Margie Became My Dear Friend
Margie Became My Dear Friend.
After performing a play at a Care Facility, I asked the activities director if I could come back and visit separately with those who do not receive visitors.
She provided a list of residents who did not get visits. I was able to form a relationship with a dear friend, Margie.
Margie was 82 years old and never had children. She did not get many visits. We talked and I read the devotional Jesus Calling to her. God connected our hearts.
She could not walk and was paralyzed on the left side. Since she did not like chocolate and I did, she would save her cookies and give them to me on our visit.
I grew to love Margie very much. She would call me to pray with her about things that she was worried about.
She shared with me that she would like to buy a home and live together with her niece. This seemed like an impossible plan because of her physical limitations. Her belief that God could do the impossible was inspiring!
At 84 years old, Margie ended up buying a house through a realtor and settled everything on the phone. When the Care Facility van took her to her new home, they asked which house was hers. She replied, “I don’t know. I have not seen it yet.”
This is what faith can do! Margie believed that if it was God’s will—it would happen. She moved in with her niece where she spent her last four years. I continued to visit her at her home, and it was a blessing to share and pray with her in her final days. What an example and blessing Margie has been in my life!
After Margie’s homegoing, her niece Jeanmarie Stiles shared this thought:
“My Aunt Margie’s greatest happiness was meeting the Contagious Joy team and becoming their friend. It all started when my Aunt was in an assisted living home where she was not happy. Contagious Joy came in and did a play then everything changed. Her outlook became brighter, and her spirits were lifted. It was as if Contagious Joy had sparked her faith. She believed that God works things out for
us if we trust in Him. Contagious Joy = trust in God and find happiness in your faith.”
A Few Things to Remember About Your Visit
Don’t worry about your skills. You don’t have to be the most talented singer or the best actor. You’ll do great! And God will use the talents you have to touch others. You being there is the most important part. Just show up, and let God handle everything else.
Take time to show love to the residents and invite them to receive Jesus as Savior after your performance. See “Interactive Time with Residents” for some ideas.
It’s totally normal to feel shy, but you can be 100% confident that the residents will be overjoyed to spend time with you and hear the Good News about Jesus.
God’s word never returns to Him empty.
“It is the same with my word. I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it.” Isaiah 55:11
Did you hear that? God will accomplish all He wants to, so we don’t have to worry, we just take His word out and He will do the rest!