A Sweet Surprise
Please note: I wrote this post last night, but I have written several posts ahead of time in preparation for Ray’s surgery on the 25th and his recovery time at home. I plan to send reports about Ray to Bonnie, one of our Notgrass History team members so she can add updates about his progress to those posts from time to time.
Thank you to all of you who have encouraged us in this journey which began for us on January 17, when Ray received his pneumonia diagnosis and ended up in the hospital that evening.
Ray and I had a sweet surprise at church last night. Matt and Taryn, longtime friends (as in 25 years or so) who continue to be part of the church where Ray preached until 1999, drove to our town to be with us in order to encourage us before Ray’s surgery on Tuesday. How precious it was to hear her alto voice and his tenor voice as they sat beside us.
We chatted in the pews afterwards and then continued the conversation in the parking lot. Before we parted, Matt prayed for Ray, and we returned to our homes.
We so appreciated their going out of their way to be loving and kind. God was particularly kind when He planned for His children to have brothers and sisters in Christ. These two, along with the brothers and sisters in our congregation, gave us much encouragement yesterday.
One of the most important things mamas and daddies can do for their children is to give them opportunities to spend time with and become close to the family of God.
Since you have in obedience to the truth
purified your souls for a sincere love of the brethren,
fervently love one another from the heart,Â
for you have been born again
not of seed which is perishable but imperishable,
that is, through the living and enduring word of God.
1 Peter 1:22-23