An Inspirational Story Wrapped in Faith and Music

Gayla Tighe's fall last July 23rd hasn't kept her from returning to her love of the piano. Read her full story here.

She is 57, and music has been her life, her ministry, her way of serving God. Last Easter, she played the pipe organ and piano at all three services at Redeemer Lutheran Church.

"It's not about me," she says. "It's about giving people a glimpse of God through the music that I play." -- Des Moines Register

 

Near-Paradise Experience

I have written about death in this blog before. Go back to the February, 2010 entries. Today, I got this link from my parents. It's a 20-minute message that follows the reading of the Beatitudes. Jeffrey Thompson, a Georgia lawyer, talks about his "near-death experience," but his recounting of a surgery gone terribly wrong is more a near-paradise experience to me. His four takeaways? God loves you more than you ever could know. Commit yourself to be a better person. When you're in Christ, there is no sting in death. Share your Christian faith and promise with others.

Jan. 30 Sermon/Thompson from Trinity UMC on Vimeo.

³⁹One of the criminals hanging beside him scoffed, “So you’re the Messiah, are you? Prove it by saving yourself—and us, too, while you’re at it!”

⁴⁰But the other criminal protested, “Don’t you fear God even when you have been sentenced to die? ⁴¹We deserve to die for our crimes, but this man hasn’t done anything wrong.” ⁴²Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your Kingdom.”

⁴³And Jesus replied, “I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise.”