Receiving Messages

Psalm 28:6-7 – Blessed be the Lord, because He has heard the voice of my supplications! The Lord is my strength and my shield; My heart trusted in Him and I am helped; Therefore my heart greatly rejoices, and with my song I will praise Him.

We ask for and receive messages in varied and unusual ways and places. I "received a message" one day a few years back as I grabbed my husband's Rotarian magazine to read in the "loo". There I read the story of Seth Lippard in Pennsylvania and it is this:

In 1994 his wife of 42 years died after 13 months of fighting ovarian cancer. During her illness he was exposed to several hospitals and nursing homes and discovered that there was very little in the way of spiritual comfort except for an occasional chaplain or minister.

He prayed about the situation and asked the Holy Spirit to direct the paths his life would take. In his own words, "God has answered my prayer in marvellous ways." First, he became a Hospice volunteer; next he converted two sacred records he had made in the 1970's to a 90 minute cassette tape for free distribution to anyone confronted with a serious illness or confinement in nursing homes.

It piqued my interest, as I too, am a Hospice volunteer and, although we do not bring religion into our work, I had found that if requested, there was a lack of availability of the good old hymns, especially where the elderly are concerned, and so I wrote to him. He asks only $2.00 per tape to cover the cost of the tape, postage and handling. That was something I could certainly do, and as he had no one in Canada, he calls me his "missionette". So far I have given away over 30 tapes to nursing homes, our hospital, a home for the mentally challenged and to some friends who were experiencing rough times and grieving. This is my contribution to Seth's wonderful effort and would welcome the opportunity to send tapes to those who would like them, or, if anyone else would also like to be a "missionette" or "missioner", I can send Seth's address.

Perhaps your life has taken an unexpected turn recently. Pray that the Holy Spirit will direct your paths, and you, too, will be amazed at God's marvellous answer.

Prayer: Lord we remember the words in the prayer of St. Francis that we be channels of your peace, that we seek not so much to be consoled as to console, for it is in giving that we receive. We pray for peace in the Canadian Postal Service, that, among many other things, Seth's work may continue to spread to those to whom it would bring comfort and consolation. Amen.

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