A double portion of Stephanie's spirit

Donna occasionally forwards me e-mails from a young woman named Stephanie, who's battling cancer. Stephanie's family lived near Donna's when she was growing up. The e-mails are filled with the struggles that go along with battling such a disase, as we as her incredible faith and love for God.

Reading Stephanie's e-mails reminds me of Elijah and Elisha. As Elijah was passing his prophectic ministry over to Elisha, Elijah asked, "Tell me what I can do for you before I am taken from you." To which Elisha replied, "Let me inherit a double portion of your spirit." (2 Kings 2:7-9)

I would like to have a "double portion" of Stephanie's faith and spirit.

I think it no coincidence that I gavce the Prevenient Grace talk this week -- the same week that my appointment with Scott was eventually scheduled. I have found myself moving in and out of darkness (mostly light, mind you) this week, particularly after hearing about Danny. But as I gave that talk today I was reminded of so many blessings God has bestowed on me in the past 25 years.

I curbed my front passenger wheel as I was pulling into a space at Central United Methodist Church in Knoxville. I was running late because I was detoured by a fatal accident on Alcoa Highway. I didn't want to enter the church on ther main parking lot side because pilgrims (mine included) may have been milling about in the hallway or outside. It was raining and I didn't see the curb as well as I could have had it not been raining. I glanced at the wheel as I left the car, heading toward the church, and grumbled something like, "It figures ..."

While giving the talk, I was overcome by the knowledge of God's grace in my life. Part of the talk is a recitation of how different my life has been since accepting Jesus Christ, being born again in my 29th year. When I left the church I was stilled filled with thanksgiving, and I also thought of the fatal accident. Both thoughts put curbed wheels and other material things in their proper perspective.

When I get into darkness, I may just walk out and look at that wheel to remind of of how I felt today.

Grace and peace ...

Danny falls ill

I took my pilgrim to her Emmaus Walk sendoff and heard some bad news: Danny, a member of the community who was under treatment for Hepatitis C, has fallen ill with a blood infection. I'm told it occurred while under interferon treatment and he has been hospitalized for the past week.

I learned of his HCV infection maybe a year and a half ago when I saw him on a men's Walk. He was unable to tell me exactly what treatment he was under at the time. Last night, I was told he contracted it during the Vietnam War. The person who told me that said it's been said many of our troops contracted HCV because it was in the soil and rice paddies they trudged through with open wounds as minor as blisters. I think I would like to check out the accuracy of that as that is new to me. It seems I had heard that about Hepatitis A and B, but not C.

Given my schedule, I'm not sure whether I will be able to travel to Morristown to see Danny.

I pray God's healing hand will touch him ...

Grace ... and peace.