Suffering

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AWA Weekly 250329 PDF

And his disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus answered, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him. — John 9:2-3

Taste and See (Psalm 34:8)

Click for 6 min object lesson

Why do the righteous suffer? The question has set many on paths that let their insufficient knowledge of God’s goodness and man’s sinfulness destroy their faith. A quick DuckDuckGo artificial intelligence (AI) question yields a list of Western thinkers from the last two hundred years affected by this thought whose thinking tore down more than four hundred years of concentrated Christian development beginning with the Protestant Reformation. The AI listed thinkers like David Hume, Charles Darwin, Friedrich Nietzsche, Albert Camus, Leo Tolstoy, Elie Wiesel, and others for whom the suffering ‘problem’ became insurmountable intellectually. While many of these men’s errors have been or are being exposed today, the Satanic deception remains that men know better than what God revealed. To be sure, Satan surfaced the issue among converts in Cote d’Ivoire early in our ministry there. Verlin put together an object lesson to explain at least some of what AI recognizes as reasons believers suffer: The righteous suffer for several reasons, including to test their faith, to help them grow spiritually, and to bring glory to God ultimately. Suffering can also motivate individuals to seek more profound understanding and empathy for others in pain.

Debbie and Verlin spent most of this week at Cookeville’s hospital as Eddie worked through a gastrointestinal problem that showed itself Monday and made him weak enough to need others’ help. The past suffering of others allows today’s medical professionals to better treat his problems. So, we accompanied or stayed near Eddie most of the week as several challenges were successfully addressed by what today’s professionals have gained from the experience of past generations. We live the benefits of thinking through the Apostle Peter’s and Paul’s words. (1 Pt. 2:24-25; 2 Cor. 1:4-6)

Come and See (Psalm 34:8)

As Eddie worked by faith through this physical challenge, his and our words encouraged staff and other patients. In the ER, Verlin prayed with a Methodist pastor's wife whose elderly husband’s blood sugar had gone too high. He explained how blood sugar can go high even when people do not eat for a while and texted her an American Heart Association list of symptoms she could recognize later. Another day, he provided referenced explanations to a husband whose wife had experienced cardioversions four times in five years and never understood the process. They left convinced to follow the doctor’s advice. These and others profited from Eddie’s suffering and our walking alongside. Even some Ivorians gained encouragement when Verlin had to make ministry plans and arrange vehicle inspection plus renewal of vehicle registration and insurance using the modern convenience of a smartphone.

A reader of our updates encouraged us by writing how encouraged she is by our making arrangements for life here and in Africa at the same time. We recognize that what we’ve experienced makes this path by faith possible. May we be aware that our lives are better for what others endured before us and that our trials make us more useful to our Lord and helpful to others. It is destructive to wallow in the despair of the dirty messes caused by our sins and living in a fallen world. Instead, let our faith in God’s goodness encourage others to join us and participate in His renewal process for our good and that of all Creation.

Prayer & Praise

• 🙏 We hope and pray that Eddie will be transferred from the hospital to rehab on Monday. Pray that his strength returns and a bed is available for him quickly.
   
• 🙏 Pray we catch up on ministry reports and clear the house and land of fallen trees while Verlin stays stateside ‘til July.
  

Your partners in the Gospel,
Verlin & Debbie

Verlin and Debbie

 

Christian Health Service Corps (CHSC) is a mission of dedicated medical professionals who participate in the CHE Global Network. Together, in a loose affiliation of individuals, churches, denominational, and nondenominational agencies, we share God's Light and Truth through Community Health Evangelism (CHE). Verlin and Debbie accept donor partners to contribute as led to provide support as we maintain residential ministry to expand CHE ministries in Cote d'Ivoire under the auspices of CHSC & Ivorian partners. Tax-deductible contributions by check are to be made payable to the CHSC with Andersons #0118 written on the memo line. Mail to CHSC - PO Box 132 - Fruitvale, TX 75127. Give online via the CHSC @ www.che4a.org (3% fee) or TDF - specifying Verlin and Debbie Anderson in the optional Memo.

 

Prior: Chains
        - 250322 PDF
Prior Videos: Worth
        - Reflect & Rejoice
 

2023 Q2 Report: Pruning Priorities
  -  2nd Q 2023 Report 230722 PDF

2022 Budget COMPLETED:
CHSC-0118_ANDERSON-2022-Budget.pdf
 
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