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Thursday, April 23, 2015

Do You Believe In Easter?


 
Edith Burns was a wonderful Christian who lived in San Antonio,
Texas. She was the patient of a doctor by the name of Will
Phillips. Dr. Phillips was a gentle doctor who saw patients as
people. His favorite patient was Edith Burns.
 
One morning he went to his office with a heavy heart and it was
because of Edith Burns. When he walked into that waiting room,
there sat Edith with her big black Bible in her lap earnestly talking
to a young mother sitting beside her. Edith Burns had a habit of
introducing herself in this way: "Hello, my name is Edith Burns.
Do you believe in Easter?" Then she would explain the meaning of
Easter and many times people would be saved.
 
Dr. Phillips walked into that office and there he saw the head
nurse, Beverly. Beverly had first met Edith when she was taking
her blood pressure. Edith began by saying, "My name is Edith
Burns. Do you believe in Easter?"
 
Beverly said, "Why yes I do." Edith said, "Well, what do you
believe about Easter?" Beverly said, "Well, it's all about egg hunts,
going to church, and dressing up."
 
Edith kept pressing her about the real meaning of Easter, and
finally led her to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.
 
Dr. Phillips said, "Beverly, don't call Edith into the office quite yet.
I believe there is another delivery taking place in the waiting
room."
 
After being called back in the doctor's office, Edith sat down and
when she took a look at the doctor she said, "Dr. Will, why are you
so sad? Are you reading your Bible? Are you praying?" 
 
Dr. Phillips said gently, "Edith, I'm the doctor and you're the
patient."  With a heavy heart he said, "Your lab report came back
and it says you have cancer, and Edith, you're not going to live
very long." Edith said, "Why Will Phillips, shame on you. Why are
you so sad? Do you think God makes mistakes?  You have just
told me I'm going to see my precious Lord Jesus, my husband, and
my friends. You have just told me that I am going to celebrate
Easter forever, and here you are having difficulty giving me my
ticket!"
 
Dr. Phillips thought to himself, "What a magnificent woman this
Edith Burns is!"
 
Edith continued coming to Dr. Phillips. Christmas came and the
office was closed through January 3rd. On the day the office
opened, Edith did not show up. Later that afternoon, Edith called
Dr. Phillips and said she would have to be moving her story to the
hospital and said, "Will, I'm very near home, so would you make
sure that they put women in here next to me in my room who need
to know about Easter?"
 
Well, they did just that and women began to come in and share that
room with Edith. Many women were saved.  Everybody on that
floor from staff to patients were so excited about Edith, that they
started calling her Edith Easter; that is everyone except Phyllis
Cross, the head nurse.
 
Phyllis made it plain that she wanted nothing to do with Edith
because she was a "religious nut."  She had been a nurse in an
army hospital. She had seen it all and heard it all. She was the
original G.I. Jane. She had been married three times, she was hard,
cold, and did everything by the book.
 
One morning the two nurses who were to attend to Edith were sick.
Edith had the flu and Phyllis Cross had to go in and give her a shot.
When she walked in, Edith had a big smile on her face and said,
"Phyllis, God loves you and I love you, and I have been praying
for you."
 
Phyllis Cross said, "Well, you can quit praying for me, it won't
work.  I'm not interested." Edith said, "Well, I will pray and I have
asked God not to let me go home until you come into the family." 
Phyllis Cross said, "Then you will never die because that will
never happen," and curtly walked out of the room.
 
Every day Phyllis Cross would walk into the room and Edith
would say, "God loves you Phyllis and I love you, and I'm praying
for you."
 
One day Phyllis Cross said she was literally drawn to Edith's room
like a magnet would draw iron. She sat down on the bed and Edith
said, "I'm so glad you have come, because God told me that today
is your special day."  Phyllis Cross said, "Edith, you have asked
everybody here the question, 'Do you believe in Easter?' but you
have never asked me."
 
Edith said, "Phyllis, I wanted to many times, but God told me to
wait until you asked, and now you have asked."  Edith Burns took
her Bible and shared with Phyllis Cross the Easter Story of the
death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
 
Edith said, "Phyllis, do you believe in Easter?  Do you believe that
Jesus Christ is alive and that He wants to live in your heart?"
 
Phyllis Cross said, "Oh I want to believe that with all of my heart,
and I do want Jesus in my life."  Right there, Phyllis Cross prayed
and invited Jesus Christ into her heart.
 
For the first time Phyllis Cross did not walk out of a hospital room,
she was carried out on the wings of angels.
 
Two days later, Phyllis Cross came in and Edith said, "Do you
know what day it is?"  Phyllis Cross said," Why Edith, it is Good
Friday."  Edith said, "Oh, no, for you every day is Easter. Happy
Easter Phyllis!"  Two days later, on Easter Sunday, Phyllis Cross
came into work, did some of her duties and then went down to the
flower shop and got some Easter lilies because she wanted to go up
to see Edith and give her some Easter lilies and wish her a Happy
Easter.
 
When she walked into Edith's room, Edith was in bed. That big
black Bible was on her lap.  Her hands were in that Bible.  There
was a sweet smile on her face. When Phyllis Cross went to pick up
Edith's hand, she realized Edith was dead.  Her left hand was on
John 14:2 "In my Father's house there are many mansions. I go to
prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to
Myself, that where I am, there you may be also."
 
Her right hand was on Revelation 21:4, "And God will wipe away
every tear from their eyes, there shall be no more death nor sorrow,
nor crying; and there shall be no more pain, for the former things
have passed away."
 
Phyllis Cross took one look at that body, and then lifted her face
toward heaven, and with tears streaming down her cheeks, said,
"Happy Easter, Edith - Happy Easter!" Phyllis Cross left Edith's
body, walked out of the room and over to a table where two
student nurses were sitting.  She said,
 
"My name is Phyllis Cross.  Do you believe in Easter?"
 
Author Unknown

Tuesday, April 7, 2015

Motion Night in Auburn

We are so excited to have Kari Jobe with us tomorrow for #MOTIONNight! Students, join us at Auburn, Grants Mill (Birmingham-Main Campus) or Riverchase (Pelham) for an amazing night of worship and an inspiring message from Pastor Mark Pettus! Parents, you are welcome to attend with your student, but we appreciate you understanding that priority seating will be given to students. The Theater at Grants Mill will be open for overflow!