The Storms Came Fierce

John 14:1–3 NIV

“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. [2] My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? [3] And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.

The past few months have been a time of trials and testing for so many in our Church in January, our new Pastor was diagnosed with Lung Cancer and due to Chemo treatments for the past couple of weeks, our interaction with him has been through Zoom calls, emails and text messages, his wife and daughter come to services, but due to the treatments he can’t be around crowds.

But last week was an especially hard time, not this Sunday but last Sunday, when a deacon was rushed to the hospital with her heart rate dropping down to 22 beats per minute. Despite being given a pacemaker on Tuesday, her condition deteriorated, and it was believed she had a stroke. Hearing the gravity of the situation, I went to see her on Friday. As I pulled up to the hospital, I did not know what I was going to do except pray and read some scripture. Unfortunately, she had passed away an hour before I arrived, so I called others, sent texts, and fielded calls. Another deacon fell yesterday, breaking her ankle, and I watched a friend break under family stress, and yesterday, our Sunday School program head contacted me to let me know she wasn’t feeling well either, so she needed me to step in for her.

The weight of it all was heavy, but I knew I was not alone, and I did what I could do, reaching out to another friend to pray as well, I’m sure she’s sick of the texts lol, but as a member of our prayer team, I feel she needs to know these things.

Romans 8:35–39 NIV

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? [36] As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” [37] No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. [38] For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, [39] neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

As I prayed early in the Summer for the Lord to direct me on whether or not I was supposed to step up as head deacon, and the Lord directed me to saying yes, I had no idea what was to come, or how the Lord would use me. I didn’t realize I’d be comforting Church Members after the unexpected loss of someone so dear to us, someone whose humor was always so on point despite all that life had thrown at her, nor did I realize I’d be comforting a friend through the loss of her Mother, or another dear friend who is carrying a weight no one should.

Do I write this to complain, no, but to remind others that sometimes those who are called to comfort, need comforting, a word of encouragement a prayer, they all go along way! But more than anything its Jesus who leads the way, often using the people he places in our path!

Copyright Michelle R Kidwell

February.16.2025