The front page of today’s paper holds such a portrait of free-will. It tells the story of two men and their “moments of choice.”

James Cline, a man with almost a dozen DUI charges, was fleeing police in a town nearby. He went left of center and ran head-on into a car carrying three young college students. Grace was killed instantly, Andy died two days ago and Evan is still in critical condition. His choices led to the deaths of two souls who had their whole lives before them.

The day that Andy died, another drama took place a few miles from us at an intersection we pass through many times a week.

Michael Loparo was driving his semi truck up the hill when at the last moment he noticed the light was red and a car was stopped in front of him. He veered his rig off the highway to avoid crashing into the rear of that vehicle and headed straight for the heavy pole that held the traffic light. They say his cab burst into flames on impact and he died before he could be rescued from the burning truck. The fire chief commented that Michael gave his life to save the four people who would have been killed if he had hit them…He died to save a woman named Deanna and three young children ~Kandaze, Korri and Dezeree .  

These two stories are a dramatic snapshot of our lives here on earth. Lives that hold choices which can heal or harm.

The amazing thing is… we have been given this gift of free will from our Creator and it’s a gift that He will not take back, despite the consequences of its abuse. 

Our Father also knows that the use of this gift to choose love and sacrifice is glorious. Deanna and those children know that now. And we should know that too since Jesus, the Son of God, chose to freely give His Life to save ours.

When we had no clue that death was careening towards us, “He took the fall and thought of us… above all.”   Those four beloved human beings were just waiting at a stop light, expecting nothing of their day but the agenda they had planned.

Meanwhile, behind them, a drama of love was taking place. A drama of sacrifice.  A 50 yr old truck driver named Mike was making the choice to risk his life to save theirs.

How many people travel through life never knowing what Jesus gave to save them from certain death?  How many are missing the drama of love that took place 2000 years ago, “behind their backs” in a sense, but for their sake? 

I wonder how Deanna and the children will look at their existence now. Their lives are now imprinted, infused, with this stranger’s gift…a value he placed on their days on earth by the sacrifice of his own.

Those of us who have accepted the “freely-given” gift of Life from Jesus, the Son of the Most High God, know that we are now infused with His identity, and the value He placed on our lives by the cost of their redemption. We don’t want to waste a moment of our days or a drop of His Blood by living a life of compromise or mediocrity. 

One more thought. Jesus also “took the fall” for James Cline. Andy, Grace and Michael may be in His Presence today, but James still needs to hear about His Grace. He is still alive and able to have many more “moments of choice.”

It was Easter day, about 11:30 pm,  when our son Michael was wheeled into room #330 after his emergency surgery. Mike and I walked along the hallway beside his bed and then waited outside the room while they got him situated. 

As the nurses wheeled him inside, I peeked into the room and noticed a figure on the first bed beneath white sheets. I saw the shell of a man, aged and wrinkled with dark purple bruising beneath his thin arms. His hair was white and wispy and his mouth was set firmly while he slept. My first thought was “Oh, no. Michael has a roommate…in such a tiny space, two people, and that man seems very needy.” 

I was to regret those thoughts. How I apologized to the Lord for judging on appearance.

As we settled in I walked over to the other side of the drawn curtain and met Vern Sanborn.  I shook his frail hand and introduced myself, my husband Mike and son Michael. Vern’s grip was strong and his 85 yr old eyes sparkled with life. As we spent the next 17 hours together, I would learn just how full of life this man was.

Our night nurse, Chrissy, was a down-to-business but very fun lady. I had asked if I could spend the night with Michael, since it was obvious that she was also a very busy lady on midnight shift with many patients to care for. I knew that if I stayed in the room with Michael,  I could do the things she might love to do, but would not have time for. Things like covering his feet with a blanket if they popped out into the cold.

Chrissy said it was my choice. I could stay if I liked. After the room quieted and I could see that Michael was succumbing to his pain medication with a blissful sleep, I pulled up my chair, leaned towards his bed and laid my head down on the side bar.  It wasn’t too uncomfortable and soon I was also fast asleep. Just a few minutes later Chrissy came into the room pushing a huge reclining chair with sheets and pillows…”You’re not sleeping like that!  Here. Let’s get this in here.”

It was much more comfortable on that recliner, and soon Michael and I were both asleep. But all through the night I awoke with a very tangible sense of urgency for Vern’s soul. It was something new to me, this weight, this amazing sense of importance to the Lord, for this individual I barely knew. I prayed for Vern all through the night.

Chrissy came in to care for Michael and Vern at least every hour in the darkness…and every time she saw Vern she said “Hey Handsome!”  He was very handsome…wjth a smooth voice that would rise and fall like a song. He was kind and sweet to the nurses, and they loved him.

At about 2:30 am Chrissy came to the room and said,”Vern, a friend of yours named Earl just called the desk to ask about you. He said he couldn’t sleep until he heard that you were OK. He also said to tell you he loves you.”Morning came at 6 am (too early) with the booming voice of a dieticians’ aide on Vern’s side of the room.
“What do you want to order for breakfast, Mr Sanborn?“Do you have cereal?.”“Yes…do you want Corn Flakes, Cheerios or oatmeal.”

The questioning continued loudly through all his other choices. Meat? Juices? Coffee? Fruits? Michael and I were now quite awake. It was Monday morning and I was so happy Michael had slept well in those first hours past his emergency appendectomy.

That morning my daughter Anna and her friend Hallie came in to visit Michael. The curtain was drawn and I whispered to the girls..” We LOVE Michael’s roommate. His name is Vern.” 

Hallie gasped and said “Ow!”

I wondered what happened. “What’s wrong?” I asked.

“Did you say he was burned?”

 Oh, we laughed so hard I had to go and tell Vern what Hallie thought I said. He laughed with us, and then I introduced him to the girls.

A short time later, after the girls had gone, a young lady with a clipboard came in to speak with Vern about his discharge the next day. She wanted to connect him with Hospice care and let him know what they would provide him. My heart sank. Vern was dying.

Soon after this a pastor from our church came to see Michael and to pray with him. Pastor Bill Stevens brought more laughter and even sang Michael a song about the Lord being able to do the impossible. He knelt by his bed, anointed his forehead with oil and prayed for Michael’s quick recovery. As he stood up, I whispered to Bill..”Could you do something before you leave?  There is the dearest man next to us. His name is Vern. I am not sure where he is with the Lord..and I just learned that he has lung cancer and has been referred to Hospice.”

Pastor Bill walked around the curtain to Vern’s bed and introduced himself. His friendliness and sincerity were obvious and Vern warmed to him immediately.

 “What are you in here for, brother?”

Vern told him about his lung cancer. He told him the doctors can’t cure it but that they are keeping it under control.

“And how old are you?”

Vern answered, “I’m 85.”

“Oh!” said Bill. “You only have five years on me. I’m 80.”

 Then he asked him if he served in World War II .  Vern said yes and told him he was in the Navy.

“I’m a Corps Man myself,” Bill said.  More connecting.

 “Listen, Vern, how’s your relationship with the Lord?”

Vern wasn’t shaken by this honest question. “It’s good.”

“If you died today, do you know where you’d wake up?”

“With Him,” Vern answered with confidence.

“Oh, that’s wonderful!  Then you know that it’s not a perfect life or church attendance that gets you into Heaven?”
“Oh, yes. And I havent’ been able to attend church for five years.”

“Well, can I pray for you today, Vern?”

Pastor Bill prayed with Vern. It was strong and beautiful. Michael and I were listening to everything from behind our green flowered curtain.

A few hours later there were many people visiting Vern. When they stepped out into the hall, I walked over and asked him if that was his family. 

“No, they’re my girlfriend’s relatives,” he answered. 

 Later that day Cindy, our day nurse, who was also extremely caring and efficient, sat with Michael and me and gave us the doctor’s instructions about his care.

“The doctor says no meat for four days.”

At that we heard Vern’s voice from behind the curtain. “Chicken wings aren’t meat!”

Michael laughed and laughed.

I had been praying that there would be some time when I could talk more with Vern before we left. Michael had fallen asleep that afternoon as he waited for his last IV medication to finish, and Vern was sitting on a chair in front of his bed, breathing heavy. He had just had a trip to the restroom and it tired him out. We talked a lot about the medication for one problem messing up his potassium levels and raising his blood pressure.
“I’ve had my blood pressure under control for year and now it’s all out of wack again.”

He was excited to be going home the next day, and argued a bit with the nurse about starting a new IV site when he was leaving in the morning.

 I gave Vern a Legacy CD, and told him I hoped that perhaps the music would be soothing to listen to as he regained his strength at home. He was so excited! He asked me all about the songs, and I asked him what kind of music he liked.  “Old fashioned,” he answered with a smile.

“Well, then I think you’ll like it. It’s pretty mellow.”

 We opened the CD so I could show him the photo of Mike and me on our wedding day. I described many of the songs to him…especially the one about my Dad.

 Vern was genuinely intrigued and interested in the music. While I was with Michael I heard him showing the CD to a nurse.  “Yes!  She wrote all these songs..and she sings too.”

 Before we left I asked Vern if I could have his address to send Healer of My Heart to him at his home.  We talked also about Pastor Bill and his prayer. He didn’t know he was from my church and said “Oh, so that was the man who gave me the blessing?” 

 We promised to pray for him and gave him a big hug goodbye as we left room 330.

 ___________________________________________________________________

 It is two days later.  I just received this email from a nurse at the hospital.

 Dear Tia,
One of the nurses from 3rd floor wanted me to tell you that Mr.Sanborn??
(I think that was his name..) passed away….

His nurse,Cindy, who is my friend, said that you would want to know……

 I called Michael crying, and said “Honey, Vern died!  This is so sad. He was so excited to be going home.”

Michael answered, “Mom, he DID go home.”

How good is our Lord?  That we would have the joy of getting to know this treasure of a man in his last hours on the earth?  That Pastor Bill could have that prayer with him?  Vern was surrounded by fervent prayer in his last days. And our God knew before the dawn of time that He would place us in room 330 with Mr. Vern Sanborn.  I am amazed.

A few weeks ago I took my baby sister Kate out to lunch for her birthday while my daughter Julia watched Kate’s two little girls. Afterwards my sister asked if we could return a winter coat for her one year old, since it was much too big. We tried, but the store wouldn’t switch sizes for her since she had no receipt. So Kate and I decided to shop around a little before we went home. Scarlett needed a coat and the days were getting so cold.

As we went from store to store in the mall, we were so disappointed … no one had any size “12 month” coats left. They were all too large. It was at that time I heard the Lord whisper, “Ask Me out loud, in front of Kate, to find a coat for Scarlett!” So I did. I prayed right there in Sears, beside my sister, and asked the Lord to help us find a warm coat for my niece. I had a feeling the Lord wanted Kate to see how much He cares for the smallest details of our lives.

As we continued our search, we walked by a big department store in the center of the mall. I mentioned that they can have wonderful sales, so Kate followed me into the store and up the escalator. Not one minute later we were standing by the softest, most beautiful little coat with big velvet rose buttons and a furry hood. Kate spotted it and she was thrilled. “This is it! And it’s her size!” she shouted. The coat was perfect for our “Scarlett Rose”… We then had another surprise when we got to the counter and discovered it was marked down by 75%!

How wondrous. Our God answered the smallest prayer for a little one year old in Warren Ohio. A prayer answered for Scarlett’s warmth, but also for her mama’s heart (and an aunt’s) to see His Care and Character.

“So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?

Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.
Matthew 6:28-33

Matthew 12:50 Anyone who does the will of my Father in Heaven is My brother and sister and mother.

It was the mid seventies and I was so excited to be heading to middle school with my brothers, Greg and Sean. We were all a year apart and finally we were all in the same school…in 6 th, 7 th and 8 th grade. It was a crisp September morning and I had dressed in my new school shoes and plaid uniform skirt with great anticipation. I loved the start of the new school year.

While we walked, Greg began to tell us about a “new” way to get to the middle school. He said if we would follow the railroad tracks we could cut our walk in half. We agreed to try it and soon we were jumping from railroad tie to railroad tie in our good school clothes.

After a few minutes I spotted a bridge ahead and my heart raced. As we came closer we realized it was a train trestle which crossed tracks about a hundred feet below. Greg and Sean ran ahead of me and began to jump over the large gaps between the rails, racing across the bridge. My journey was slower since I was so afraid of heights. At first I felt very brave, watching only the rails and placing my shiny black shoe on each one. But as I reached the middle of the trestle, I began to look through the gaps to the ground so far below. I panicked and froze. I sat down on a rail, clung on to the rough wood and cried.

Greg shouted encouragements from the other side, but it wasn’t enough to get me up and going. I was paralyzed with fear. So he walked confidently towards me. As he came close he reached out, took my hand and held me tightly as we slowly crossed together.

How precious is the love and help of a brother. Hebrews 2: 9 says that Jesus and the ones He makes holy “have the same Father. That is why Jesus is not ashamed to call them His brothers and sisters…”

Scripture then goes on to say that the Son “did not come to help angels; He came to help the descendants of Abraham. Therefore it was necessary for Him to be made in every respect like us, His brothers and sisters, so that He could be our merciful and faithful High Priest before God. Then he could offer a sacrifice that would take away the sins of the people. Since He Himself has gone through suffering and testing, He is able to help us when we are being tested.”

The word “help” is in these passages three times. How many of us need help today? How many of us are frozen on the tracks of life somehow? Jesus has experienced life here, as a brother in the family experiences the same home as his siblings. He is our “Older Brother”, sent from the Father, not only to rescue us from Hell by His sacrifice, but also to help us in every moment of our lives.

The Hebrew word for “to help” is more literally translated “to take hold of.”

Scott Grant puts it this way. “Jesus, our Brother, invades enemy territory and takes us by the hand to lead us out of danger. Our big brother is not only proud of us; He comes to rescue us. And when He does so, He grabs hold of us and takes us by the hand!”

I need Jesus to take hold of my hand today. We all do. And He is eager to do that. He humbled Himself and joined our human family so He could bring us into His Family, and so that He could identify with all of our human struggles and then bring us the Help that only an Omnipotent God can bring.

So do the sons of men rejoice,
The Prince of Peace proclaim,
With Heaven’s host lift up our voice,
And shout Immanuel’s Name;
Our knees and hearts to Him we bow
Of our flesh, and of our bone,
See-Jesus is our Brother now,
And God is all our own!

It was the morning of December 12th, 2002. I was rushing around my home, gathering all I needed to make the hour drive to New Castle, Pennsylvania. I was invited to minister to the MOPS group at Harmony Baptist Church (Mothers of Pre-Schoolers). I was running behind when the phone rang. It was my father. In a soft somber tone he said, “Tia, Mom’s gone.”

My mother had battled lung cancer for six months, and the Lord called her home that morning. I called Tammi Dess from the church and told her that my mom had just passed away so I would not be coming. She promised me her group of ladies would be praying for us.

It was the morning of May 12 th, 2005. I was in the midst of my busiest music ministry season of the year, and had asked so many people to pray as I had over a dozen opportunities to share with women’s gatherings that month. That morning I was getting ready to go to a mothers’ group when the phone rang. It was the wife of my brother, Greg. He had died in the night. Our family gathered in the kitchen and held each other and cried. We were in shock. Greg was only 43.

We were also stunned by the fact that I would need to call Tammi Dess, since, of all places, my morning was to be spent with the MOPS group of Harmony Baptist church in New Castle, Pennsylvania. Out of over seventy concerts a year, I would be canceling this one again.

“Hello, Tammi? You’re not going to believe this. My brother just died. I think the Lord knows just who I need praying for our family when these losses come.”

Tammi cried. Then she promised prayers.

Soon after that, as my father and sister and I began the seven hour trip east to Greg’s home in Philadelphia, we drove past the exit for New Castle, Pennsylvania. Just what was the Lord doing in timing the loss of my mother and brother? I looked at the huge green sign with white letters that hung above the highway… “ New Castle.”

At that moment I knew that our King was giving me a peace and joy in realizing His perfect timing in taking two people who were very dear to me to their “ new castle” in Heaven.

How comforting to have His Presence and Sovereignty so evident in such a dark time. In the midst of all the questions, His multiple graces spoke to us that Greg’s death was not beyond His Hand. It did not take Him by surprise. The God-Incidence (not “coincidence”) of “ Harmony Baptist Church” carried us through the weeks ahead as a reminder of His perfect, loving Control of all things.

A few days ago I discovered a little dandelion bringing its tiny bit of yellow decoration and the hope of ‘spring to come’ to my wintery walk. What a breath of life in the midst of a dreary season.

It reminded me of an season a few years ago when I got to experience that “spring life” in a new way. My sons were busy with a job they never enjoyed. They were cleaning out our gutters. It had been awhile since that chore was done so there were many plants growing happily in a row inside them. The boys were almost finished clearing the first gutter of dirt and greenery when I spotted a plant whose leaves looked familiar. They were very shocked when I told them to bring that “weed” to me, but they obediently scooped it up, roots and all, and brought it carefully down the ladder.

After finding a new home for this mystery plant under my kitchen window, we just seemed to forget about it for weeks while it grew taller and taller. Then one beautiful summer day as my daughter Julia and I were pulling into our driveway, we saw a huge golden blossom leaning past the corner of the house with a sunny smile. It was a sunflower! The “weed” was not a weed, but a beautiful blossoming plant that was now giving us joy every time we arrived at our home.

This was one of those teachable moments. I just had to capture it.

“Oh, that sunflower is so much like me!” I told my daughter. “Jesus rescued me when I thought my life was wasted. He took me from the gutter of sin and said, ‘You, My love, are not a weed!’ Then Jesus planted my life in His and made my ‘roots go down deep into the soil of God’s Marvelous Love (Eph 3:17).’ Now I have grown to become someone who can share the seed of His Love with others. Just think of all the seeds that will be in that flower!”

My young Julia was so touched by that story that she said we should write it all down on a big piece of paper and place it carefully at the foot of the stalk of that plant so that everyone walking by could read it.

May your life bear the fruit of the One Who scooped you up in His Hands and transplanted you into Himself. He died to own you, to grow you, to love you, and to love through you.

In simple humility, let our Gardener, God, landscape you with the Word, making a salvation-garden of your life. James 1:21 The Message

God’s timing is perfect. In the midst of grieving the loss of my brother, the Lord arranged a week away for our family. Our journey took us to the wondrous state of Colorado, and once there we were completely in awe of the beauty of the Rocky Mountains. Debbie and Mike Maurello own the ranch where we stayed. Our little cabin was nestled between two high hills…one covered with purple sage bushes and the other clothed in tall pine trees.

As the week went on, a scripture I had put to music years ago kept coming to my mind.

“Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed,” says the LORD, who has compassion on you. Isaiah 54:10

Living in Ohio doesn’t gives us little opportunity to “make real” the analogies in our Lord’s Word about mountains. So it was incredible to experience the depth of this Truth for the first time because of our personal encounter with these giants.

I learned that our hosts have spent their lives there in the Rockies. So did their parents and grandparents and great-grandparents. In fact, Debbie’s great-great grandfather was a Cherokee Indian who was hired as a scout for the United States Cavalry. Generations have been waking like we did on those sun-soaked mornings to find the mountains still there. They went to bed on those Colorado nights with the mountains faithfully overshadowing their cabins.

All week long I was being reminded again and again that our Lord’s Love is stronger and even more everlasting than those immovable, towering pieces of rock and earth. God is saying that EVEN IF those mountains are shaken, EVEN IF the hills disappeared, His Love and His Promises are solid and permanent.

In our world there is not much that is permanent. Everything changes. Our health, our finances, our relationships, our careers, our churches, our governments, our feelings, our weather. Apart from Christ, we have never experienced the kind of unchanging, unconditional, rock-solid Love that our Lord is promising. Our spouses, parents, children, friends, pastors…have all loved us imperfectly. But here our Lord is telling us with the mightiest example He can use, that His Love is very different than human love. God’s Love is unchanging and will last forever. Long after the mountains and the hills are gone, He will still be loving us.

When our Father seems distant, when we wonder if our imperfections have diminished His Love for us…I know now what we need to do.

We need to remember the mountains.

A few weeks ago I was honored to sing in Boston, Massachusetts for a retreat at the Hanscom Air Force Base. While I was there, my brother and his family took me to some places of interest since I love history. One of our visits was to one of the cemeteries in the old town of Concord. This was absolutely fascinating!

We ran from stone to stone amazed at the fact that many of those “remembered” in epitaph were born in the mid 1600’s! Yet so many were obviously followers of the same Jesus we are following today. I copied these words since they are inspiring to me.

May we as women have such words carved in our memory!

Here lies interred the body of Sarah Miles
Who departed this life March 13th AD 1756
in the 77th year of her life
She was a prudent and virtuous wife
a kind and instructive mother
and was conscientious and virtuous
in her life and conversation.

A short time after I came back to Ohio, I was asked to open in worship and share for a few moments at a local gathering. There were over sixty who come weekly for Bible study and prayer.Their focus that week was the second half of Hebrews chapter 10.

As I prayed about what to sing and say, I pondered those verses about “drawing near” to God through a sincere heart…

Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, His body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith , having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.

Since my time to share would be so brief, I asked the Lord to give me exactly what to say so I wouldn’t ramble! It had to be short. For days I sought Him on this, prayed, listened, and seemed to hear nothing. Late into the night I finally laid my head on the pillow and slept terribly since my heart was not settled on what I would be sharing in just a few hours.

As I dressed and prepared to leave for the bible study, my heart was listening still. I said, “Lord, I will not be anxious. I know You long to speak to your people. I know You have promised that when I open my mouth, You will ‘fill it’. ”

And He did. My thoughts turned immediately to that phrase “draw near”. The Lord then opened my eyes. Nothing new, but for me it is a fresh way to see the Truth of this Redemption in Jesus…this “new and living way.”! The Lord reminded me of the longing I have to see Greg, my brother…and my mom. He had me think of the emotions we have when we lose someone we love, the intense longing to reach out and touch their face, sit with them, laugh with them…look into their eyes again. And our hearts struggle deeply with the impossibility of this, with the Wall that divides us. It seems so incredible that we cannot be with them, but it is an impossibility.

The Lord then showed me that He sent His Son because He had experienced the same “separation” from us…the same longing to have relationship with us, but the same impossibility of that relationship because of the Wall of death.

As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins… Ephesians 2:1

We can’t have a relationship with a dead person. And our God cannot either. But He is the God of the Impossible, for with God all things are possible.

…because of His Great Love for us, God, Who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions- it is by grace you have been saved. Ephesians 2:4,5

Now through our faith in Christ’s experiencing Death for us and being raised to life again, we are “born again” and made alive!!!!!!

Those headstones in Concord Cemetery are not holding any Christian brothers or sisters. They are absent from the body but present with the Lord. In Him they were made alive to have an unending love relationship with the King of Kings.

And so were we.