nursing homes

Singing With Virginia

/ pastorpete51 / 2 Comments 
O Sing unto to the Lord a new song; sing unto the Lord, all the earth. Psalm 96:1 KJV

A few years ago, I had been praying for God to open doors at the long-term care facilities I visit, but I wasn’t prepared to see them swing open quite so wide. One morning I arrived at the memory-care ward of a local facility and found about a dozen folks seated in the TV area by the nurse’s station. They seemed happy to see me and as I took out my guitar and started singing “Put Your Hand in the Hand of the Man who stilled the waters!”, I noticed behind one lady pacing aimlessly back and forth hunched over her walker. I paid little attention to her until she suddenly started shuffling in our direction. Being concerned that she might fall, one of the nurses jumped up and gently redirected her back to the hall. But just a minute later she was back, and this time walked right up to me and stood quietly for a moment, then reached out her finger and touched the strings of my guitar. Curious to see what she would do; I assured the nurse that it was fine. “What’s her name?” I asked the nurse. “Oh, that’s Virginia.” She called back. I had not been able to see Virginia’s face because she was so completely bent over her walker but when she heard her name she looked up and smiled. Then as we started the next hymn Virginia began to sing. Her face lit up as our voices joined together, “Jesus – Jesus – Jesus – Sweetest name I know. Hears every longing of my heart – Keeps me singing as I go!” Oh yes doors began opening today but the one that swung the widest was the one to my heart. Virginia reminded all of us that everyone on earth can sing a new song for you!

God’s Love in the Nitty-Gritty of Nursing Homes

/ pastorpete51 / 4 Comments

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. John 3:16 ESV

I have rarely (Okay maybe never) shared an actual message from the nursing home. This week I am making an exception because I am hoping that the content give a helpful peek behind the curtain of life in long-term care. Some of the story is raw, because the problems, the struggles and the hurts are real, but God offers a sacrifice that came at a cost far more graphic and terrible because of His love! Each week we have 30 precious minutes, to sing, to pray, to preach and to visit. May this testimony be an encouragement and a blessing to any of you who dares to share the hope and grace of Jesus in a long-term care facility in your own community.

God Loves You!

/ pastorpete51 / 5 Comments 
 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life John 3:16 ESV

Marie* wants to see you in the cafeteria after the message” they told me. Marie suffered from Parkinson’s Disease that often leads to depression, and that afternoon she was so depressed that she hadn’t come in for our song and prayer time at her nursing home. As I went in to sit with Marie, she began to cry and took hold of my hands blurting out, “God hates me!” 

She felt isolated from the outside world, because no old friends ever came to visit, no family came for her birthday or Christmas. “What in the world can I say?” I wondered. What good news do I have to share with her?” Then I remembered the verse we all learn in Sunday School, and I said, “God loves you, Marie! Because the Bible says, ‘For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son…” At those simplest of words, Marie calmed, her face brightened, and she happily listened as I took my guitar back out of its case to sing her favorite hymn, “In the Garden”, and afterward we prayed together.

Maybe you aren’t in a facility, and don’t have Parkinson’s, but at some time in our lives we all face moments like Marie did. No one understands our hearts, and it feels as if God has turned His back or simply forgotten about us. In those darkest of moments, we have to remind ourselves that just as God did not forget Marie, He has also not forgotten us. Though we may not be the richest person in the world, we have its richest hope, because we have received the lavish gift of God’s love. We also need to remember that there are Marie’s and Bettys, Bob’s and Joe’s all around us every day. There are people we bump into at the store, on the street corners or even in our family, who desperately need to hear about the hope of God’s love. Yes, “God so loved the world!” So, why not pass that great hope of Jesus on to others today?