Do You Believe in Easter

This story challenged my heart and my life for the Lord and His work. I hope it will challenge yours too. Have a box of tissue handy. May God Bless you as you read.

In His Love.
Louis








From
THE STORY OF EDITH BURNS...

Happy Easter!

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, "Phyllis, 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 special day."

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 is alive and that He wants to
live in your heart?"

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, she realized Edith was
dead. 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 receive 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, nor crying; and there
shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed
away."

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?"