|
THE STORY OF EDITH BURNS... Edith Burns was a wonderful Christian who lived in San Antonio, Texas. She was the patient of a doctor by the name of Will
Phillips. Dr. Phillips was a gentle doctor who saw patients as people. His
favorite patient was Edith Burns. One morning he went to his office with a heavy heart and it was because of Edith Burns. When he walked into that waiting room,
there sat Edith with her big black Bible in her lap earnestly talking to a
young mother sitting beside her. Edith Burns had a habit of introducing herself in this way:
"Hello, my name is Edith Burns. Do you believe in Easter?" Then she
would explain the meaning of Easter, and many times people would be saved. Dr. Phillips walked into that office and there he saw the head nurse, Beverly. Beverly had first met Edith when she was taking her blood pressure. Edith began by saying, "My name is Edith Burns. Do
you believe in Easter?" Beverly said, "Why yes I do." Edith said, "Well, what do you believe about Easter?" Beverly said, "Well, it's all about egg hunts, going to
church, and dressing up." Edith kept pressing her about the real meaning
of Easter, and finally led her to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. Dr. Phillips said, "Beverly, don't call Edith into the office
quite yet. I believe there is another delivery taking place in the
waiting room. After being called back in the doctor's office, Edith sat down and when she took a look at the doctor she said, "Dr. Will, why
are you so sad? Are you reading your Bible? Are you praying?" Dr. Phillips said gently, "Edith, I'm the doctor and you're
the patient." With a heavy heart he said, "Your lab report
came back and it says you have cancer, and Edith, you're not going to live very
long." Edith said, "Why Will Phillips, shame on you. Why are you so
sad? Do you think God makes mistakes? You have just told me I'm going to
see my precious Lord Jesus, my husband, and my friends. You have just told
me that I am going to celebrate Easter Forever, and here you are
having difficulty giving me my ticket!" Dr. Phillips thought to himself, "What a magnificent woman
this Edith Burns is!" Edith continued coming to Dr. Phillips.
Christmas came and the office was closed through January 3rd. On the day the
office opened, Edith did not show up. Later that afternoon, Edith called
Dr. Phillips and said she would have to be moving her story to the hospital and said, "Will, I'm very near home, so would you make sure
that they put women in here next to me in my room who need to know about
Easter." Well, they did just that and women began to come in and share that room with Edith. Many women were saved. Everybody on that floor
from staff to patients were so excited about Edith, that they started calling her Edith Easter; that is everyone except Phyllis Cross, the head nurse. Phyllis made it plain that she wanted nothing to do with Edith because she was a "religious nut". She had been a nurse
in an army hospital. She had seen it all and heard it all. She was the
original G.I. Jane. She had been married three times, she was hard, cold, and did everything by the book. One morning the two nurses who were to attend to Edith were sick. Edith had the flu and Phyllis Cross had to go in and give her a
shot. When she walked in, Edith had a big smile on her face and said, God loves you and I love you, and I have been praying for
you." Phyllis Cross said, "Well, you can quit praying for me, it
won't work. I'm not interested." Edith said, "Well, I will pray and I have asked God not to let
me go home until you come into the family." Phyllis Cross said, "Then you will never die because that will
never happen," and curtly walked out of the room. Every day Phyllis Cross would walk into the room and Edith would say, "God loves you Phyllis and I love you, and I'm praying
for you." One day Phyllis Cross said she was literally drawn to Edith's room like a magnet would draw iron. She sat down on the bed and Edith
said, "I'm so glad you have come, because God told me that today is
your Phyllis Cross said, "Edith, you have asked everybody here the question, 'Do you believe in Easter?' but you have never asked
me." Edith said, "Phyllis, I wanted to many times, but God told me
to wait until you asked, and now that you have asked.." Edith Burns took her Bible and shared with Phyllis Cross the Easter Story of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Edith said, "Phyllis, do you believe in Easter? Do you believe that Jesus
Christ Phyllis Cross said, "Oh I want to believe that with all of my
heart, and I do want Jesus in my life." Right there, Phyllis Cross
prayed and invited Jesus Christ into her heart. For the first time Phyllis
Cross did not walk out of a hospital room, she was carried out on the wings
of angels. Two days later, Phyllis Cross came in and Edith said, "Do you
know what day it is?" Phyllis Cross said,"Why Edith, it's Good
Friday." Edith said, "Oh, no, for you every day is Easter. Happy Easter Phyllis!" Two days later, on Easter Sunday, Phyllis Cross came into work, did some of her duties and then went down to the flower shop and got
some Easter lilies because she wanted to go up to see Edith and give her some Easter lilies and wish her a Happy Easter. When she walked into Edith's room, Edith was in bed. That big black Bible was on her lap. Her hands were in that Bible. There was a
sweet smile on her face. When Phyllis Cross went to pick up Edith's hand, Her left hand was on John 14: "In my Father's house are many mansions. I go to prepare a place for you,I will come again and you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also." Her right hand was on Revelation 21:4, " And God will wipe
away every tear from their eyes, there shall be no more death nor
sorrow, Phyllis Cross took one look at that dead body, and then lifted her face toward heaven, and with tears streaming down here cheeks,
said, "Happy Easter, Edith - Happy Easter!" Phyllis Cross left Edith's body, walked out of the room, and over
to a table where two student nurses were sitting. She said, "My
name is Phyllis Cross. Do you believe in Easter?"
If you believe in Easter, forward this on. God works in wonderful ways, and to believe
in his power is to truly be free. If Jesus had
|
Edith and
Easter...