Kathleen Maxwell-Rambie
Copyright
Summer of 2005 I found myself in downtown Houston, Texas at one of the speciality hospitals located at the medical centers. My sweet mother was battling a rare disease and the doctor we were seeing in Kerrville recommended we go somewhere that had more experience with this illness.
Mother also had some dementia and Parkinson's as a result of the assault of the disease on her brain. Sometimes she was not able to process things easily and she was declining quickly. One afternoon while sitting with her in her room, we began to hear a woman next door begin to moan loudly. I quickly rose from my chair and shut the door so mother could rest.
The distress of the patient next door continued and by 7:00 p.m. mother said, “Will you go turn that off?” I chuckled and by now, I was weary of the noise and felt compassion for the patient and the family. I had been praying for the person in distress and the only other thing I could think of doing to help was offer to pray for the patient in person. As I walked into the hall I met a nurse coming out of the patient’s room.
“Excuse me,” I said as I greeted the nurse. “Is there family in room 210?” I asked.
“No, only the patient,” she replied. “No one in the family has been up here for days,” she stated. My heart sank that no one had been there to support and love this person in their time of need.
“Would it be alright if I went into the room and prayed for them?” I asked. The nurse knew I was a believer and she was also a Christian. “Sure, if you want to.” she said.
As I walked in, I saw a woman with her eyes closed, tossing her head and body back and forth on the bed and moaning really loud. She looked like she was being tormented and seeing something that was causing her great distress.
“I am here to pray for you if you would like for me to.” I said. “Would that be alright?”
The woman nodded her head up and down and I slowly stepped a little closer to her bed and touched her hand. I began to pray out loud and ask God to pour His peace over her body and be her deliverer. The woman began to calm down a little but I could tell she was not doing well and wondered if she had long to live. As I stood there and prayed I felt God say, “She does not know me.” “Oh no,” I thought.
I very simply told her that God loved her, Jesus died for her and he wanted to be her Savior. “If you want Him to be your Savior, let me know.” I said not really knowing if she could really understand. Much to my dismay, she squeezed my hand.
“Jesus, this woman wants you to be her Lord and Savior. Come into her heart and bring her peace.” I continued. The woman took a deep breathe and quit moaning and tossing! A peaceful look appeared on her face and she began to rest peacefully.
I exited the room and went back to check on my Mom. She was already asleep so I gently kissed her forehead and went back to the hotel for the evening exhausted but feeling confident in God and the difference His presence had made in room 210.
The next day I noticed a new patient being rolled into the room 210. I could not wait until the evening shift began and hoped the nurse I knew would be on duty. I knew she could not tell me much but I wanted to see what I could find out. Where was the woman I prayed with? Finally the nurse she appeared.
“ I know you can not tell me much but I noticed the woman I prayed for last night is gone today,” I said. “
“Thank you for praying for her last night,” the nurse in green scrubs replied. ‘Your prayers worked and the halls were quite last night,” she continued.
“Where is she?” I asked. The nurse smiled and said, “She is no longer here, and your prayer was just in time” she said as her eyes shifted upward.
As I pondered what I heard, I realized the veil between life and death was thin. I have to wonder if the woman was moaning because she saw the reality of hell and then became peaceful as she accepted Christ.
None of us know when we will take our last breathe and life on earth will be over. Heaven and hell are real. Do you know where you will spend eternity? Jesus said in John 11: 25, “I am the resurrection and the life, He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?” (NIV)
Becoming a Christian does not mean you will not face life’s problems. It means that you have a wonderful counselor and mighty God to walk with you through life’s challenges. If you are a Christian, there are people all around that long to see the hope of Jesus in your life and mine. I challenge you to open your eyes and look and listen for them.
I use to be hesitant to share my faith but God has helped me in so many ways, loves me more that I can imagine, gives me wisdom beyond my years and been my comforter when my heart hurts. Life with God is too good to keep for myself. I have to give it away.
Kathleen Maxwell-Rambie is a native to the Texas Hill Country, a writer and speaker. She is passionate about helping people discover their value and worth and God’s love, You can reach her at kathleenmaxwell1@gmail.com or visit her blog at www.themaxwellminutes.blogspot.com
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