LET ME INTRODUCE TO TOM AND KAREN
In yesterday’s post I made the claim that God’s purposes in our lives change but he has a purpose for each of his children regardless of our circumstances.
Today I want to introduce you, my dear Friends, to my sister Karen and her husband, Tom. In past decades they have had lives so filled with Godly ministries and activities. Piano playing, church board, hospitality, teaching, witnessing, especially one and one in daily activities filled with friends, co-workers, and family. Then came retirement years, barely arriving before debilitating health issues. Tom finds it very difficult to leave the home now except for an occasional visit with family, doctors, and church. He lives with shots, pain, weakness, and infections. Karen is caretaker.
To what purpose?
Consider this: Karen put the following status on Facebook yesterday morning.
“Many times as Tom and I are awake just lying in bed I say ” Tommy, tell me about Jesus”. He always starts out this way….”Aww, where do I start….( then it goes something like this) He’s the Lily of the Valley, He’s the bright and morning star,…He’s a friend that sticks closer than a brother…He will never leave you or forsake you…He’s the Alpha and Omega the beginning and the end….He’s our healer, our provider our soon coming King. He’s all we need in this life and to take us to heaven…..soon tears have my hair and pillow wet. Jesus showed up!!!! It works every time. Thank you Jesus!!!”
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So many friends have responded with thanks to them for their lives lived with Jesus. One person said, “I remember one Sunday school lesson that Tom was teaching about how real Jesus is. I remember Karen Crawford with her Sunday school book in her hand saying he is as real as this book in my hand.” Another said, “I can hear Tom’s voice as you describe it. So miss our days at Assembly when he would minister and speak his heart.”
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John 11:4 Jesus said “this sickness….is for God’s glory…” Today I have seen evidence of that.
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Sweet aroma 
truly beautiful Oneta…and I am blessed…
Thank you for the comment, Julie
Yea.God is real. He is the beginning and he is the end.
And his purpose is our successful journey to Heaven with him. That’s much to be happy about isn’t it? A big thanks to Jesus for his making the way! Thanks for your comment. 😀
True. We need to believe in him with all our heart.
😀
Simply just awesome! Amen!
You sound like someone who loves Jesus too. 😀
Thank you sincerely. This personal truth shared is the greatest of testimonies. I don’t think its until you get older and start to find the ‘things you did’ fading away ie the children you had in RE Classes etc etc, the ‘doing in church’, the joys of things ‘done unto Him’, sinking into the past…..BUT certainty (perhaps MORE than you ever believed possible of His Presence being a real and vital part of life when the physical starts to fade and the spiritual rises to the surface. Then God becomes the ONE…….the true source of life and living itself. Thank God! and thank you Oneta for continuing to be a faithful servant in what you write and share. Blessings!
Thank you, Faye. It is both a joy and an obligation to dedicate a significant portion of our to the the Lord when we have lived long and still have a fruitful able time to do so. 😀
Awesome
The Lord really is! And we can learn a bundle from his witnesses. Thanks, Caroline.
welcome
Oneta i would love to welcome you to visit my blog and see some of my poems
Caroline, thank you. I went over and found that I had marked your follow but I had not “turned on” the e-mails. That’s done, so now I will be notified when you post. I’ll will instantly catch you as you post. I get behind sometimes but this will work most of the time to keep me with you.
Beautiful post.. My heart wishes the Lord would heal Tom, and ease his pain..
He came by today because they had to go to the doctor. My sister had to drive since he could not; the chemo is affecting his eye sight She was proud of herself for having driven through the city. She comes here but we are just on the suburbs. He was having a better day. Thanks for your concern and prayer.
What an amazing story. Beautiful testimony. Thanks so much for sharing. Makes me smile from the inside out. 🙂
Thanks, dear Laura. A true example of God’s ability to lead one through the tough times. Sometimes takes some time to “say not my will, but Thine” but a wonderful place to dwell after the conflict is over.
Lovely tribute, Oneta. I’m on the Care Ministry Team at church and one of the ladies I visit is 104-year-old Eunice. It never fails that during our conversations she will say to me, “Why am I still here?” I just keep telling her God’s not done with her yet… There’s no expiration date on our purpose, is there,,,
I’m sure even at 104 God has a purpose for one being here. Sometimes the purpose might be “because someone needs you.” I have plans for a blog along this line; just got to get with it. 😀