The Best Easter Gift...ever

The best Easter gift I have ever received was given to me about 2000 years ago. Only in the last four years of my life have I begun to thank Him for it. Although I know I will never begin to repay the debt, I will live out this life trying.

I never really got to know our neighbors, Jan and George Karpin. Jan and I would run into each other in the neighborhood walking our dogs, have a quick conversation and move on. George began walking and would go 8-10 miles a day. He lost an absolute ton of weight and became the talk of the neighborhood. They moved to Virginia last year when George took a promotion with the US Postal Service. Not long after they moved, I heard that George was diagnosed with Lou Gehrig’s disease (ALS). They managed to sell their home in VA, packed up, and move back to LaGrange to be closer to family, in a neighborhood that they knew. The week I got that news, our small group began to pray for them. I stood out on my deck one night and looked at the back of their house. I prayed and asked God to intervene. Just come and cover them and heal him. I heard, "I am with them, through you." Great, no pressure there.

Over the last few months, we have brought them some meals, called and checked up on them, walked their dog and built a ramp to their front door. Kevin started weight training with Jan so that she would be stronger when lifting and moving George. Some of the guys went over on Sunday afternoons during football season and just hung out with George. Every week in small group we would add them back onto our prayer list and someone would ask, "Do we know yet if he has given his life to Christ? - Has anyone said anything to him?" We were showing them what Christ’s love looked like, but were not doing a great job of sharing His hope. For Christmas we gave them an audio copy of 3:16 by Max Lucado. Up to this point George had been pretty angry with God. Kevin told him it was okay to be mad. God had big shoulders, He could take it. In February I suggested that if they haven't listened to 3:16 yet, maybe now would be a good time. Last week Jan called and asked if our small group would come over and pray with George. She said he had listened to the CD a couple of times and that he seemed to be a bit more accepting of some things and was a bit less angry. I asked them to come with us to church this weekend for Easter service and they agreed to come on Friday. I am praying that they feel up to it. I want George to be the first person I see in heaven.