus.  This past Christmas, I sent him a tract.  On several occasions, I tried specifically to witness to him.  The Evangelism Explosion class I took taught me how to witness.  So one time I even took my Evangelism Explosion note cards into his room to aid me as I witnessed to him.  I hid the cards on my legs, so he could not see them!    

When I went to see him a few weeks ago, I told him I had a dream about him.  He said, “Did I die?”  I told him no.  I told him in my dream I saw a white figure and he (Granddad) was in the distance.  I don’t know if the figure was God, Jesus, or an angel.  The figure said two distinct things:  “Experience Christ for yourself.”  “Do you know Him?”  The reason I remembered these questions so vividly is because I was awoken from the dream nodding my head yes to the question the figure asked.  When I woke up, I did not want to forget the things he said, so I wrote them down.  I don’t know the purpose of the dream but finished relaying it to Granddad.  I did not witness to him this time but told him a lot of people were praying for him and something to the effect that he needed Jesus as his personal Lord and Savior.

Dad called last Sunday to let us know Granddad was not eating and drinking much at all, and Hospice was helping out.  Granddad was being kept comfortable and was being given Morphine for the pain.  Dad did not think Granddad would live but a few more days.  I told him I was sorry. 

I wanted to drive down Monday after work to see him again.  Paul said, “I know why you want to see him again.”  He knew I wanted to witness to him again.  But we both knew it was futile.  With Granddad being on Morphine, he would not be in the right state of mind.   The Lord was going to have to do a miracle.

I asked the teachers at school to please pray for my granddad’s salvation.  Tuesday after I asked the teacher’s to pray, two teachers came up to me and asked if they could pray with me right then.  I said sure.  Over and over, the theme in the prayer was for the Lord to call him one more time.

I really wanted to visit Granddad after church on Sunday.  I knew Ashton had baseball practice at 5:30.  The schedule would be tight, but these things are trivial especially because my granddad is dying, and I’m not sure of his salvation.  Paul emailed Ashton’s coach and told him he would be late for practice.

U  What “trivial” activities can be delayed or cancelled so visits can be made to see the loved one?  U

U  What are you doing to help insure your loved one’s salvation?  U

 

Piper, Don. 90 MINUTES IN HEAVEN.  Grand Rapids:  Fleming H. Revell, 2004. 26, 31.

A letter of love

I have wanted to write Aunt Jackie and my cousins from Ohio, but I did not exactly know what I wanted to say.  I knew I wanted to make sure my cousins knew Jesus since they were going through their mother having cancer.  I have been in my cousin’s shoes by watching Mom go through something so devastating and wanted them to have Jesus to lean on.  Aunt Jackie would especially need Jesus to make it through.  I did not want to be the one that never shared Christ with them, and when they died they would not spend eternity with Him.

I wanted the letter to be received well and not be pushy.  I had Paul read the letter, and he said it came from my heart and did not seem pushy.  I sent Aunt Jackie a card that spoke of comfort and wrote on her card; I sent my cousins an e-mail.  I asked the teachers in the prayer meeting to pray the letter be received well.

The next day, I checked my e-mail, and I received an e-mail from one of my cousins.  She thanked me for my kind thoughts and prayers and said she would stay in touch.

U  Is there a letter of love you can send to a loved one?  U