Rest If You Must, Don't Quit

TO ACCOMPLISH GOD’S WILL WE MUST HAVE MORE THAN NEARSIGHTEDNESS. Working with people takes time and much patience.

Galatians 6:9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

In 1981 I accepted the pastorate of a small mission work in eastern Kentucky. I loved the work there. I was there for 8 ½ years, 1372 sermons. One of my loves was the rest home ministry. I took young people and we set up music and played. Today 40 years later the girl that is head of that rest home sang with us. Through the years we played and sang over 400 times there. In 1989 I accepted the pastorate here at Smiths Grove. I had been here almost 10 years.

I was very discouraged and went to church and cried and cried. DOES ANYONE SEE WHAT I AM DOING? My patience with people was gone. I called home and told Linda I was really down and I was going someplace. I did not know where. I was going to take a ride I might be home tonight, maybe tomorrow? I drove and drove and I cried and cried. 5 hours later I found myself back in Prestonsburg. I stopped at the old church. It was closed and up for sale.

I pondered had I accomplished anything in my 8 ½ years? Had I accomplished anything in my 10 years here in the Grove? Was my life in vain? I felt my heart say: PATIENCE MY SON. The tears were still flowing. My pinto found itself in the back of the rest home. I had visited the rest home over 420 times. I begged God. Let someone remember me. Please God, LET SOMEONE REMEMBER ME!

I walked down the hill and buzzed to go in… not one of the staff remembered me. 420 visits and nothing. I walked down the hall way of the rooms. I never recognized one name. No one remembered me. Wait, I saw DEANNA’S NAME ON THE WALL. I walked in and DEANNA was singing. Half of her head was removed. She had the song book to one eye and was singing, 10 years and she was still singing. I waited until she finished. I said: HI, DEANNA, HOW ARE YOU? She never answered? More tears. I started to walk out of the room and DEANNA SAID: PREACHER HOW IS MARTY AND JOSH? (My son’s) How is Linda? My tears turned to joy, DEANNA REMEMBERED ME! I never even said my name.

We visited and had prayer. I walked down the other hall. One name, BETHEL… I walked into Bethel’s room and she just stared at the ceiling. She never said one word. As I was leaving the room I prayed. Bethel answered me. She said is that you Brother Hughes? She said I have wondered about you many times. She said I have been blind now several years. I thought that you was the nurse. She knew my voice. She remembered me and the work for the cross. We laughed and visited. She prayed for me and mentioned both of my sons name in her prayer.

IN YOUR PATIENCE POSSESS YE YOUR SOULS. THANK YOU GOD… 18 YEARS OF WORK, GOD SOMEONE STILL KNEW MY NAME. Pastor, Sunday School teacher, singer --- GOD REMEMBERS US… BE PATIENT.