Several years ago, when I was the new pastor on the scene, Jean Rea came by to see me in the pastor’s office. She was a social worker with a local hospital and a volunteer for the food closet at Olive. During that visit she told me she could envision the day Olive would hire a full-time social worker on staff to help needy people and others with social issues in Jesus’ name. A few years later we did just that. We hired Jean part-time and then later full-time to help us in starting what today is our Church and Community Ministry. We now have three full-time workers and a host of volunteers. One lady made a difference. Jean was a catalyst for ministry at Olive. She “aggravated” me until I did something about the growing need in our community.
 
Not too many years ago Jean moved to Perry, Georgia, to help get social work going there. A few weeks ago news came to me that Miss Jean has cancer. The diagnosis from the doctors is not good. I am praying for God to heal her and I am asking you to join me in that intercession.
 
My favorite saying from Miss Jean, and she has many, is “failure to plan on your part does not constitute an emergency on my part.” In other words, if you wait until the last minute to find help when you knew days ago the crisis was coming, don’t expect me to drop everything and get you out of the ditch. But her bark is usually worse than her bite. She has helped thousands in our city. I am indebted to her. 

I ask you, Father God, to raise her up with health.

Pastor Ted Traylor

Posted on Friday, July 6th, 2007 at 9:40 am.
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