Looking into Janet's eyes, you know immediately she has had a hard life. They have a haunted quality, and tell you at once that she has seen too much poverty, injustice, and strife in her eight decades of life. At the same time, you know she's a survivor, and will continue to do so despite life's obstacles.

Janet told me she wants people to know everything about her. She began by saying, "I am in bad shape, financial and physical."

But spiritual health was a different matter. She quickly added, "I need Jesus. I need Him every hour in every day, because without Him I wouldn't be sitting here now. Thank You Lord for everything, in Jesus' Name."

I asked Janet what being in bad shape meant to her. I said, "Do you have enough money to pay the utilities, the bills, and buy food?"

Janet said she does, but only just. "I have barely enough money to make ends meet ... God is my (Ultimate) Help."

I asked Janet what she thought about the Lifeline of Hope helping her and her son out with some food and prayerful encouragement.

She said, "Praise the Lord, Lord Jesus. Thank You Lord in Jesus' Name."

I wondered how Janet manages in such a difficult economy. She said it is very hard, but she asks God for help every day.

I looked at Janet and said, "When you get up in the morning you think about Jesus, don't you?"

She said, "I have Him on my mind before I get up. I praise (Him) before I hit the floor."

I asked Janet to tell me a little bit about the obvious love she has for Jesus.

She said, "I love Him with all my heart, morning, noon and night. Without God, I couldn't make it."

Janet said she has loved the Lord since she was a youngster, faithfully attending Sunday School and church every week. Without Him, she emphasized, she couldn't make it.

I asked Janet whether things have always been this difficult for her. She said not always, but life has still been hard.

Knowing that she had gotten out of the hospital recently, I asked Janet whether she would feel comfortable telling me about some of the medical issues which she had been encountering. She said she had broken her hip, her leg hurts and even with home health care, doing the routine daily tasks of life is still difficult.

I responded, "But the Lord's helping you, right?"

She said, "Without the Lord Jesus in my life, I couldn't make it from one day to the other."

I added, "And your son helps you, doesn't he?"

She said, "Every day, all the way, as best as he can."

However, things haven't been easy either for Doug, Janet's son, who described his mom as a "special person." He said he has a full-time temporary job, as well as a number of part-time ones. He agreed with his mother that having access to the Lifeline of Hope is a blessing for him and his mom.

I asked him how people who read this could best help him and his mother. He said he'd appreciate everyone's prayers, and then "see what happens. That's all we can do."

Doug told me that while life has never been easy, this year and last year have been exceptionally difficult.

However, he wasn't discouraged and is keeping his faith. I asked him whether having a relationship with Jesus is what allows him to successfully weather these hard times.

He didn't hesitate in his answer, responding, "Without Him I couldn't make it every day ... Yep, just ... keep praying and praying everyday (for us)."

My Take

I so appreciate the Lifeline of Hope. It gives us an opportunity we never had before to be out in the community and share the Love of Jesus with precious souls like Janet and Doug. Would you please pray for them, and us as well, that we could not only continue, but even expand, this ministry of compassion. It is so needed, especially during this difficult economy.