TUBES

For the past 34 days, I have walked into this hospital to visit my Mother—the same routine every single day. This is also a children’s hospital as well. The main lobby is adorned with yellow butterflies on the ceiling and the giant red cardinal painting on the wall always reminds me God is here. Lullabies play over the loudspeaker every time a baby is born (my sweet reminder, life begins here) and there are beautiful statues of children playing in the atrium. Through the glass windows of the children’s wing, I wait for any little faces to appear, ready to make them smile across the hall. I see the nurses diligently taking excellent care of their patients and I always say good morning to the beautiful servant who cleans our room. These people are amazing here. They have sustained me and my family in ways I can’t even put into words, but I am so thankful for every one of them.

Every time I walk into this hospital, there is one more thing I notice.  If the room doors are cracked open, I look inside as I walk by. Perhaps I am curious, perhaps I’m searching for a miracle. There are patients from all backgrounds dealing with all different levels of sickness but there is one common thing I ALWAYS see in every room—TUBES.

So many tubes are going in and out of every single patient, including my Mother, in all kinds of places on their bodies. The tubes are on the wall, sucking the yucky stuff out, there are tubes connected to bags on the IV stand, pouring nutrients into their sickly bodies. There are even tubes going directly into the veins of people, drawing blood out, and pouring blood in. People in this hospital are still alive largely in part because of tubes! I thank God for the tubes that have kept my Mother alive these last 34 days, but this week…

They removed SEVERAL tubes from her body. The doctors, nurses, and physical and occupational therapists are in awe of the progress my Mother has made. We all know, she is the Golden Daughter of God, truly a miracle to be walking in the land of the living! We still have a ways to go in recovery, but we know that God is doing miraculous things inside and out! This hospital room has become the room that produces life. The ministry happening to the people who enter this room is a beautiful thing to behold. (even though some may grimace at the name of Jesus, others melt) Some have cried, prayed, and worshipped with us. Most of all, we have been a witness to the faithfulness of God to every person who has entered our new “church” here at Williamson Medical, boldly proclaiming the power of the Holy Spirit with no inhibition whatsoever!

Naturally, this fascination with TUBES got me asking myself this question. What is funneling through the tubes of my life today? What is feeding my spirit and what is pouring out of my “tubes”? Numerous factors affect our daily lives—relationships, the daily grind at work, the news, social media, and many more.  I realize there are more distractions than peaceful things. We all need to courageously remove the negativity from our lives. We need to cut off the dead branches that do not produce fruit, whatever the cost. Might I suggest taking a break from social media? If you feel sad and depressed after looking at it, erase that app right now! If it’s not producing fruit in your life, what is it really doing? The answer is it’s stealing your joy.

Most of all, I have been sweetly reminded of how vital it is to serve others with every fiber of our beings for the rest of our days. You never know the effect you will have on someone’s life, so fill yourself up with Jesus and pour and pour and pour it out! Hallelujah! Flood your life through the one tube that is eternal—the tube that connects you to Jesus through His Word and worship! His Word gives life. His Word is true. His Word will never return void. His Word will produce great fruit in your life if you remain with Him. I love you all. Thank you for praying for my beautiful “Golden” Mother. She is the fruit of your beautiful prayers. Keep them coming. We still need you. 

For more info, please visit cherieadams.com

John 15:1-7 

"I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes [1] so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the Word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me, you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given [to] you.”