Three months ago Ed was invited to become part of a sharing group with six other men. They all have Parkinson’s disease, or something similar. Within a few weeks he had given each of them a copy of Is Christianity For You? One man grabbed the oars and this week has started asking the kind of questions an eager new disciple would ask.

Meanwhile, Ed’s wife has been living in the healthcare unit of their retirement community for two years, while Ed remains in their apartment. Another man’s wife was recently moved from independent living to the healthcare wing. The social director asked Ed if he would meet with him to help him understand what to expect. At their first meeting Ed spent an hour and a half listening to his new friend and sharing his own experiences in a calming and encouraging way. The following Sunday Ed recorded a Charles Stanley sermon and said, “I’m going to invite him over and watch this again with him. This is exactly what he needs.”

Ed also likes to encourage the staff and healthcare professionals. In the same week he was answering a new disciple’s questions and calming the fears of a new friend, he also persuaded a man to visit our Friday morning Bible study.

Ed is my father-in-law. He is 89 years old.