We LOVE the nursing home ministry!

" Do not rebuke an older man but encourage him as you would a father, younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, younger women as sisters, in all purity." 1st Timothy 5:1-2

For the last 11 years we've been so blessed to be part of a local nursing  home ministry. It was began by our dear friends Dick and Diane Burley. They are Open Air Campaign missionaries. They were serving in NH and MA. They have now moved on and are serving in New York City! The ministry still goes on!

We meet on the last Sunday afternoon of each month. These precious, precious people are in the "winter" of their lives. Oh how they LOVE our visits. Oh how they LOVE to sing. Oh how they LOVE our children and the others who come. For some, I think we are their only visitors in the given month. For some, we are their only joy, their only hope. We try and "fill" their tanks enough to last them until we come again. We love to show the love of Christ to these folks, to share with them God's free gift to them. Over the last 11 years, we've seen many faces in the crowd. Many, many, have died. We can only pray that we impacted their lives for the Lord, and that they made a decision for Him! 

These precious people have watched our children grow up over the last 11 years. Our eldest daughter (now married), used to teach the folks a Bible verse each month. That was so sweet. Our children have always used the gifts God has given them to honor Him, and share with the residents.

So, today, we traveled after church to the nursing home for our monthly visit. Now that we attend church in Maine some Sundays in a given month, it's a long drive for sure, but we wouldn't miss it! We attend our fellowship, get our own"wells filled", and take the hour + drive to the nursing home to share our joy and the truth of the gospel.

They were soooooo glad to see us! Of course they absolutely LOVE Rosie!!! They go crazy over her. Who can blame them, really! It happens pretty much everywhere we go!

Rosie has been standing alone and last Sunday she took her first step! Wow!

Today, Madelyn and Grace sang a wonderful song called:  Stand for Truth! Dan DeHart, our friend who leads the ministry now, had actually planned to speak on how Martin Luther stood for truth 500 years ago this week, and began the reformation! Dan and we hadn't talked at all before today, and so this was totally the Lord who planned that!

Then, Madelyn's singing class (her younger siblings) sang a wonderful song called:  Commit and Trust, with one of the lines being:  fret not. This, too, tied totally into Dan's message! How cool was that!

 Then Elisha and Madelyn did "Be Thou My Vision" as a duet. Elisha on the piano, and Madelyn on the violin. That was wonderful! Madelyn also played a solo on the piano.

 We also have a time of hymn singing. Dan plays the guitar, and a wonderful woman pictured above plays the piano, and Madelyn plays her violin. Nicole enjoyed holding the music a few times, too!

 We go to the nursing home to share the gospel and encourage the residents there, and we go willing to explain the hope that lies within us, and share it with them. We leave there, though, encouraged by them, and their kindness, and their love for us. It truly is a win/win ministry situation!

It's the last Sunday of every month from 2:30-3:30 at:  Epsom Health Care 901 Suncook Valley Highway South  Epsom, NH 03234 We'd LOVE to see you there, and you would LOVE it, too! Come and store up your treasures in heaven with us! We can't wait to get to heaven and see all of the folks who trusted in the Lord as a result of this little ministry!

" I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ." Philemon 1:6