God’s Unexpected Encouragers

Last weekend was spent with my parents in the autumn mountains of the Smokies. Mom commented that it had been six years since she had her stroke. I hadn’t nor couldn’t forget that difficult time and have actually placed a blue stone in our story box that reads “Let not your hearts be troubled.” It serves as a reminder that just when we need it most God brings unexpected encourgers along to give us cold cups of refreshment in His Name.

One of the first of those was Christy. My first few days at the hospital were your typical hang out in the hospital waiting room stay. While mom was attended to in ICU, I visited, ate, changed and slept in that waiting room. It was a crazy existence of trying to get some sleep at night on two small couches pushed together, lights shining bright and cleaning crews interrupting. Christy came to my rescue. She was a teen in our very first youth group who eventually attended Moody Bible Institute where she met her husband Bruce. What an oasis they provided in their Knoxville home by graciously giving me a place to crash at night.

The hospital was newly constructed with a modern design that allowed each floor to look down on a large reception area. The tile and glass made the acoustics amazing – no amplification needed. Every evening James, an African American, would clock in to do his janitorial work. With mops and brooms in hand he would sing as he worked. Deep, beautiful renditions of Amazing Grace and other hymns would fill the hospital. It filled my heart, too, and soothed it. James became an unexpected encourger.

Hamlet made the long trip to Tennessee on a Sunday and drove late into the night to return back to West Virginia. He mostly came to bring Diana down so that we could be together a few hours. We visited, went out to eat and returned to the hospital. At that time mom had come through surgery but had gone a few days without recovering consciousness. After we had gathered around her bed for prayer, Hamlet leaned down near Mom and said, “Mrs. Harer, we are about to go now. It would be really nice if you opened your eyes before we leave.” In that instant as if on cue her eyes sprang open. It was a truly amazing moment and began a long recovery that one doctor called a “miracle.”

There were many others God sent along to us, but the last I’ll mention here is Hannah. When I first learned of mom’s stroke I threw some things together and headed off. One of the things that went in the suitcase was Hinds’ Feet on High Places. More often than not at a Panera Bread, Hannah Hurnard would encourage me with the story of Much-Afraid and her journey out of the Valley of Humiliation. Of her companions, Sorrow and Suffering, who were transformed into Glory and Grace. And of the stones of remembrance she had collected from the altars built during difficult times along the way. In the end those common ugly stones, “fell into her hands a heap of glorious, sparkling jewels, very precious and very beautiful.” Just like all the special people God sent into my life and will in all of our lives just when we need them most.