Friday, March 7, 2008

Slice of Life

Slice of Life Index

My Friend Angie

My friend and coworker Angie from one of my Chicago jobs told me her story. It is quite a testimony of the experience of Christ. I loved working with Angie. She was a hard worker and it was a joy working and sharing our life experiences.

By the time I moved to Goshen (January 2007), she relocated to another job within the same hospital campus. She had requested this move. There had been a major personality conflict between Angie and the part time technician, Jay. Offense had occurred between them. His presence made her sick. She avoided him in every aspect and him with her. They were not in speaking terms. She wanted to work where he was not. Little did she realized that trying to move away from Jay, she would find herself jumping from hot frying pan to the fires of hell.

In her new job, she was working with a manager who would cause intolerable suffering. She does not know when and where he decided to be her enemy. He was out to get her in trouble. Each morning she was in fear and trembling. She prayed that her manager would have mercy on her. Her mental and physical health deteriorated daily.

We prayed over the situation many times…as time went on I suggested that she quit her job. She is a talented and excellent worker and that she would be a good asset to any employer. She endured one year in a situation that I could not have endured.

By November of 2007, her husband was seriously worried about her. He begged her to quit her job. She told him,’ I pray for you day and night that God will keep you safe and that your heart will turn to Christ. Instead of telling me to quit my job, please pray for me.’ He was at a loss. He could only do one thing…that is to start praying which he has not done before. The next morning he woke up early and went to 5:30 am prayer gathering at the nearby local church. He started to go every morning and continued to go.

After a few months, another job in the medical campus opened up for my friend. She moved on to a much more rewarding employment that she loves, in fact she feel so blessed that this job opened up for her. Meanwhile, she told me that her husband still goes to prayer gathering every morning. The Word and prayer has been her life sustenance. She told me that triple blessing has occurred in her one year suffering.

1. By leaving her original job, it created a full time position for her co-worker Jay who was the very reason she left that job.

2. Through the trial, her husband found Jesus Christ. Even when he is on a business trip he still looks for a church which has daily prayer gatherings.

3. Through the trial of fire, the Lord spoke to her. ‘You were not willing to forgive your co-worker. Forgive him even now.’ She saw how she was not willing to forgive. She knelt in repentance and asked the Lord to forgive her hardened heart and asked the Lord to help her forgive Jay. She experienced the forgiveness of Christ and even more unbeliebable thing was she was able to forgive Jay. She told me it was amazing. Her hate towards Jay disappeared. She brought a gift for Jay and presented to him. She was released from the bondage of offense.

Now she goes to morning prayer gathering with her husband daily. She always went to bed at midnight but now she makes point to be in bed by ten so that she can get up at five in the morning. A new fresh joy and love has entered into their lives and especially their marriage.

If you had known Angie the way I knew her, you would realize that what an incredible work God has done through her trials. You would also have known that her forgiveness towards her co-worker also was the manifestation of God’s grace and love.