This past week I joined with several others in a book discussion of The Hole In Our Gospel by Richard Stearns. This post was my first entrance into that discussion. The next day I wrote this post as a follow-up to one of the responses to that post. For the rest of the week and all weekend long I have pondered what I should do about this situation. Before going anywhere else please go here to get a closer look at what I am referring to. I lost my mother to cancer in 2004 and miss her a lot. I cannot imagine what it would be like to have my mother go through the cancer treatments and medical costs that Josh’s mother has experienced. Why am I mentioning this? Because one of my readers of this blog is Carol’s husband. His name is Ike and he has been a reader for quite awhile now. I really couldn’t tell you when he began reading and commenting but I can tell you I have been praying for he and his wife for quite awhile. I did not know it was this serious! Ike was a laborer for years (I believe a bridge builder) and not only has he had the weight of his wife on his shoulders, you can see by Josh’s blog that his father is now disabled.
So…here is what I am asking you, my readers, and those you know to do. Check out Josh’s blog about his mom here. Then consider being a part of the solution…no matter how big or small. I realize that for many of us money is tight. But if we just gave up one night of eating out or one or two days of our special coffee or five purchases of Diet Dr. Pepper Polar Pop we could make a small contribution to help Ike and Carol. It is not the amount but the heart that makes the difference.
Several disclaimers: I have never met Ike, except on the pages of my blog. I may not always agree with him or visa versa but that is not the issue here. He is my brother in Christ and I need to put my money where my mouth is. Second, Ike did not ask me to do this.
For Ike: There may be some not comfortable using PayPal (I am one of them). Would you please provide a physical address where a check might be sent? Thanks. (Check the comments for it if you are one of those who don’t want to use PayPal).
Thanks everyone for helping. If you Tweet or FB consider passing it along. I do neither of those social media outlets but I know many of you do. Happy Labor Day and thanks to all who have kept and keep America rolling!
What compassion and love. Thank you Bill for being an outstretched hand of Jesus for another fellow believer. Sorry I have been gone for so long, as you know its been a tough week but seeing your encouragement of others in this post is such a refreshment to me.
Julie: it is so good to see you back. Your newest post is awesome and a fantastic testimony to the faithfulness of God. I hope others will head over there to read it. I am hoping God will bless Ike & Carol. Thanks for coming by.
I haven’t read Josh’s blog, but even as I get little in the next upcoming weeks, I pray I am reminded to contribute. Thanks for sharing this, Cycleguy, and I pray for healing.
Jaycee: I am humbled by your response to help. What a testimony to your love for all.
Done!
I have to ask……what about Paypal is uncomfortable? Love em! 😀
Toby: thanks. Reckon it is the abuses of the system I have heard about that bother me. Or maybe it is the spam I receive that my PayPal account has been “raided.” Yeah right. I don’t even have one. I think I will give Ike a couple of days to give me the physical address before I bite the bullet and do the PayPal thing. Thanks for helping them.
I actually understand the “electronic fear”, but I also know my lazy self and if the paypal option wasn’t there, I would never seem to “get around to it”…Ya know?
The wife tells me I should be banned from Amazon and Paypal for the same reasons :-).
No comment Toby. I seem to remember wives are always right. 🙂
I am in Bill thanks…I messed up paypal a while back so I too prefer an address. Will check out the site and see if there is an address somewhere. Interesting blog as well… Thanks for sharing. May we put our money where our mouth is indeed. I can’t do much but I can do something…
Tom: Ike did send me his personal address but asked that I not publish it in a public format. Will send it to you personally. Any little bit is a help.
Greetings,
I would like to humbly thank you for posting this for my mom and dad. The most important part of all of this is not if my mom lives or dies or whether her medical needs are met or not. The most important thing is that our Lord Jesus Christ be glorified regardless of circumstances, good or bad. He is worthy of all praise.
Thank you again for your prayers and support.
Blessings,
Josh
You are welcome Josh. Wish there was more that could be done. I do pray that God is glorified in all of this.
Bill, I’m sorry but I first have to pray if this is what God wants me to do. I know it sounds stupid. A lot of people tell I should donate anyway to charities or churches or people like you talk about but I never experienced it that way. I donate every month 10% of my salary and the last year of my unemployment fee. God has provided me with anything I needed. And for me the money is His so I give what He wants me to give. And even if it was a small amount the people would come back tell me it was exactly what they needed at the time and it was huge blessing. So I always pray. I wil pray anyway for them but I have to pray if God wants me to donate and if He wants me to donate how much He wants me to donate. I hope you understand.
Ani: I would expect nothing less. I would hope anyone reading this would do just that…pray then give if led. I appreciate your sensitivity to God’s leading in your giving. I think that is exactly what He would want. I know you seek His approval and not mine. That is the way it should be. 😛
Hi Bill. I would appreciate it if you could send me the physical address as well and the name as to who the check should be made out to. I have been praying for Ike, Carol and Josh since reading the blogs.
Have a good day.
On its way Jan. Thanks.
Bill, thank you for shining a light and sharing the compassion of Jesus. I appreciate your heart to help and serve and I will definitely check this out. Blessings!
Thanks for the kind words jason. Thanks for checking it out.
bill, are you planning on posting the address on here — or are you sending to individuals by email. i’d like to help a bit.
Thanks for asking. Ike asked that I not publish publicly his address so anyone wanting to help I will send his address to him/her personally.
Bill,
I remember being in that situation with mom when her health first started declining and I was 16, thankfully she was not as sick as Josh’s mom. A donation was made from us using the paypal system.
That is awesome! Thanks Danaye! Hope you all are having a great vacation.