Category: Stories

The story begins with 68-year-old John Harrison. His heart beat had stopped for 20 minutes. The nurses thought about giving up, right before the monitor showed that his heart started to pump again.

After John woke up, he told his niece, Lori, when she called.

“Lori, There is God.” John told Lori on the phone.

“Ya. Uncle John, I have been trying to tell you for 20 years.” Lori simply replied because she is a Christian and was not surprised at all to hear John’s statement.

“No, you don’t know. I actually met Him.” John exclaimed.

“What?!” Lori cried out in amazement.

John’s statement had Lori’s attention now. Then uncle John continued to tell her that during the time of death, he was in a place that pitch black. It was so dark that he could not see anything, including his own fingers.

Even though John had always thought he was a tough guy, the experience of going to hell terrified him. In the midst of darkness, John felt so alone by himself and was scared to death by the surrounding darkness.

“I was completely alone. I have never been so scared in my whole life.” John said in a trembling voice.

At that moment, he saw Jesus, whose bright light shone into the darkness.

“I have never felt such love from anyone on this earth as I felt it from Jesus. Jesus is full of love and compassion and so kind. Jesus’ love encompassed my whole being.” John slowly but firmly told Lori.

John continued to tell Lori that Jesus told him, “I am not finished with you. I am sending you back.”

That’s the moment his dead heart began to pump again.

So, John asked the nurse to call the priest to come to the hospital so that he could make a profession of faith.

**

Lori prayed for uncle John for years. She said that John’s mom, Allie, was a tough Christian and prayed for ex-atheist John all her life and her other children as well.

Lori’s mom Mary noticed that John was totally transformed by God after he received Jesus as his Savior. 3 months later, John passed away.

On the day Lori’s mom called her about uncle John passing, Lori was driving and heard the radio playing the hymn “Amazing grace”. The singer sang “The chains are gone. I am set free.”

The next day, Lori told the whole story about John to her daycare coworker, Claudette from Africa.

“I don’t understand. How can God use him when he had cancer and a bad condition of heart?” Lori said.

“You may never know.” Claudette said.

Later on, when Lori was sharing the miraculous story about John with her daycare coworker, Michelle, the radio began playing “Amazing grace”. Again, Lori heard the same lyrics “The chains are gone. I am set free.” At that moment, Michelle heard that song Lori just mentioned and dropped all her books to the floor out of amazement.

Lori went back to the kitchen without noticing someone overhearing their conversation, and was met by 21-year-old Elizabeth, who came into the kitchen with a seriously worried face.

“My parents are professors and they have never brought up any topic like this at home. I have never heard about the gospel of Jesus. I don’t want to go where your uncle went, how do I not go there?” Elizabeth cried out.

Right there, Lori shared the gospel with Elizabeth.

“Can I pray right now to receive Jesus Christ?” Elizabeth eagerly asked.

“Absolutely.” Lori said with confidence.

After Lori led Elizabeth to pray to receive Jesus Christ as her Savior, Lori hugged her and said, “Welcome to the family!”

This was 10 years ago. Elizabeth met Lori recently and told Lori that she has been bringing her two kids to the church since that day she received Jesus Christ to her heart.

**

Later on however, Lori wondered if uncle John was truly converted. So Lori, who often talks to God about everything, prayed:

“Father God, if uncle John is in heaven with you now, could you give me a sign, like showing me a butterfly?” Lori was prompted to say this prayer. However, she felt it was an impossible request as this was January in Minnesota.

That day, Lori went to work without seeing one butterfly; she then came home and still didn’t see a butterfly in the cold weather.

After coming home, she sat down and turned on her computer to login to her email account. The first time her password didn’t get in so she typed the second time. Suddenly, she saw the MSN icon, a butterfly, as it blinked twice. Lori slowly realized that this was a sign from God. Once she entered her password correctly and successfully logged in, the butterfly was gone. Lori covered her face in shock and cried out, “Oh, my”. Her husband Jeff rushed to ask what happened. Lori was assured that her uncle John is in heaven with Jesus now.

Lori finally realized that the purpose that God sent John back was to tell His story so that people know hell is real just as Jesus Christ is real. And they won’t go to hell if they believe in Jesus Christ.

John’s earthly life is like a seed dead and buried in the good soil of people’s hearts. And may John’s story be used by God to touch many lives to bear eternal fruits in the spiritual realm.

Note: Lori is my dear friend and she told me this story. I am very blessed.

鄰居阿嬤的白髮，如同銀絲般閃亮。

她佝僂的身軀，佇著柺杖，站在後花園裡凝望。

她見到我時臉上浮起微笑，說起她種的花、喜歡的食物，以及她懷念的家鄉。

珍妮阿嬤來自愛沙尼亞，二次大戰時離開了家鄉，

輾轉到了美國落地生根，就住在我隔壁的家。

幾十年前畫家先生離世了，兩個兒子也離巢成家。

但是她有朋友來找她看電影，她找朋友來家裡吃她手做的家鄉口味鯡魚三明治。

她也邀我喝即溶咖啡、教我打毛線、帶我去農夫市場，讓我想起在台北的阿嬤。

珍妮讓我領悟到八十幾歲的心仍可以年輕飛翔。

九十多歲後的珍妮，記憶不如從前，在兒子堅持下住進了養老院，我懷念去她家串門子的時光。

一個冷冽但晴朗的冬季午後，我坐在她養老院裡寬敞的房間裡陪她說話。

我低頭讀聖經給她聽，一會兒抬起頭時，見她在沙發上低頭睡著了。

另一次去看她時，我請她讀聖經，她的英文字正腔圓、一字不漏。

「你好棒啊！」我由衷地讚美她。

珍妮的臉上漾起天真的笑容，像被稱讚的孩子一樣。

「珍妮，你相信上帝嗎？」我問。

「我知道上帝一直跟我在一起」珍妮點頭輕輕說。

疫情期間，一百歲的珍妮安詳地歇了地上的工，回到主耶穌為她預備的永恆家鄉。

珍妮阿嬤門前種的牡丹花，永遠在我心中散發馨香。

禱告：「神啊，我到年老髮白的時候，求你不要離開我！等我將你的能力指示下代，將你的大能指示後世的人。」（詩篇71篇18節）

A lifetime is not too long to live as friends on earth.
A friend is a friend forever if the Lord is the Lord of them.
It means a lot to me, a sojourner in this country when Ann called me “friend”, just as Jesus accepts who I am and calls me “friend”.
***
Ann was a fighter of life and kept doing good to others while battling with the brain tumor for years.
Her spirit inspires me to be brave for ignoring the temporary trials.
Therefore, besides Jesus, I know I will look eagerly for Ann in heaven.

Ann gave me two small rocks of cross, written “Courage” and “Believe” respectively.
I seem to hear she is speaking to me: Do not be afraid. Just believe.
Ann often prayed for me to write without fear.

The first time I met Ann was in 2017 BSF (Bible Study Fellowship) class.
Her paper folder with Korean characters drew my eyes.
I curiously talked with Ann after her very first BSF class.
She told me that she had been to Japan and Korea with her husband to work overseas.
Leah, our class leader, said she felt this group was hand picked by God.
I am convinced that God indeed hand picked this group for me to meet Ann and Lori.
We three have been praying for one another and went through many storms of life together.

The first fellowship for our BSF class was in Ann’s sister’s house.
I asked Ann how she felt with God recently after the class prayed for her health.
Ann softly said it was very good, smiling with tears in her big beautiful eyes.
I thanked God for drawing her close to Him as He guided me to pray for restoring her relationship with Jesus Christ foremost.

Ann reached out to me for coffee a few times in Dogwood coffee shop in St. Paul on her way to teach kids ballet dancing, even in a snowy winter.
I shared with Ann whatever God taught me from the sermons I heard at that time.
Ann was always patient and humble to listen and told me it was helpful for her spiritual growth.

“God, will you heal Ann?” I asked in my prayer after knowing Ann for many months.
“Do not be afraid. Just believe.” I heard in my heart.

We were happy to know that Ann’s condition was good to go to Vietnam in 2018 to meet with her husband at work.
Ann said she felt peace that God healed her for going to Vietnam, where she cared for the orphans as her own children.
During one short visit back to Minnesota, Ann, Lori and I sat at the coffee table in the Centennial Lake Park.
The lightning struck above the nearby lake while we prayed and worshiped God without feeling intimidated by the explosion of thunder.
The summer storm whipped strong wind and poured down heavy rain.
And three of us were empowered by God’s promises as victorious warriors.

The night before she went back to Abba Father’s house, the gratitude overwhelmed me to know that only God can give me such love to love a friend like Ann.
I thank God for connecting me with Ann, whom I came across with only for three years.
However, I have been blessed with the sweet gift of her kindness since the first day we met.
Therefore, I will live a life having Ann in my heart until I see her again.

Before I tried to write down this article, the devil frustrated me to give up. At that time, God reminded Lori to call me and she encouraged me not to fear of being rejected. So, I proclaim that God has accepted me as His child and the evil hindrance was gone like a puff. I got to write down at once from my heart. Praise God!