February 22, 2018

Mending Hearts & Loving People by Alan Anderson



The writing prompt question for this month’s blog post is an interesting one. It asks, “In what way do your writing, speaking, music, publishing and/or other ministries bring hope and redemption to others?”


I have spent a lot of my ministry or work years with people who are grieving a loss, seriously ill and those who are dying. I call them my teachers. I now include them in my writing. I believe I’ve written about them in this blog before.


I protect the privacy of my teachers by being cautious with how I write about my experiences with them. If I use names they are fictitious. I may also combine their stories with others or summarize them.


For the most part my teachers are like me, ordinary people. Like me they are not world famous and they seem to be content with that. They had childhoods, attended school, grew up, worked, raised families and some reached a retirement stage in life. In time their health was compromised and life experienced a major adjustment.


As my teachers came to trust me I was allowed into their lives to hear their stories. Their stories are real. They are stories glowing with pride as they talk about their families. They are stories of remorse as they mention regrets. Stories that include the stinging pain of loved ones no longer with us. My teachers remind me through their stories that life is precious and is to be savored.


My approach when serving people is to come as an ambassador of God’s love. I have always given my teachers a piece of my heart. To approach them as if I want to fix them would come short of showing compassion. My teachers have primarily been people who are broken in some way. I come alongside them as one also broken, yet living in hope.


I summarize my writing and work/ministry by one simple phrase. My phrase is “Touched by grief and held by hope.” It identifies me with other broken people. I have experienced grief. I live embraced by hope. This phrase found me after years of coming alongside people and listening to them.


Listening to hurting people is an act of healing that brings hope. I don’t mean it cures them from their suffering. It allows them to know someone cares about the pain in their hearts. Through the years a number of my teachers have said, “thank you for listening.” That “thank you” is a beautiful expression from someone perhaps lonely or held captive by suffering.


I cannot think about my teachers without being emotional. They taught me how to be present, to truly listen without the need to speak. I tell myself if I don’t listen to people, I don’t have the right to speak into their lives.


Do you have teachers in your life? Who are they? Relish them. Hold them close to your hopeful heart. Let them know how much you appreciate and love them. They will accept this with grace.


Beware of taking your teachers for granted. Realize that they may not always be with you. Treasure your time with them. These are the people who make the world a better place. Be one of them. That will be your greatest gift to them.




Blog: scarredjoy.wordpress.com

10 comments:

  1. They taught me how to be present, to truly listen without the need to speak. Oh how we all need this advice. what a wonderful post, Alan.

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    1. Thank you Tracy. You are always encouraging to me. My teachers taught me well.

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  2. Touched by grief, held by hope-a beautiful line. Hope you don't mind if I borrow it.

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    1. It's my honour for you to borrow the line Jocelyn. It identifies me with my teachers.

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  3. I love reading your stories. There is such an honesty and truth to the things you say. I especially take heart to the line that says, "Listening to hurting people is an act of healing that brings hope." This is so true!

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    1. Hi Vickie my writing buddy! :) Yes, hope is invaluable. At times I heard people say in healthcare that a situation may be "hopeless." It always bothered me. What I learned from my teachers was "hope" may be as simple as having someone say hello to you when you feel forgotten. It may also be as profound as knowing hope in going to where Jesus is after passing from this life.
      Thank you for being a great encouragement to me Vickie!

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  4. I think at this stage in my life my main teachers are most likely my three grand-daughters. The six year old twins came into our lives at the age of four and what a process and stretching experience it has been but so worth getting to know them and learning what it means to invite a 'stranger' into your home and heart and commit to loving them. You are right that our teachers teach us so much and it is a blessing to us. You have a lot to give from your many years of learning.

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    1. Hi Gloria! We can learn so much about life from our grandchildren. I'm thinking of things like marvelling and enjoying time to play just for the sake of play. Things like on a nice warm day you can go outside and watch ants run around. I mean lying back on your lawn and looking up at blue sky with fluffy clouds floating by, The simple things that mean so much.

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  5. Yes, I have read of your teachers before. In this way, you remind me of all the "students" I've had in the classroom and make me appreciate even more what I've learned from them. I appreciate your blog here, Alan, where you are true to the theme, but you bring more to the picture.

    Central to me is the paragraph where you explain that you come to others as an "ambassador of love." Coming to others as one who plans to fix them is condescending, as you point out. Instead you come to them as another who is broken. You share the experience of brokenness with them, but you also show them how to live in hope. I find this beautiful and profound and certainly a way of being that we can strive for.

    I have just been reading an online discussion about the questions Jesus asked those who came to him. He didn't offer tips about how to live, but he would ask hard questions. In Mark 10:46-52, the blind man came to Jesus and Jesus asked him, "What do you want me to do for you?"

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    1. Thank you Sharon for your insights. Everyone I meet is a teacher. It's not that I use people for that purpose. It is humbling, however, when I'm trusted enough to enter into their lives. Isn't it great that as writers we get to see how wonderful life can be and write about it? Even harsh things in life can teach us something about ourselves. Blessings Sharon! I love your comments.

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