Posted 12:00 am Saturday, May 05, 2012
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Love Can Motivate Our Faith
The air buzzed with cheers and gasps at a live auction in Tyler last weekend. My jaw dropped as the figure climbed into hundreds of dollars.
What was being auctioned? A simple coffee date, but not with just anyone.
Sarah Wilson, 31, suffered a stroke on Dec. 10. Doctors said the arteries in Sarah’s brain are unusually arranged, and she was a walking time bomb. She nearly died, and the word “miracle” was used more than once.
During the first part of her recovery, Sarah was in the hospital for weeks. At first she was so sedated that she drifted in and out of consciousness for a few days, and doctors weren’t sure what her abilities would be when she was fully awake. When she woke up she was paralyzed on her right side and couldn’t speak for about two weeks, her brother, David, said.
Now Sarah’s on a long, frustrating road to recovery. Although she’s made amazing progress, she still has a little trouble bringing the correct words to mind and is working on getting full mobility back to her right side. Her employer had to let her go, and she won’t be able to work, most likely for months.
What was being auctioned? A simple coffee date, but not with just anyone.
Sarah Wilson, 31, suffered a stroke on Dec. 10. Doctors said the arteries in Sarah’s brain are unusually arranged, and she was a walking time bomb. She nearly died, and the word “miracle” was used more than once.
During the first part of her recovery, Sarah was in the hospital for weeks. At first she was so sedated that she drifted in and out of consciousness for a few days, and doctors weren’t sure what her abilities would be when she was fully awake. When she woke up she was paralyzed on her right side and couldn’t speak for about two weeks, her brother, David, said.
Now Sarah’s on a long, frustrating road to recovery. Although she’s made amazing progress, she still has a little trouble bringing the correct words to mind and is working on getting full mobility back to her right side. Her employer had to let her go, and she won’t be able to work, most likely for months.
Because her hospital stay was at the end of the year, she had a $3,000 deductible from 2011 and a $3,000 deductible for this year as well.
Sarah’s friends put together a fundraising dinner for her last weekend and invited hundreds of people. Sarah spoke a little at the event in her honor.
“People have asked me, ‘Sarah, has this made you question God?’” she said. “Never. I don’t know why. With Him, it’s all been good. I know there’s nothing we can do to separate us from the love of God.”
Sarah’s faith is strong, but it was the faith of her friends that shined that night.
Sarah’s friends put together a fundraising dinner for her last weekend and invited hundreds of people. Sarah spoke a little at the event in her honor.
“People have asked me, ‘Sarah, has this made you question God?’” she said. “Never. I don’t know why. With Him, it’s all been good. I know there’s nothing we can do to separate us from the love of God.”
Sarah’s faith is strong, but it was the faith of her friends that shined that night.
That night, they had the kind of faith that was crazy enough to think maybe God could do something with a few loaves of bread and some fish. They were the friends who cut a hole in a roof to get healing for someone they loved.
God can do a lot with a little faith, but maybe it’s the faith motivated by love that He delights in the most. Maybe that kind of faith makes Him crack His knuckles and say “now, this is something I can work with.”
The coffee date was auctioned for $700 to one of her friends who could have easily called her to have coffee for free. When more than $10,000 was totaled from the evening, and $400 in monthly commitments until Sarah is well enough to work, there was only one thing to think: this is love.
God can do a lot with a little faith, but maybe it’s the faith motivated by love that He delights in the most. Maybe that kind of faith makes Him crack His knuckles and say “now, this is something I can work with.”
The coffee date was auctioned for $700 to one of her friends who could have easily called her to have coffee for free. When more than $10,000 was totaled from the evening, and $400 in monthly commitments until Sarah is well enough to work, there was only one thing to think: this is love.
After David explained the details of Sarah’s stroke, I asked if he was surprised by how well the fundraiser went.
“I was shocked initially, but after having been there when Sarah first had the stroke and meeting all her friends, it’s not a surprise at all,” he said.
Sometimes we’re privileged enough to witness a moment that must cause God to smile and whisper “that’s what I’m talking about.”
“I was shocked initially, but after having been there when Sarah first had the stroke and meeting all her friends, it’s not a surprise at all,” he said.
Sometimes we’re privileged enough to witness a moment that must cause God to smile and whisper “that’s what I’m talking about.”
