PJ's October 2013 Blog

Dear Friends, Greetings to you in the powerful name of Jesus the Christ! What an amazing adventure I was blessed to go on these last 6 weeks! I must say I was not at all sure what to expect! I had visited many people in the hospital over the years but I have no memory of ever being the patient. (My mom has told me many stories of being the hospital as a young child – but I do not remember them). So going to St Vincent on the Tuesday morning – August 6th at 5:30 am was all new to me. What would I feel? What would I see? How will the beds feel? Will I have much pain? Will I be able to sleep? And how does one take care of that most basic of all functions – you know what I mean! It has to do with the bathroom! As you can tell I like anyone else had my questions and doubts and some fear about what this journey would all be like. Little did I know what God had in store for me! Little did I know how my relationships with my wife, sons and friends would become an amazing gift that would teach me what it means to be loved and cared for! You see since October of 1981 I had been the one standing by the bed side of family, friends and parishioners as the pastor. I spoke the words of hope and I placed my hand on their heads and prayed the prayer of blessing for healing and strength and comfort and peace. But now for the first time in my life I was the one in the bed! I was the one that needed help getting in and out of the car & the bed! I was the one that hungered to hear the words of hope and comforted I had spoken so many times! I was the one that looked with great anticipation for a familiar face to walk into that hospital room or into our home! And you know what? I was not disappointed! Over and over again you were for me Gods hands to take my leg and lift it up when I had no strength to do such a simple thing! Over and over again you were for me Gods voice that spoke those words of encouragement and love and understanding that I needed to hear when the days would get long and the ongoing challenge of therapy unending! Over and over again you were for me God’s incarnate Word when you would show up at the hospital or our home and the smile and the greeting of your touch gave me strength! And when I could not sleep because of the pain and discomfort you where their over the internet as I would have conversations at 2 or 3 in the morning by texting – yes you heard me texting! You have no idea how up lifting it was to read your words and to know in the darkness of the night I was not alone – you were being God’s Holy Spirit letting me know that I was not alone! And then there were the countless cards that keep showing up in the mail! I could not believe it! I read every single one of them over and over when the days got challenging and the nights got long! How can I begin to thank you for all the ways you where to me God’s hands, voice of promise and encouragement? Words can’t begin express my gratitude for each and every expression of support and love! You were being the church in the way God calls us to be! You were willing to walk with me in my time of need and I thank you!! I was also deeply touched and challenged by the 40 day journey we took together called “Unbinding Your Heart”! Wow! I can’t begin to count the number of times I would sit down at the dining room table at 3 or 1 in the morning and I would open God’s Holy Word to read things like: “Nothing can separate you from the love of God” or “ and she reached out to touch Jesus’ robe” or “Beloved let us love one another” or “I will send you the gift of the Holy Spirit” or “And he left the 99 and went looking for the one lost sheep” or… It seemed like each day when I opened to read there was ready for me just that word I needed to remember! As a result of this amazing 40 day adventure I am looking for 12 people to join me on another adventure! No – we are not going to the hospital or to therapy. But I can promise whoever is willing to join me on this next adventure you will have your life transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit at Work! I have no doubt! So far I have one person who has taken on this invitation to go on this spiritual life changing adventure! Call me or E-mail me or Text me that you are ready to go!! I’ll be waiting to hear!! The adventure will not begin until I have a total of 12!! Let me end with the first Words of Scripture I read the morning of my surgery: “The Lord is near. Do not worry about anything, but in prayer let your request be made known to God. And the peace of God which surpasses all understanding will guard your heart and your mind in Christ Jesus!” THANK YOU!! In Christ, Pastor Jim Gerth