Hebrews 13:16
"But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices GOD is well pleased."

   I want to tell you a true story of a woman that I met this week.  This woman was diagnosed with Wilms Disease (an extremely rare tumor) at 15 months of age.  She underwent a radical surgery to remove the tumor in her kidney, including removing the kidney itself.  The doctor sent her home with her mother with the understanding that she most likely wouldn¹t live beyond a month.  Interestingly, this woman is not only alive 60 years later, she is a mother of 3 children and the grandmother of 2 grandchildren!

   One Christmas Eve 26 years ago, while at work at the local YMCA, a man came to shoot hoops during the last hour of the day.  All the other workers had already left for the day. While the man was playing she noticed that he was throwing the ball angrily at the wall. When he finished simply stated 'You must feel better'.  He told her that Christmas Eve was a very difficult day for him because his 3 year old son had died on Christmas Eve. This was his fourth Christmas Eve without him.  When she asked what he had died from, he said Wilms Disease.  She was surprised, but shared her personal story with him. Both of them cried and hugged each other.  He called his wife and she rushed over to hear her story!  She too cried!

   What a blessing!  Sharing the story of our life is a sacrifice.  It is in the telling of these experiences that we can be a vessel of healing for another individual. Think of how pleased our LORD is with us when we share with an open heart a part of ourselves with others who are suffering.