Sorting through some files today and found HC Baker's trusty dusty "note" box. Remember how he loves things in a box! Here's a bit of what I found. (I'm editing as I go!)
There's an article he tore out of a magazine about angels. Here's what he underlined.
"Or is it (angels) really us, mere humans, who for a moment are picked up by the hand of God and made to speak unwittingly the words another needs to hear, or to hold out a lifeline to another soul?"
An article out of the Home Life magazine, November 1990, regarding 4 things that help to survive grief.
Tears - Please don't be afraid of my tears because that makes me more afraid of them. ...they aren't the end of the world.
Touch - We all need hugs everyday, but in grief we need them more. If I cling to you don't be embarrassed. You are God loving me through your hands and arms. Together we can be wrapped in a heavenly hug and who knows what kind of hope and healing will happen.
Talk - Ask me how I am and don't let me get away with "fine" because I'm not. Talking today will make talking tomorrow easier. Love and laughter lead us down the road to wholeness.
Time - The bad memories are softened around the edges like an out-of-focus picture. The hole left in me no longer seems like the black hole in space but more like a well with a bottom.
So for a person grieving, take some of your time that is so precious and talk with them. Touch them and let the tears water a special bond that can grow between you.
HC wrote this to share during a Sunday morning service shortly after The Hollon family joined our congregation. He called it "My Testimony".
"Good morning...listen for just a minute...please do not move because there is a fire in the house. Not the kind of fire so many of us remember with cold and unkind thoughts...not the kind of fire that destroys...
Fear not...for God is with us!!!
This new fire is a friendly fire, a warm and healing fire, a fire who's light illuminates the darkness and chases away the evil that has been hiding there. Some months ago the Pastor Search Committee invited each of us to pray earnestly for God's presence with us and His leadership and guidance in the journey in search of our new pastor. One by one the Holy Spirit pasted the flames from this new fire onto each of the search committee members and then Les and Vicki. And as they grew in faith and confidence in the presence of the Holy Spirit, the fire began to spread to you and to me.
As more and more of us see the light, feel the warmth, and let our light shine, more and more of God's spirit is shared. And in this renewal, more souls will be saved. I have seen this new fire in some of your eyes, I have felt the growing warmth in your heart and mine. It feels wonderful!!!
Today's text in Matthew 4 talks about Jesus walking along the shores of the Sea of Galilee when He calls Simon Peter, Andrew, James and John. The Bible says they stopped immediately what they were doing and followed Him. Years later as the Spirit walked along the shores of the Ohio River calling for me...I ran!!! Maybe not unlike some of you, I was a sinner and I was ashamed. And not unlike the little boy in the Gospels, I had very little to offer. My loaves and fishes were few.
But in the struggle God showed me He knew about my sins, and He knew that my talents were few. But if I would surrender to Him, He would wash away my sins and multiply my gifts for the glory of His kingdom. And He would love me forever.
And on that day, the day I gave what little I had, I received not only life everlasting, forgiveness of my sins, and the promise that He would never leave me, but a special gift, a scripture verse that was then and is now the story of my journey, My Testimony.
I share with you now Psalm 34:1-8
Let us magnify the Lord and praise His name together!! May this new fire rekindle the spirit in all our hearts.
(NOTE: I have the 4 Bibles HC loved and read the most. In each of them the words of Psalm 34 are very nearly rubbed off the page.)
Yet he still speaks. Powerful words about this new fire.
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