Lessons from a crisis

9 Responses

  1. Peg Sheldrick says:

    Amen to everything you said, especially about offering concrete help with options to say yes or no. Excellent! The only thing I would add is that when trouble explodes into someone’s life, don’t be afraid to acknowledge that the person has been through/is going through something dreadful. Yes, God is present, and hope and help surround, but also yes, this stinks on ice. This hurts. This is scary. Acknowledge the trouble and affirm faith and hope and love to live through the day at hand and all the days after that.

  2. Katrina Soto says:

    I have been in situations of dependence a few times and found it a challenge to cheerfully and unapologetically accept help from others. There was no way I could actually reject the help since sometimes even rising to a sitting position was literally impossible without help, but to accept the help without apologizing and feeling guilty was hard. I finally realized it was my chance to recognize that in various ways we are always dependent on others to some extent. And also to practice humility. I finally realized that those helping me were the hands and face of Jesus; who am I to reject Jesus!?

    I’m one of many who held you in prayer and I am delighted you are improving. God bless you.

  3. Sue Kapp says:

    Mourner’s Path is a course designed by an Episcopal priest to help those with lingering grief issues. At one step in the curriculum, the class members are asked to tell the others about the best day they had with the one they are grieving. After a year or two of acting as the mentor, I said to my husband (who was not in the class) “Why should we wait until one of us is gone and then tell strangers what was the best day we had with each other? Let’s tell each other now!” And we did.

  4. Michele says:

    I learned that I am a stronger person than I thought I was.

  5. Carol B Pugh says:

    Thank you for baring your soul and sharing your insights in such a beautiful way. I am so glad that you “lived to tell the tale” and will continue to uphold you and your wife in prayer. I am sure I am not alone in hoping that you will be able to continue your other ministry of Lenten Madness in a few months. 😉

  6. Carl Sackett says:

    Rev. Gunn – I just wanted to say how incredibly grateful I am to hear of your continued recovery, and path towards healing. You have been in my prayers, and it is so heartening to see that you are progressing each and every day. I wanted to wait for an appropriate opportunity to let you know how meaningful and special your book, “Easter Triumph, Easter Joy” was for me this year. In all honesty, 2022 has been one of the most challenging of my entire life, and I was so encouraged and comforted by the words you had to share during this past Eastertide. I always enjoy my Lenten readings, but this was a holy (and much-needed) way for me to continue the Easter season even after the holiday. Thank you so much for your reflections, which were invaluable to me during a very dark and difficult period in my own life. I will continue to pray for your continued healing, and pray God’s continued Blessings on you. Remember: Jesus loves you, more than you could ever know. God’s Peace, in His name – Carl

  7. Agnes Yong says:

    Very useful lessons. Well recorded. You’re an excellent witness for Christ. Praise be to God!

  8. Miriam Mckenney says:

    Praise be to God for all of these learnings. For your continued recovery. For your witness. For your willingness to share your story. For opening yourself to the opportunity to be helped by others. My prior crises taught me that I can get through them with God’s help – and I mean God and the God in all the people who get me through that crisis. There is another side, and a chance to be changed. I’m reminded of how connected we are to each other in ways we can’t imagine until someone shows up. I’m reminded of my humanity and I become more aware of God in everyone I see. I want to be even more of a blessing to people.

  9. Ann Fraser says:

    It’s encouraging to hear of the ways the Body of Christ reached out in love and compassion through its many expressions, closer to your home and where you found yourself for an unexpected season. Thanks for helping me remember how concrete love can be. Blessings on your continued healing and recovery!