January 28, 2025 • 27 mins
In the debut episode of 'Next Door Gospel,' host Peggy Griffith introduces the podcast focused on sharing stories of divine presence in unexpected places. Peggy, a 49-year-old lay minister and project manager, shares her personal journey of faith and discernment, leading up to the creation of the podcast. She recounts her husband's critical illness and the divine interventions that occurred, from choosing the right hospital to the spiritual support from her community. Peggy emphasizes the significance of everyday moments and the idea that God is always present, encouraging listeners to recognize and share their own gospel stories. The episode ends with an invitation to share personal experiences and a preview of the next episode about a family's evacuation journey from Ukraine.
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Episode Transcript
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Peggy Griffith (00:18):
Hello, and welcome to the very first
episode of Next Door Gospel.
I'm your host, Peggy Griffith.
I would like to start by sayinghow delighted I am that you are
here.
Next Door Gospel is a podcastwhere we will hear stories and
discuss the ways that God showsup in the world, oftentimes in
(00:39):
the Unexpected places.
I'll be honest, as I speak tomore and more people and listen
to their stories, my mind isjust blown and I can't wait to
share these stories with you.
In this first episode, I willtell you a little bit about what
called me here to enter intothis space with you and how this
(01:00):
idea of next door gospel hascome together.
So a little bit about the humanbehind the voice you're hearing.
I am a 49 year old.
work in progress.
I live a beautiful and chaotic,imperfect life with my husband,
John.
We have three fur children ofthe feline variety.
(01:23):
I work full time as a projectmanager at a healthcare IT
company.
So I am a bit of a control freakand nothing gives me more joy
than a well ordered spreadsheet.
I'm a connoisseur of great pizzaand wine.
I love to talk to people, tolearn new things, and just laugh
(01:43):
as much as humanly possible.
My journey of faith has taken alot of twists and turns
throughout my life.
And admittedly, that is due tomy own stubbornness and drive to
control things.
I convinced myself that I alonehave the power to make or break
key moments in my life.
My relationship with God hasbeen one of fascination and deep
(02:07):
curiosity, but also somethingtucked away in a box, placed
neatly on a shelf.
An unexplainable longing hasgrown deeper in me to build that
relationship and it's alwaysbeen there, but cast aside
purely out of fear of letting goof a career and life path that
(02:31):
I've been on that always feltsafe and familiar.
I'm not sure if I could everallow the two paths to exist in
harmony with one another.
So over the past five to sixyears, I found myself on a
journey of discernment.
I've taken small steps to openthe box, peek inside, little by
(02:53):
little, and now thisunexplainable longing can no
longer be ignored.
Each time I open that box, Ibecome just a little bit more
tuned in to how God has workedwithin me.
My skills, experiences, andspiritual gifts that make me the
weirdo, over enthusiastic,overthinking, outspoken, driven
(03:17):
person that I am.
But I'm also finding that thereis a sacred intersection with
who I am.
And what I have to give to thisworld around me that is hurting.
I went on to complete a threeyear education program to become
equipped as a lay minister.
(03:39):
All that to mean that Icurrently serve in a non
ordained capacity.
I am a member of a wonderfulcommunity of faith at the First
Congregational Church ofWauwatosa, Wisconsin.
I dare you to say that threetimes fast.
Wauwatosa.
But I get the opportunity thereto serve in various leadership
capacities, and I fill thepulpit for area ministers when
(04:02):
they need a respite.
I also currently serve asmoderator, leading a fellowship
of about 20 congregationalchurches throughout the state of
Wisconsin.
So I come to you today with amix of nervous apprehension and
excitement as all our pathscollide into this space called
Next Door Gospel.
(04:23):
What does that even mean?
And it's okay to ask, I've beenpondering it too.
For folks who might have grownup in a Judeo Christian
tradition, the question, whatdoes the word gospel mean, is
often answered quickly andautomatically without a lot of
thought.
So if you are, come on ahead andsay it with me.
(04:44):
It means good news.
Woo.
I love good news.
Wait.
Good news about what?
From my perspective, I like tothink about it this way.
Have you ever had a moment or anexperience where you're like,
whoa, I'm not sure what justhappened there, but the universe
(05:05):
just aligned and somethingreally awesome just happened.
You might even call it divineintervention.
If you are even a littlefamiliar with scripture, and it
is okay if you're not, but ifyou are, you probably know that
there are four books in theBible that start what is called
the New Testament.
Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.
(05:27):
These four books make up whatare called the Gospels.
And they tell a story about thebest known record of divine
intervention in the history ofthe world.
It is a thrilling, challenging,and even emotional adventure
that weaves interconnectedstories that announce God's
movement in the world throughthe arrival, the ministry, the
(05:50):
death and resurrection of apromised Savior, Jesus Christ.
Now, if you're listening to thispodcast today and you are a bit
curious about spirituality, notsure what it means to you and
the space around you, maybeyou're questioning your faith.
Maybe you've been hurt and givenup hope that God will ever show
(06:12):
up for you.
And if that is you, please keeplistening.
A good friend of mine, his nameis Gary from Scottsdale,
Arizona.
He said something to me over theholidays, and it hit me like a
ton of bricks.
He said, Peg, I'd like to thinkthat someday when we're on the
(06:32):
other side of this life,standing there with God, all of
the events of our lives, thetwists and turns and the people
we meet, it will all become veryclear where God was in the midst
of all of it.
Like, Hey, wait a minute.
God, that time in 1987, that wasyou?
(06:53):
Sometimes these moments onlymake sense when we look back,
and they're so hard to see intheir midst.
But it is through these stories,my story, your story, your
neighbor's story, that we getthe chance to experience the
gospel happening everywhere inour time.
(07:15):
So next door gospel is aninvitation to share in real
stories of real people who haveexperienced God showing up for
them in a very real way.
What some might callcoincidence, others see is
divine timing and providence.
So my prayer is that you willlisten to these stories and be
(07:37):
touched by God's presence withinthem.
You might even be surprised todiscover how God is already
moving in your life.
These sacred intersections havea purpose.
But if you take nothing elseaway from our time together
today, the good news is this.
(08:00):
God is for you.
Yes, you.
It doesn't matter who you are,where you live, what you've
done, who you love.
The good news is God is notconfined to church buildings or
otherwise religious spaces.
(08:22):
God is not just for people withabundant bank accounts,
descendants of certain races orethnicities, bloodlines, or
people of a certain gender orsexual orientation.
The Bible is chock full ofstories and circumstances where
God showed up and particularlyin unexpected places.
(08:44):
and to unexpected people.
And here's the thing, God didn'tstop showing up 2, 000 years
ago.
The gospel is happening rightnow.
It is happening in our livingrooms, our workplaces, grocery
stores, hospitals, prisons,street corners.
(09:05):
everywhere.
And if God can show up for yourneighbor, God will show up for
you.
And just as the gospel storiesof the Bible have been told for
generations and generations, youmight be inspired to share your
own gospel story.
And that inspires someone elseto share their gospel story.
(09:27):
You see where I'm going withthis?
I would love to collaborate withyou in sharing your own gospel
story.
And if you or someone you knowwould like to share your story,
send me an email atnextdoorgospel at gmail.
com.
And I'll repeat this at the endof the episode.
But I'm going to kick off thisepisode by sharing a very recent
(09:50):
story of how God showed up in anunexpected way, not just in my
life, but the ripple effect thatis still moving today in the
space.
around me.
And as is usually the case withexperiences like this, it is the
hindsight that reveals not justthe divine providence of God at
work, but also the incrediblegift of a community that cared
(10:14):
and prayed with my familythrough a nightmare.
Last year in May, my husband,John, became ill and I needed to
take him to the emergency room.
So logically, I had planned totake him to the hospital that
was closest to our home.
But for some reason, Johnexpressed that he would rather
(10:35):
drive a little bit out of ourway to a larger hospital, one
that's also a certified traumaone facility in the Milwaukee
area.
Now, I didn't know it at thetime, but this intuitive
decision to take a differentpath To a different hospital was
the first pivotal intersectionwith Providence.
(10:56):
You see, later that day, wewould learn that on that exact
morning, the other hospital hadbeen hit with a crippling cyber
attack that took down all theircomputer systems, networks and
communications.
I.
Cannot even begin to fathom howthe story would have ended up
had we not changed course thatday.
(11:17):
After a few hours in the ER, wehad a diagnosis and by all
appearances, this was going tobe a rather inconvenient
episode, requiring a few days inthe hospital, and then we would
return to normal rather quickly.
But over the next day and ahalf, his condition worsened and
he had become critical.
(11:39):
He was in severe respiratorydistress.
His organs were shutting downand he was septic.
He was rushed into the ICU and Igot to see him for only a moment
before a team of doctors andnurses kicked us out and said,
your husband is critical.
The words if he survives.
(12:00):
entered our realm ofpossibility.
And I just remember feeling likeI was floating and certainly out
of control.
A few hours later, I got to seehim and he had been sedated,
chemically paralyzed andintubated on a respirator.
Our pastor, Reverend Julie, whowill definitely be a contributor
(12:23):
on this show, and you will loveher.
I can't wait for you to meether.
But she showed up shortly afterthis and prayed with me as tears
just gushed from my face ontoJohn's hands.
And this would become a regularhabit over the course of John's
prolonged stay in the ICU thatlasted over four weeks.
(12:45):
The next day was Sunday andReverend Julie shared the news
of John's condition with ourchurch family.
And I'll tell you, it is hard todescribe.
I've heard other people describeit in similar circumstances, but
we all felt a collective hug andit surrounded John, our family,
and all who were managing hiscare.
(13:08):
And it's humbling to know thatyou have a community gathered in
prayer for you.
I mentioned that the hospital wewere at is a certified level one
trauma facility, and they getthe worst of the worst cases car
accidents, shooting trauma.
I was confronted very quicklywith a medical team that was
(13:31):
very calm.
And in fact I think it wasalmost too calm for my liking.
I had expected a scene out ofGrey's Anatomy where doctors all
descend on the patient andmiracles happen and he's cured.
But instead, what I got was achief surgeon that told me very
matter of factly.
(13:52):
And in a calm voice, he said, aprolonged course in the ICU is
never linear.
You don't just improve day byday.
You will have days where theforward momentum is optimistic.
And there will be days that feellike a step backwards.
And we hope that the overalltrend is forward.
(14:12):
A nurse practitioner followedthat and said all we can do
right now is support his bodyand keep his organs functioning
as best as we can and see howthings progress.
John went on to contractventilator acquired pneumonia
that was resistant to almost allantibiotics available.
(14:32):
And folks, if you are unaware ofthe antibiotic crisis in this
world, let me tell you, it isnot fun when infectious disease
doctors are making a decision asto whether his case was worth
giving him the last ditcheffort, big guns, antibiotics to
give him a chance at survival.
The concern being that thesesuperbugs are smart, and if they
(14:53):
are exposed to and buildresistance to these antibiotics,
there will be nothing left.
to fight them off for the nextperson.
So facing these truths of whathis medical team was telling me,
it was excruciatingly difficultto accept.
These doctors, although so veryawesome, experienced, talented,
(15:17):
and I firmly believe guided byGod's mighty hand, they were not
magicians.
And if I was looking to placeall my faith and trust in John's
healing journey solely on theirphysical capabilities and
actions, Then I was missing thevery connection that Jesus made
throughout his ministry, andthat is the flesh is useless
(15:39):
without the Spirit.
Now, I wish I could tell youthat I had that epiphany, but to
be honest, in the moment when Iwas in the middle of the desert,
watching breathing monitors, IVbags being used and replaced,
hearing beeps and alarms, andpraying for answers that simply
would not come, I truly didn'tthink too much about the Spirit.
(16:02):
But something spiritual didhappen.
And I want to share that withyou today, a week or so into our
nightmare.
I got a text message from a dearfriend and church member.
Her name is Marcella.
She wrote something to me, like,we have been thinking about you
and John, and we're praying foryou and we want to do something
to help.
And I'm wondering if I cansourdough bread for you, never
(16:27):
being one to turn down abonafide carbohydrate in my
life.
Of course I obliged and she saidshe would make it with extra
love.
She delivered it to me at thehospital right after worship
that Sunday.
And she had carved a beautifulheart into the dough so that the
finished product was just thisbeautiful work of art.
(16:49):
I took it, I sliced it down themiddle, and I shared it with my
brother and sister in lawbecause they never left our side
during this journey, and I keptthe other half for myself.
Now, up to this point, my newnormal routine had become waking
up early and driving to thehospital to get there slightly
before 8 a.
m.
visiting hours so that I couldbe there for the morning rounds
(17:11):
with doctors and hear what theyhad to say and what the plans
were for the day.
So breakfast was either skippedor I picked up something in the
cafeteria to go with my coffee.
But through this gift of bread,that routine started to change.
Because every morning, I wouldcut off a thin slice of
(17:31):
Marcella's bread.
I'd wrap it in a paper towel andtake it with me in the car.
And as I drove, I would takesmall bites and I just savored
the love that Marcella pouredinto it.
And I would listen to myfavorite K Love songs.
And the words that came to mymind were literally spread is so
(17:53):
good.
It is so life giving.
This is the bread of life andthe sense of calm that would
enter.
That confined space as if Jesuswere sitting right there in the
passenger seat saying, talk tome.
Honestly, I may not have beenparticularly articulate or even
(18:16):
respectful, but did make aconnection.
And I would say, God, I'm notsure how you are going to use
this experience for my good orJohn's good, because right now,
all I see is yuck.
Help me see the good in this.
And it always seemed as if byclockwork, the perfect song at
(18:37):
the exact moment would play,encouraging me to keep praying,
singing, and even rejoicingthrough this fire.
That 25 to 30 minutes each daywere becoming a refuge and set
the tone for each day to one ofhope.
Instead of dread.
(18:58):
I'm not sure I would have beenable to make that connection had
it not been for that act ofkindness.
It set into motion a course ofevents that have been described
by John's care team asremarkable and even miraculous.
We were finally able totransition john from the
(19:19):
breathing tube to a trach.
And in spite of a couple moresetbacks he began to awaken,
find his voice and breathe onhis own.
His team had prepared us.
That this road to recovery wouldbe several months based on all
that his body had endured.
He was released earlier thanexpected from the long term
(19:39):
acute recovery hospital and onlyrequired 10 days in a rehab
hospital to become selfsufficient.
His entire medical team has beenin awe of his recovery and that
is no accident.
Our gratitude for our extendedcommunity is beyond measure.
(20:00):
They stepped up to remind us ofGod's enduring and life
sustaining love.
They prayed.
They sent cards.
They shared their own stories ofhope and light.
When I wandered toward darkness,they fed us.
literally and spiritually.
(20:21):
And because of that, it maderoom to hope and hope enabled me
to see what God was doing forall our good.
God showed me nurse Nikki withwhom our family formed a bond.
She was honest, compassionate,and she enthusiastically
volunteered to work John's caseevery day she was on duty.
(20:43):
She stopped whatever she wasdoing and prayed with us
whenever Reverend Julie or thehospital chaplain named Rabbi
Mellick, who was also Just awonderful soul whenever they
stop by for a visit.
Also, part of our morningroutine after checking in at the
hospital, we would get ourbadges and then we went to a
place called the Family Center.
(21:04):
And there a receptionist wouldcall up to the ICU to make sure
it was okay for family membersto go up.
And God showed me a welcomingface.
And she would see me each day.
She'd smile and wave.
She'd pick up the phone withouteven asking who I was coming to
see.
I have the wife here for roomseven.
She would be on the phonecalling up before I would even
(21:26):
approach her desk.
She would always be so kind andask me how he was doing while
she waited on hold.
And I don't think it's acoincidence that her name was
Angie because I swear I sawangel wings on her.
God showed me a community ofpatience.
Each recovering from their owncritical illnesses, smiling and
(21:49):
offering a thumbs up to oneanother when they would see each
other shuffling slowly down thehall with their walkers and
stability belts, commending oneanother for making it farther or
a few extra steps that day.
God showed me an organizationcalled Pets Helping People, as
they brought some of theirtherapy dogs to John's Rehab
(22:11):
Hospital.
And when I learned that theyactually operated their training
program at a skilled nursing andrehabilitation home that was
founded as a ministry by our ownchurch.
Find me again of the connectionsthat we make that ripple into
the places we would nototherwise have expected.
(22:32):
Now I could go on and on and onbecause the evidence of God's
glory showed up in so many wayson this journey, and the story
could end right there and be.
An amazing gospel story, butthere's more.
So back in the summer, afterJohn had returned home to
continuous recovery on anoutpatient basis, I had been
(22:52):
scheduled to preach one Sundaywhen I checked the lectionary
for the gospel reading for thatday.
Once again, I was just struck byProvidence.
The reading was from Johnchapter six, when Jesus had been
teaching in his synagogue inCapernaum, and he had just
declared, I am the bread oflife.
Whoever comes to me will nevergo hungry.
And whoever believes in me willnever be thirsty.
(23:15):
Now, many of his disciples hadbegun to grumble about this
because that teaching wasdifficult and it went against
everything they had ever beentaught.
And Jesus knew this.
He called them out on it.
And he said, does this offendyou?
So what if you were to see theSon of Man ascending to where he
was before?
And I pause because this is afascinating foreshadowing of the
(23:37):
things to come.
But Jesus is like, what's itgoing to take to get y'all to
believe who I am?
And then here it is.
Jesus said, it is the Spiritthat gives life.
The flesh is useless.
The words I have spoken to youare spirit and life.
(23:58):
And upon reading those words, Iknew I just had to give the very
same testimony that I justshared with you on that Sunday.
So beforehand, I called Marcellaand I asked her permission to
share the story of herincredible gift of bread during
those difficult days.
It is never good to callsomebody out in a sermon when
they aren't expecting it.
(24:20):
Not only did she agree to it,but she baked a loaf.
to share with the congregationduring the coffee hour that
would take place after worship.
And friends, I was the lastperson to show up in the
Friendship Lounge that day, andthe loaf was all but consumed.
Only crumbs remained.
I met a jubilant crowd, allexclaiming, that bread was so
(24:44):
good! You really could taste thelove.
All those folks were smiling andsatisfied, having just shared a
small sliver of this one loaf ofsourdough bread.
And I can't even begin to tellyou the goosebumps of that
moment.
Weeks later, I would learn thatstory didn't even end there, if
(25:07):
you can believe that.
Another friend and church memberlater told me that on that day,
she and her husband had watchedthe live stream to worship from
home because he had been immunecompromised due to cancer
treatments.
And so they were homeboundduring his medical journey.
So they related very closely.
to the story of John's medicaljourney and his story.
(25:32):
An hour or so later, herdoorbell unexpectedly rang.
It was a neighbor whom she hadknown not very well.
Her neighbor said, I just bakedan extra loaf of sourdough bread
and I was wondering if you wouldlike a loaf.
Did the little hairs on yourarms just stand on end?
(25:52):
Mine did.
And my friend called it a GodWhisper.
And whatever you call it, it'swhat I call Next Door Gospel.
It's God showing up in times andplaces where we least expect it.
And it is all of us keeping oureyes and our ears and our hearts
open enough to recognize it, andshare the story with someone
(26:14):
else who needs to hear it.
Your story is part of thegreatest story ever told.
And if you would like tocollaborate and share your
experience of how God showed upin your life, I would love to
hear from you.
I would also love feedback onthis podcast.
Send me an email atnextdoorgospel at gmail.
(26:36):
com.
I'm hoping to release episodeson a weekly basis, but please
bear with me as I get thingsstarted.
Please subscribe to this podcastwherever you listen to podcasts
and share it with a friend.
Tune in to my next episode,which will be part one of a two
part story about one family'slife of mission work that led
(26:58):
them to Ukraine and their daringjourney of evacuation after
Russia invaded the country.
In 2022 until then, may the Lordbless you and keep you.
May the Lord make his face toshine upon you and be gracious
to you.
The Lord turn his face towardsyou and give you peace.
(27:19):
Amen.
Hello, and welcome to the very first
episode of Next Door Gospel.
I'm your host, Peggy Griffith.
I would like to start by sayinghow delighted I am that you are
here.
Next Door Gospel is a podcastwhere we will hear stories and
discuss the ways that God showsup in the world, oftentimes in
(00:39):
the Unexpected places.
I'll be honest, as I speak tomore and more people and listen
to their stories, my mind isjust blown and I can't wait to
share these stories with you.
In this first episode, I willtell you a little bit about what
called me here to enter intothis space with you and how this
(01:00):
idea of next door gospel hascome together.
So a little bit about the humanbehind the voice you're hearing.
I am a 49 year old.
work in progress.
I live a beautiful and chaotic,imperfect life with my husband,
John.
We have three fur children ofthe feline variety.
(01:23):
I work full time as a projectmanager at a healthcare IT
company.
So I am a bit of a control freakand nothing gives me more joy
than a well ordered spreadsheet.
I'm a connoisseur of great pizzaand wine.
I love to talk to people, tolearn new things, and just laugh
(01:43):
as much as humanly possible.
My journey of faith has taken alot of twists and turns
throughout my life.
And admittedly, that is due tomy own stubbornness and drive to
control things.
I convinced myself that I alonehave the power to make or break
key moments in my life.
My relationship with God hasbeen one of fascination and deep
(02:07):
curiosity, but also somethingtucked away in a box, placed
neatly on a shelf.
An unexplainable longing hasgrown deeper in me to build that
relationship and it's alwaysbeen there, but cast aside
purely out of fear of letting goof a career and life path that
(02:31):
I've been on that always feltsafe and familiar.
I'm not sure if I could everallow the two paths to exist in
harmony with one another.
So over the past five to sixyears, I found myself on a
journey of discernment.
I've taken small steps to openthe box, peek inside, little by
(02:53):
little, and now thisunexplainable longing can no
longer be ignored.
Each time I open that box, Ibecome just a little bit more
tuned in to how God has workedwithin me.
My skills, experiences, andspiritual gifts that make me the
weirdo, over enthusiastic,overthinking, outspoken, driven
(03:17):
person that I am.
But I'm also finding that thereis a sacred intersection with
who I am.
And what I have to give to thisworld around me that is hurting.
I went on to complete a threeyear education program to become
equipped as a lay minister.
(03:39):
All that to mean that Icurrently serve in a non
ordained capacity.
I am a member of a wonderfulcommunity of faith at the First
Congregational Church ofWauwatosa, Wisconsin.
I dare you to say that threetimes fast.
Wauwatosa.
But I get the opportunity thereto serve in various leadership
capacities, and I fill thepulpit for area ministers when
(04:02):
they need a respite.
I also currently serve asmoderator, leading a fellowship
of about 20 congregationalchurches throughout the state of
Wisconsin.
So I come to you today with amix of nervous apprehension and
excitement as all our pathscollide into this space called
Next Door Gospel.
(04:23):
What does that even mean?
And it's okay to ask, I've beenpondering it too.
For folks who might have grownup in a Judeo Christian
tradition, the question, whatdoes the word gospel mean, is
often answered quickly andautomatically without a lot of
thought.
So if you are, come on ahead andsay it with me.
(04:44):
It means good news.
Woo.
I love good news.
Wait.
Good news about what?
From my perspective, I like tothink about it this way.
Have you ever had a moment or anexperience where you're like,
whoa, I'm not sure what justhappened there, but the universe
(05:05):
just aligned and somethingreally awesome just happened.
You might even call it divineintervention.
If you are even a littlefamiliar with scripture, and it
is okay if you're not, but ifyou are, you probably know that
there are four books in theBible that start what is called
the New Testament.
Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.
(05:27):
These four books make up whatare called the Gospels.
And they tell a story about thebest known record of divine
intervention in the history ofthe world.
It is a thrilling, challenging,and even emotional adventure
that weaves interconnectedstories that announce God's
movement in the world throughthe arrival, the ministry, the
(05:50):
death and resurrection of apromised Savior, Jesus Christ.
Now, if you're listening to thispodcast today and you are a bit
curious about spirituality, notsure what it means to you and
the space around you, maybeyou're questioning your faith.
Maybe you've been hurt and givenup hope that God will ever show
(06:12):
up for you.
And if that is you, please keeplistening.
A good friend of mine, his nameis Gary from Scottsdale,
Arizona.
He said something to me over theholidays, and it hit me like a
ton of bricks.
He said, Peg, I'd like to thinkthat someday when we're on the
(06:32):
other side of this life,standing there with God, all of
the events of our lives, thetwists and turns and the people
we meet, it will all become veryclear where God was in the midst
of all of it.
Like, Hey, wait a minute.
God, that time in 1987, that wasyou?
(06:53):
Sometimes these moments onlymake sense when we look back,
and they're so hard to see intheir midst.
But it is through these stories,my story, your story, your
neighbor's story, that we getthe chance to experience the
gospel happening everywhere inour time.
(07:15):
So next door gospel is aninvitation to share in real
stories of real people who haveexperienced God showing up for
them in a very real way.
What some might callcoincidence, others see is
divine timing and providence.
So my prayer is that you willlisten to these stories and be
(07:37):
touched by God's presence withinthem.
You might even be surprised todiscover how God is already
moving in your life.
These sacred intersections havea purpose.
But if you take nothing elseaway from our time together
today, the good news is this.
(08:00):
God is for you.
Yes, you.
It doesn't matter who you are,where you live, what you've
done, who you love.
The good news is God is notconfined to church buildings or
otherwise religious spaces.
(08:22):
God is not just for people withabundant bank accounts,
descendants of certain races orethnicities, bloodlines, or
people of a certain gender orsexual orientation.
The Bible is chock full ofstories and circumstances where
God showed up and particularlyin unexpected places.
(08:44):
and to unexpected people.
And here's the thing, God didn'tstop showing up 2, 000 years
ago.
The gospel is happening rightnow.
It is happening in our livingrooms, our workplaces, grocery
stores, hospitals, prisons,street corners.
(09:05):
everywhere.
And if God can show up for yourneighbor, God will show up for
you.
And just as the gospel storiesof the Bible have been told for
generations and generations, youmight be inspired to share your
own gospel story.
And that inspires someone elseto share their gospel story.
(09:27):
You see where I'm going withthis?
I would love to collaborate withyou in sharing your own gospel
story.
And if you or someone you knowwould like to share your story,
send me an email atnextdoorgospel at gmail.
com.
And I'll repeat this at the endof the episode.
But I'm going to kick off thisepisode by sharing a very recent
(09:50):
story of how God showed up in anunexpected way, not just in my
life, but the ripple effect thatis still moving today in the
space.
around me.
And as is usually the case withexperiences like this, it is the
hindsight that reveals not justthe divine providence of God at
work, but also the incrediblegift of a community that cared
(10:14):
and prayed with my familythrough a nightmare.
Last year in May, my husband,John, became ill and I needed to
take him to the emergency room.
So logically, I had planned totake him to the hospital that
was closest to our home.
But for some reason, Johnexpressed that he would rather
(10:35):
drive a little bit out of ourway to a larger hospital, one
that's also a certified traumaone facility in the Milwaukee
area.
Now, I didn't know it at thetime, but this intuitive
decision to take a differentpath To a different hospital was
the first pivotal intersectionwith Providence.
(10:56):
You see, later that day, wewould learn that on that exact
morning, the other hospital hadbeen hit with a crippling cyber
attack that took down all theircomputer systems, networks and
communications.
I.
Cannot even begin to fathom howthe story would have ended up
had we not changed course thatday.
(11:17):
After a few hours in the ER, wehad a diagnosis and by all
appearances, this was going tobe a rather inconvenient
episode, requiring a few days inthe hospital, and then we would
return to normal rather quickly.
But over the next day and ahalf, his condition worsened and
he had become critical.
(11:39):
He was in severe respiratorydistress.
His organs were shutting downand he was septic.
He was rushed into the ICU and Igot to see him for only a moment
before a team of doctors andnurses kicked us out and said,
your husband is critical.
The words if he survives.
(12:00):
entered our realm ofpossibility.
And I just remember feeling likeI was floating and certainly out
of control.
A few hours later, I got to seehim and he had been sedated,
chemically paralyzed andintubated on a respirator.
Our pastor, Reverend Julie, whowill definitely be a contributor
(12:23):
on this show, and you will loveher.
I can't wait for you to meether.
But she showed up shortly afterthis and prayed with me as tears
just gushed from my face ontoJohn's hands.
And this would become a regularhabit over the course of John's
prolonged stay in the ICU thatlasted over four weeks.
(12:45):
The next day was Sunday andReverend Julie shared the news
of John's condition with ourchurch family.
And I'll tell you, it is hard todescribe.
I've heard other people describeit in similar circumstances, but
we all felt a collective hug andit surrounded John, our family,
and all who were managing hiscare.
(13:08):
And it's humbling to know thatyou have a community gathered in
prayer for you.
I mentioned that the hospital wewere at is a certified level one
trauma facility, and they getthe worst of the worst cases car
accidents, shooting trauma.
I was confronted very quicklywith a medical team that was
(13:31):
very calm.
And in fact I think it wasalmost too calm for my liking.
I had expected a scene out ofGrey's Anatomy where doctors all
descend on the patient andmiracles happen and he's cured.
But instead, what I got was achief surgeon that told me very
matter of factly.
(13:52):
And in a calm voice, he said, aprolonged course in the ICU is
never linear.
You don't just improve day byday.
You will have days where theforward momentum is optimistic.
And there will be days that feellike a step backwards.
And we hope that the overalltrend is forward.
(14:12):
A nurse practitioner followedthat and said all we can do
right now is support his bodyand keep his organs functioning
as best as we can and see howthings progress.
John went on to contractventilator acquired pneumonia
that was resistant to almost allantibiotics available.
(14:32):
And folks, if you are unaware ofthe antibiotic crisis in this
world, let me tell you, it isnot fun when infectious disease
doctors are making a decision asto whether his case was worth
giving him the last ditcheffort, big guns, antibiotics to
give him a chance at survival.
The concern being that thesesuperbugs are smart, and if they
(14:53):
are exposed to and buildresistance to these antibiotics,
there will be nothing left.
to fight them off for the nextperson.
So facing these truths of whathis medical team was telling me,
it was excruciatingly difficultto accept.
These doctors, although so veryawesome, experienced, talented,
(15:17):
and I firmly believe guided byGod's mighty hand, they were not
magicians.
And if I was looking to placeall my faith and trust in John's
healing journey solely on theirphysical capabilities and
actions, Then I was missing thevery connection that Jesus made
throughout his ministry, andthat is the flesh is useless
(15:39):
without the Spirit.
Now, I wish I could tell youthat I had that epiphany, but to
be honest, in the moment when Iwas in the middle of the desert,
watching breathing monitors, IVbags being used and replaced,
hearing beeps and alarms, andpraying for answers that simply
would not come, I truly didn'tthink too much about the Spirit.
(16:02):
But something spiritual didhappen.
And I want to share that withyou today, a week or so into our
nightmare.
I got a text message from a dearfriend and church member.
Her name is Marcella.
She wrote something to me, like,we have been thinking about you
and John, and we're praying foryou and we want to do something
to help.
And I'm wondering if I cansourdough bread for you, never
(16:27):
being one to turn down abonafide carbohydrate in my
life.
Of course I obliged and she saidshe would make it with extra
love.
She delivered it to me at thehospital right after worship
that Sunday.
And she had carved a beautifulheart into the dough so that the
finished product was just thisbeautiful work of art.
(16:49):
I took it, I sliced it down themiddle, and I shared it with my
brother and sister in lawbecause they never left our side
during this journey, and I keptthe other half for myself.
Now, up to this point, my newnormal routine had become waking
up early and driving to thehospital to get there slightly
before 8 a.
m.
visiting hours so that I couldbe there for the morning rounds
(17:11):
with doctors and hear what theyhad to say and what the plans
were for the day.
So breakfast was either skippedor I picked up something in the
cafeteria to go with my coffee.
But through this gift of bread,that routine started to change.
Because every morning, I wouldcut off a thin slice of
(17:31):
Marcella's bread.
I'd wrap it in a paper towel andtake it with me in the car.
And as I drove, I would takesmall bites and I just savored
the love that Marcella pouredinto it.
And I would listen to myfavorite K Love songs.
And the words that came to mymind were literally spread is so
(17:53):
good.
It is so life giving.
This is the bread of life andthe sense of calm that would
enter.
That confined space as if Jesuswere sitting right there in the
passenger seat saying, talk tome.
Honestly, I may not have beenparticularly articulate or even
(18:16):
respectful, but did make aconnection.
And I would say, God, I'm notsure how you are going to use
this experience for my good orJohn's good, because right now,
all I see is yuck.
Help me see the good in this.
And it always seemed as if byclockwork, the perfect song at
(18:37):
the exact moment would play,encouraging me to keep praying,
singing, and even rejoicingthrough this fire.
That 25 to 30 minutes each daywere becoming a refuge and set
the tone for each day to one ofhope.
Instead of dread.
(18:58):
I'm not sure I would have beenable to make that connection had
it not been for that act ofkindness.
It set into motion a course ofevents that have been described
by John's care team asremarkable and even miraculous.
We were finally able totransition john from the
(19:19):
breathing tube to a trach.
And in spite of a couple moresetbacks he began to awaken,
find his voice and breathe onhis own.
His team had prepared us.
That this road to recovery wouldbe several months based on all
that his body had endured.
He was released earlier thanexpected from the long term
(19:39):
acute recovery hospital and onlyrequired 10 days in a rehab
hospital to become selfsufficient.
His entire medical team has beenin awe of his recovery and that
is no accident.
Our gratitude for our extendedcommunity is beyond measure.
(20:00):
They stepped up to remind us ofGod's enduring and life
sustaining love.
They prayed.
They sent cards.
They shared their own stories ofhope and light.
When I wandered toward darkness,they fed us.
literally and spiritually.
(20:21):
And because of that, it maderoom to hope and hope enabled me
to see what God was doing forall our good.
God showed me nurse Nikki withwhom our family formed a bond.
She was honest, compassionate,and she enthusiastically
volunteered to work John's caseevery day she was on duty.
(20:43):
She stopped whatever she wasdoing and prayed with us
whenever Reverend Julie or thehospital chaplain named Rabbi
Mellick, who was also Just awonderful soul whenever they
stop by for a visit.
Also, part of our morningroutine after checking in at the
hospital, we would get ourbadges and then we went to a
place called the Family Center.
(21:04):
And there a receptionist wouldcall up to the ICU to make sure
it was okay for family membersto go up.
And God showed me a welcomingface.
And she would see me each day.
She'd smile and wave.
She'd pick up the phone withouteven asking who I was coming to
see.
I have the wife here for roomseven.
She would be on the phonecalling up before I would even
(21:26):
approach her desk.
She would always be so kind andask me how he was doing while
she waited on hold.
And I don't think it's acoincidence that her name was
Angie because I swear I sawangel wings on her.
God showed me a community ofpatience.
Each recovering from their owncritical illnesses, smiling and
(21:49):
offering a thumbs up to oneanother when they would see each
other shuffling slowly down thehall with their walkers and
stability belts, commending oneanother for making it farther or
a few extra steps that day.
God showed me an organizationcalled Pets Helping People, as
they brought some of theirtherapy dogs to John's Rehab
(22:11):
Hospital.
And when I learned that theyactually operated their training
program at a skilled nursing andrehabilitation home that was
founded as a ministry by our ownchurch.
Find me again of the connectionsthat we make that ripple into
the places we would nototherwise have expected.
(22:32):
Now I could go on and on and onbecause the evidence of God's
glory showed up in so many wayson this journey, and the story
could end right there and be.
An amazing gospel story, butthere's more.
So back in the summer, afterJohn had returned home to
continuous recovery on anoutpatient basis, I had been
(22:52):
scheduled to preach one Sundaywhen I checked the lectionary
for the gospel reading for thatday.
Once again, I was just struck byProvidence.
The reading was from Johnchapter six, when Jesus had been
teaching in his synagogue inCapernaum, and he had just
declared, I am the bread oflife.
Whoever comes to me will nevergo hungry.
And whoever believes in me willnever be thirsty.
(23:15):
Now, many of his disciples hadbegun to grumble about this
because that teaching wasdifficult and it went against
everything they had ever beentaught.
And Jesus knew this.
He called them out on it.
And he said, does this offendyou?
So what if you were to see theSon of Man ascending to where he
was before?
And I pause because this is afascinating foreshadowing of the
(23:37):
things to come.
But Jesus is like, what's itgoing to take to get y'all to
believe who I am?
And then here it is.
Jesus said, it is the Spiritthat gives life.
The flesh is useless.
The words I have spoken to youare spirit and life.
(23:58):
And upon reading those words, Iknew I just had to give the very
same testimony that I justshared with you on that Sunday.
So beforehand, I called Marcellaand I asked her permission to
share the story of herincredible gift of bread during
those difficult days.
It is never good to callsomebody out in a sermon when
they aren't expecting it.
(24:20):
Not only did she agree to it,but she baked a loaf.
to share with the congregationduring the coffee hour that
would take place after worship.
And friends, I was the lastperson to show up in the
Friendship Lounge that day, andthe loaf was all but consumed.
Only crumbs remained.
I met a jubilant crowd, allexclaiming, that bread was so
(24:44):
good! You really could taste thelove.
All those folks were smiling andsatisfied, having just shared a
small sliver of this one loaf ofsourdough bread.
And I can't even begin to tellyou the goosebumps of that
moment.
Weeks later, I would learn thatstory didn't even end there, if
(25:07):
you can believe that.
Another friend and church memberlater told me that on that day,
she and her husband had watchedthe live stream to worship from
home because he had been immunecompromised due to cancer
treatments.
And so they were homeboundduring his medical journey.
So they related very closely.
to the story of John's medicaljourney and his story.
(25:32):
An hour or so later, herdoorbell unexpectedly rang.
It was a neighbor whom she hadknown not very well.
Her neighbor said, I just bakedan extra loaf of sourdough bread
and I was wondering if you wouldlike a loaf.
Did the little hairs on yourarms just stand on end?
(25:52):
Mine did.
And my friend called it a GodWhisper.
And whatever you call it, it'swhat I call Next Door Gospel.
It's God showing up in times andplaces where we least expect it.
And it is all of us keeping oureyes and our ears and our hearts
open enough to recognize it, andshare the story with someone
(26:14):
else who needs to hear it.
Your story is part of thegreatest story ever told.
And if you would like tocollaborate and share your
experience of how God showed upin your life, I would love to
hear from you.
I would also love feedback onthis podcast.
Send me an email atnextdoorgospel at gmail.
(26:36):
com.
I'm hoping to release episodeson a weekly basis, but please
bear with me as I get thingsstarted.
Please subscribe to this podcastwherever you listen to podcasts
and share it with a friend.
Tune in to my next episode,which will be part one of a two
part story about one family'slife of mission work that led
(26:58):
them to Ukraine and their daringjourney of evacuation after
Russia invaded the country.
In 2022 until then, may the Lordbless you and keep you.
May the Lord make his face toshine upon you and be gracious
to you.
The Lord turn his face towardsyou and give you peace.
(27:19):
Amen.
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