Patience

Do you experience moments with abundant thoughts and ideas that you long to share with others?

The first week of 2026 has been one of a flurry of activity. The weather has changed dramatically, and is going to warm up to 70 degrees today. Yesterday morning I sat with my coffee and my bible study looking out the window to the beautiful landscape of trees and bare branches sprinkled with pine trees and ivy. Studying Romans 8 for the past month has been a gift in this time of my life,

and my families. The information I was studying was so relevant to my day that awaited me that I tackled two days of study yesterday. After rising from the table and placing my empty cup in the sink, my mind was on overdrive. I went about getting ready for the day with my mind whirling with thoughts of marvel and amazement from what I had just studied.

As I climbed into my car and backed out of the driveway, my mind was still consumed with thoughts I wish I could share with others. The words I had read were so applicable to my day, my life, and so many loved ones lives. The words I had read were clear to me that no man, especially not a man sitting in a jail cell could possibly have recorded on his own. I'm sure Paul's mind was whirling with thoughts that day, stuck in a cell, so he wrote down his thoughts. And now I stand corrected. I had to confirm when Paul had written to the Romans, so I opened my Bible to double check, and found that Paul wrote to the Romans on his journey to Jerusalem. He was uncertain of what would happen in Jerusalem. He knew that he needed to sent this theology to Rome, because he knew the importance that the church would play in Rome in the future. Thankfully he wrote this down, so that we could read about the promises and hope of God some 2000 years later. Paul was dedicated to his mission and knew his purpose. He longed to spread the good news of Jesus, the Son of Man.

As I walked into the memory care unit after parking my car, I realized it had been about a month since I had visited my Mom here. That is a long time. I had seen her yesterday, when my Dad stopped by with her in the car, and told her I would be by to see her on our regular Thursday visit. My Dad has been so faithful to my Mom, visiting her twice daily for hours at a time.

Walking down the hall, I peered through the doorway into the tv room. There was my Mom, sitting in her wheelchair with her fingers in her ears and her eyes closed. She hasn't liked noise for years. I placed my hands on her legs, and she opened her eyes. She said, "Oh, Hi, in a sweet voice." She recognized me. I asked her if she would like to go somewhere else. She replied, "yes, please."

We found a quiet table in the hallway where we sat for the next two hours. I was able to recall and share with her what I had read during my bible study. The hope of being reunited with God after this life passes away, and sharing in His glory, was what I shared with her. I also shared that because our outward body is perishing, we will be changed when that day comes. God gives us hope, as one of His great gifts, because this life is hard, throughout so many stages along the way. She said, "I needed to hear this, thank you." Paul wrote in Romans 8:28, "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose." Even though this life has many challenges throughout all the stages of life, we can trust that all will work together for good. This is God's promise to those who believe.

My Mom has been in bible study for decades, and she was the one who got me into my first bible study when I was 26 years old. She has always needed to read the Bible daily in her life. I wish I could take her suffering away, but I can't. The one thing I can give her is hope, which sustained her yesterday. She was happy throughout our entire visit. And she said several times, "God is good." And I replied, "All the time."

"For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.” -Romans 8: 24- 25