Covid-19

Caregiver Devotional Give-away

/ pastorpete51 / 5 Comments

With this Covid-19 crisis now dragging on into mid-July the issues for those in Long Term care have changed from being a temporary adjustment to a near permanent situation. Visits through the window, masks and tearful good-byes are what is now accepted as the new normal. These emotional, physical and spiritual challenges on those who are caregivers and staff are equal to or in some cases even greater than on those in need of care.

I wrote Grace For the Road as a devotional first aid kit to encourage and point you to Jesus Christ the healer and caregiver of us all. Drawing on my three decades of service as a volunteer chaplain I have included as many real life stories as I can. This Monday through Friday you can download the e-book format at the low low price of free! You may follow the link below or search for it on Amazon.com under Grace for the Road: Devotions for Caregivers by Peter Caligiuri.

May God bless you and keep you safe in the palm of His hands!

The Lord bless you and keep you;  the Lord make his face shine on you
 and be gracious to you;  the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace. Numbers 6:24-25 NIV

Jesus is Praying for You!

/ pastorpete51 / 3 Comments

I was broadsided by the news yesterday that the nursing home which I visited for many years lost 25 residents to Covid-19. The numbers always sound less when you hear them on the news, but when these are folks you know and love they become overwhelming. I prayed over what to include in this week’s video which is seen in several of the homes which I once visited and God gave me this uplifting thought. Jesus is praying for us.

And after he had taken leave of them, he went up on the mountain to pray.  And when evening came, the boat was out on the sea, and he was alone on the land.  And he saw that they were making headway painfully, for the wind was against them. And about the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. .. Mark 6:46-48a

Please pray for me and for those in nursing homes in your own community as well as mine. Have a blessed week-end knowing that Jesus is ready to walk out on any waters you and sinking in today!

When We Say Hello Again

/ pastorpete51 / Leave a comment

Greet Philologus, Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints who are with them. Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ greet you. Romans 16:15

It has been so very long since we have been in church. That last Sunday we were able to worship together the storm clouds of Corona virus had already begun to gather. There were many empty seats in the sanctuary and our greetings were careful and interspersed by the frequent use of hand sanitizer stations that suddenly dotted our lobby. No one knew that this would be the last time we would see one another outside of a computer screen or an occasional meeting in a driveway. Whether you normally greet one another with handshakes or hugs and kisses; we are all feeling the loss of being cut off from one another. Our longing to meet again face to face is a natural expression of the love of Christ and is reflected in Paul’s farewell chapter of the book of Romans.

It is astonishing how at the end of this long and highly doctrinal letter that the Apostle can greet by name dozens of people in a city to which he has never yet traveled. Whatever the practical explanation for that, it is a reflection of the heart of Jesus who the gospel says had compassion on the people because they were as sheep without a shepherd.

On the day of our return to church we must remember the special value there is in greeting one another, whether by a holy kiss or a socially safe elbow bump. Those missing faces in our lives are our brothers and sisters and how we will rejoice on the day when we can once more we can say hello again!

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