Mrs. Clement's Story

Yesterday the news was released (sounds dramatic!) that I was going to be leaving the retirement community where I work.

I have received so many affirming emails, personal words of encouragment, hugs, tears...lots of expressions of God's love over the last few days. It has been awesome.

I wanted to specifically write about Mrs. Clements (I'll use a different name, for her privacy)....a resident that lives in our community.

As I was walking back to my office yesterday, Mrs. Clements stopped me to tell me she received my letter about my resignation and the reasons I was leaving related to the fact that I was feeling led to pursue full-time ministry.

Mrs. Clements (in her 80's), looked at me with sad, regretful eyes and said, "My husband wanted to be in the ministry........and you know what?..............................I stopped him."

Woah. It was one of those powerful moments (like many others I've had over the years with the residents), that was really significant. She proceeded to tell me that her husband had done many things for the Lord when he was alive, but that because of her fears...fear of not having money, fear of not knowing how they could make ends meet, fear of the unknown...she stopped him from pursuing what the Lord had pursued him about. He had wanted to become a Pastor. She hugged me and told me how happy she was for us, and she knew that the Lord would honor us and take care of us as we continue to pursue Him.

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"Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from the guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful." Messianic Jews (Hebrews) 10:22-23