Ridgell's Originals

It happened after service and it was a great sermon on faith, love, fellowship, and trusting God.

Teri Boone, Jana Hanner, and Marsha Ridgell.

If you go to Southern Hills, or know people there, you know the background to this story.

Teri's husband, James, just finished round four of his chemo treatment.  They didn't see the cancer coming and the treatment has been emotional and hard.  God is healing James -- if you have seen the "before and after" scans you know what I mean -- but it is tough.

Jana's son is Hunter Hanner.  People all over know of Hunter's bone marrow transplant in anticipation of being cured from CDG, a lifelong disease. It has been a long three months of treatment for Hunter.  Everyone knew it would be an emotional and spiritual roller coaster... and it has.

And Marsha has seen our daughter Julie go thru a horrible couple of years health-wise.  Just as she has finally turned the corner, her son Jake was diagnosed this summer with Kawasaki disease.  We think he is over it but he will have to have a year of heart check-ups before we know for sure.  And then I had a heart scare last week and was in the hospital for three days.  None as serious as her friends, but one issue after the other after the other.  

These three strong, faithful, beautiful women have had about all they can take.

And I saw them together Sunday after church.  It was just a few minutes before everyone surrounded them to hug, ask questions, and love on them.  But for a few minutes, there they were,just the three of them. Hugging each other, crying a little, and supporting each other.  Just loving on each other.

I couldn't hear much, but what I did hear was each one of them trying to ask the other two how things were. They each wanted to support the other two.  And not one of them was thinking about their situation.  I know that these women have constantly prayed for the families of each other.  Every day.

It is what Christians do for each other.  Thinking of others.  Carrying each other's burdens.  Love in action.

Best sermon I have seen in a long time.

It was a holy moment.

So God ... thanks for their faith.  Heal their families.