God’s Peace and Love

So much of life is lived in the unknown. Yet, these last few months at Francis House have uncovered a greater awareness and appreciation of the uncertainty we face in life. Walking through the doors of my placement site every morning, I do not know who I will serve or who will serve me. One thing I do know is that in the midst of uncertainty and grief, in the sad and difficult moments- there is always God’s peace and love. These two values are the foundation of Francis House, which in turn allow God’s presence to permeate through the residents, their families, the volunteers and staff.

When I shared the news with my parents about serving for a year at a home that provides care for individuals with terminal illnesses, I distinctly remember them asking me if I understood what hospice was. I knew that it provided palliative care, however, at the time; I had never experienced the loss of someone very close to me. For a while, I was scared that I would not be able to handle that type of environment but there was a tug in my heart that this is where I needed to be. It was in truly embracing God’s grace and trusting in Him that I embarked on this journey. The funny thing is that I still feel the same uncertainty now that I am here but with my trust in God there is greater love and peace.

It is with this trust that I have been able to appreciate the greatest lesson I have learned throughout my time at Francis House: embrace the present. My dear friends at Francis House continue to show me that there is so much beauty in knowing that I can only live in the present. It is with this thought in mind that I embrace Mother Teresa’s words, “Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow has not yet come. We have only today. Let us begin.” So with God’s boundless peace and love, I enter through the doors of Francis House everyday ready to embrace the gift of presence.

Categories: General

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