From this week's newsletter

It was Tuesday of this week and I was the chaplain on call at the hospital.  It had been a busy day with a full morning of staff meeting, and many, many phone calls.  It was early afternoon when the phone rang again.  It was the hospital calling, a man had requested a chaplain to come and pray for his wife who was dying.

So I headed to the hospital, and made my way to the room.  The husband was a man about my father's age.  His wife was a retired school teacher.  Her oxygen level had dropped to about 34 during the night. "We almost lost her last night," he told me.  He said, "I would like you to pray for her.  Her eyes are open but she can't communicate with us, and we don't think she understands what we are saying."  He continued, "Her family is religious but we are not."

He showed me a picture of her as a young school teacher in Kansas.  As I looked at her lying in her bed my heart was immediately sad.  Her breathing was very labored.  Each breath was a deep uhhhhhhhhh... uhhhhhhhhh.  As I looked at her face, the thing that disturbed was the look in her eyes. She was terrified.  I don't think I will ever forget the shear look of terror on her face.

I reached over and laid my hand on her head and prayed for her.  Then I looked into her frightened eyes and told her about the Jesus who loved her, and how she could spend eternity with him.  The look of terror never left her eyes.

After praying for her, I tried to engage him... but it was clear that I had been called for her.  He was friendly, but it was clear it was time for me to leave.  Later that evening, Chad and Pam Veurink went by the hospital and prayed outside her room.  Scott Welch went by the next morning to see if he could make contact with her.  My plan was to go back in the afternoon.

Scott called me from the hospital to let me know that she had passed away in the night.

I will not know until I reach heaven what may have happened in the final hours of her life.  But I know this... I will never forget the look of terror in her eyes... the uncertainty of what happens beyond this world.

It re-affirmed in my heart just how important our mission is.  The bible says that it is God's will that none should perish... but that all might have a relationship with Him.  I want to do everything I can to make sure that I do not have to see that terrified look on the face of anyone.  There can be a peace in the passing when you know that when you leave this world you are moving toward a world promised by God to those who have a relationship with Him...  a world with no pain, no fighting, no tears.

Who do you need to tell about Jesus?  Who can you help to change the destination of their eternity?  Don't wait!  We are not promised tomorrow!

I want to encourage you to invite anyone and everyone you can to Coast.  I promise we will make sure they have an opportunity every week to give their life to Christ.

Together we can make a huge difference in the world around of us.

Let's Rock the World together!

Cya Sunday,

Robert