What needs to happen will happen. It always does. A message of hope.

How many things need to be in place before you realize you are living your purpose, and you did not know it. In my case, I needed my friend Karen to spell it out for me LOUD AND CLEAR. It was like she was wearing a megaphone on the other side of the country as she bellowed into the phone.

I had not spoken with her in a few days, and was calling to catch up. So much has happened with "a 1/2 stick of gum" that my brain is exploding. My friend Cindy and her mom, whom I had admitted to hospice seven weeks earlier, came to mind, and I was called to go see them. Before I came in I opened up to the Lord as had become routine for me, and asked why am I really here, Lord.

Little did I know this visit would be a turning point in our lives. All of our lives. Cindy, mine, and Shirley. What transpired over the course of this visit is too profound, and monumental to explain here, and deserves it's own book and motion picture. Think the Notebook, Saving Private Ryan, or Dear John, or Band of Brothers. Anyway, more on this later,

So I came home two days ago, and wrote down what I could remember from the WWII letters read that day. But it was so much. I got the facts mostly down, but it's the nuances of the moments with the lighting, and the gleam in her blind eyes, her drifting voice, and faint smile as she remembered scenes from long ago that made the real life scene so incredible. The probing questions of Shirley. "WHAT?" Cindy and I would ask incredulously. What do you mean you did't tell him why you wrote to him. He loves you!" So I was catching Karen up on all of this, and she just said to me loud and clear.

"You need to start recording, via voice memos now. You need to make a video blog of this." Then her voice changed a bit, and I began to hear the prophet in her tone. It changed just enough, and I started paying attention, and writing down what she said.

"You have enough material here now. You do not need any more material. You do not need any more training. This is it. You have had enough training. You do not need another job, giving COVID shots, which is way beneath what God has called you to do. I'm telling you now! Get off your bottom and start blogging. The world needs to hear your message. The people are hurting and you have a message. He needs you to tell not only this story, but also all the stories when you invited Him into the situation, and what ever needed to happen, happened. Even though You did not know what that was, you knew it when it was happening. The world needs to hear this. You cannot be selfish with this. The world needs to hear your voice.'

I responded, taken a back and in awe of what she was saying to me. I felt it in my heart and in my body. I could see what she was saying was true, and the Lord, played this scene out for me in real colors in my mind's eye. 'This sounds prophetic, it sounds like the Lord Himself is talking to me. "

Karen Laughs her huge infectious laugh and yells out " YES! He IS!"

"What are you waiting for? " she went on. "You've sold your house. You are debt free. You have a source of income for life. You have this incredible country home. I've given you time. You have no job. You don't have to be anywhere. You are supposed to be off your foot, since it is broken. I have set you up in this incredible country home, where you can be a painter, sewer, writer, musician. where you can rest your soul by gazing out at the country with the fresh falling snow covering everything in site,

She goes on "What more do you need? Fresh hot coffee made for you? Your purpose is to write about hospice in 2020 and exactly what you just said. Which is if you invite Jesus into any situation ahead of time, and ask for the reason, what ever needs to happen will happen. Every time."

I could not even remember what I had just said because my mind was going so fast. I'm glad she was listening. I mean ya know those times when you've just said something brilliant and you can't remember what you said? Well I was talking about why I began inviting God into my hospice visits. I was an excellent employee at my hospice. Prior to a reorganization, I was the previous manager serving the department for which I now worked. I was asked to mentor newer nurses, I had valuable experience, and over the course of 3 years, was asked to handled numerous famous, VIP and complex cases.

Unfortunately, neither my friend, and now boss, nor I foresaw the problems with having the former manager now as an employee of the same department. As a side note, I would not do this again. Initially she was thrilled to have me working with her as an employee, and I was thrilled to work with her. She had previously nominated me for an award, asked me to admit a family member who had Covid, for which I felt honored, and consulted me when needed. However, the stress of COVID hit, and nurses began complaining to her. I caught wind my management style was preferred, and after I lost my job, one of my nurses confessed she was one of them who did say this to our boss. I'm guessing that is why there was no mercy for me, as a hospice nurse, on the front lines in admissions during a pandemic. Thank God Jesus is my friend.

Anyway, when I saw her using tools and working a plan to have me removed from my position, I prayed every single visit. "Please Lord. Lets work together on every visit, and I know it will be good. I do not want to lose my job. I love my patients, and their stories. " And visits began to change. One visit, then the next. The reason we were there was always revealed. Healing after healing, miracle after miracle. Weeks went by as He and I went to work deep inside the pandemic. Donning PPE for the COVID + nursing home units, patients, gave me the opportunity to pray with each piece I put on for protection. I was putting on His robe (gown) His word ( mask) his Crown (hair cap) and stood on His ground ( shoe covers). I just could not imagine He would not have me working in hospice, I thought. We are so good together.

As I continued to see changes in my visits, I realized I was never there for the reason I thought I was there. I always created an open space for the Lord to show up at the table, and take a seat. My prayers began to change as I recognized a pattern. " Tell me why we are REALLY here, Lord. Show me what needs to happen in order for this family to heal, and let go. What's the miracle that needs to happen.?"

Then He did. Visit after visit. He showed up. We went in together, and miracle after miracle occurred. I simply asked Why are we REALLY here? Let me know." And then I keep open that space for the Lord to show up, He always does. And what needs to happen, happens. Every single time.

I know you do not yet know what a 1/2 stick of gum has to do with any of this, but you will. You will see it in hardcover. It will be a best seller. I pray God has someone like Steven Speilburg or Tom Hanks in mind because it's on the level of a film they could make. But God is in charge. It is an incredible love story. And the best part is, it's all true. I could not have written a better story and embellished it any better. Twists, and turns, true love, war, broken engagements, and discarded love letters. It's the story of love not only across the ocean pacific, but the ocean of time.

None of this would have even fallen into my lap, had I not asked, Why am I REALLY here, Lord.

And so what needs to happen now? I need to get busy. I need to continue to pay attention, and pray for the Lord to show up. He and I will write the story, this I know. It will be told, and I guess I am not waiting anymore. Not even for a hot cup of coffee. But wait a minute. Where's Bert?

"Oh, Bert!"