I AM SO BLESSED TO BE SERVING IN STEPHEN MINISTRY…continued
Subsequent treatment that lowered my immune system just before the time that COVID was hitting was the end of being able to go to hospitals, nursing homes, and people’s homes. It was a time when I was more than quarantined. How can I serve the Lord now? We were studying “The Purpose Driven Life” and it talked about the purpose of reaching out to others. I happened to remember an announcement about an upcoming ministry called Stephen Ministry that was announced from the platform just the week before. I wondered what this is. As I began checking into it, I realized it involved listening, praying, and being present with people and coming alongside them as they faced life’s challenges. I thought, “Lord, I can still do that.” Maybe I could still do what I felt that I had been called to do. Little did I know what a truly wonderful ministry it was. Little did I know what amazing and caring people there were in this church who would also sign up to be Stephen Ministers. In fact, the heart of Pastor John and the Stephen leaders and their compassion for people going through difficult times was more than refreshing, especially based on some of my past experiences and church hurt. And little did I know that as I was learning how to be equipped to minister to others that those within my Stephen Ministry training would also minister to me. Whether in practice sessions, or discussions around the table, or just kind follow-up, they were concerned about the things that I was going through with my health and situations in my life. It was a bad time to have cancer and have to wear a mask because, for me, it was not political in any way, but I had received several cruel comments from others in public and elsewhere. But here within the Stephen Ministry community, I found a group of people who were not judgmental, accepted me as I was, and even had compassion for what I was going through. They can’t help it because that’s who they are.
I am so blessed to be serving in Stephen Ministry and I would absolutely recommend it!
In fact, I’d strongly encourage it for anyone who is going through any difficult situation and needs someone to come alongside them or just to listen. I was reminded of this the other night just before I wrote these words. I still can’t get out in public in large crowds, and as I was baking, I thought what can I do this Christmas that would bless my neighbors? Well, I could take some of these cookies to them. And then it was almost as if I heard the Lord saying like He did to Moses, “What is that in your hand?” For me, it wasn’t a staff or some great thing - at the moment it was a spatula. And I was reminded of one of the theme scriptures of Stephen Ministry, where Jesus said to give a cup of cold water in His Name. It might be all we have at the time, but for someone who is thirsty, or going through a dry season in life, it’s exactly what is needed. ~Lora Sams, Stephen Minister