I’'d like to share some thoughts with you on HEALING and consider some ways that we, as fellow members of the body of Christ, can aid the healing process. These things will give you confidence in serving people who are hurting and take away the fear of not knowing what to do.

Oftentimes love and concern help far more than any medicine or surgical procedure can. It brings to mind something that Jesus said to his disciples in the gospel of John 15: 12-13, "My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends;" and the truth spoken in Proverbs 18:24, "There is a friend who sticks closer than a brother."

* Remember that the "ministry of presence" is powerful. Just going to someone's bedside and being close to them helps tremendously. It will also give the caregiver a few moments to rest and to let someone else "watch" for awhile.

* Pray for and with them. Hearing your voice bringing their name before the Father will lift their spirit and make them feel safe.

* Talk about what is going on in your own life. It will distract the hurting person from their pain and give them something interesting to think about. A hurting

person needs to know that life is going forward in positive ways.

* Playing instrumental versions of hymns can be beneficial. Music is healing to our emotions and helps bring peace to hurting hearts.

* Reading local news from the newspaper or talking about community events is helpful. Reading scripture, or uplifting articles is also good.

* When the church meets and your loved one cannot attend, ask the church to bring communion to their bedside and to have a brief devotional service.

Worship is something that restores our souls and reminds us of God's care.

* Know when to leave. Be aware of signs of weariness and do not exhaust the patient. Give them plenty of quiet time to rest when they need it.

Proverbs 16:24 states, "Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones." Friends and church members have the ability to restore a sense of normalcy to a hurting household and to free them from the isolation that often accompanies chronic illness.

These suggestions do not cost us anything but time. Giving an hour or less of our time to someone who is in pain blesses them, and a blessing is received in return. Jesus tells us that our efforts to serve others will not go un-rewarded. "And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones

because he is my disciple, I tell you the truth, he will certainly not lose his