In Sickness and in Health: A Love Story

By Tom Amlin

In Sickness and in Health: A Love Story is a true story, but not all of the story. I have been in ministry for fifty years, and the need to help people see that they can be what God wants them to be, has never been more needed than right now. This book is written to show an example of a lady who gave her life to living for God while facing the challenges of a debilitating disease. This book shows how a person can be real in the face of adversity. It has been written also to show how individuals can relate and contribute to people who face painful uncertainties. It is a book of a family trying to figure out how to live one day at a time. It is a book that shows the need for people to understand God has given us value. It is a book of hope when it appears there is nothing left for which to live. It is about a mindset, a determination, a conviction, all surrounded in love.

This book is about a lady, while quiet and introverted, who still touched lives in many places of the world. It is about her husband who cared deeply for her, and together, God used them to show others that they can trust God in difficult times. I hope you find the golden nugget of encouragement in this book that will make a difference in your life, your marriage, and your family.
www.beautifulhandsministries.com

• Language: English
• Publisher: Tom Amlin
• Release date: Aug 4, 2017
• ISBN: 9781947671904

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©2017 by Tom Amlin

©2017 Dust Jacket Press

In Sickness and in Health: A Love Story / Tom Amlin

ISBN: 978-0-9983908-7-1

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w w w . d u s t j a c k e t . c o m

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Cover

Title page

Copyrights

Foreword

Mission Statement

Preface

Chapter 1 – Yesterday, Now and Then

Chapter 2 – The Adventure Begins

Chapter 3 – The Big Day

Chapter 4 – The Second Most Important Decision I Will Ever Make

Chapter 5 – Is There Life Without Love?

Chapter 6 – The Shell Cracks and Out Comes the Butterfly

Chapter 7 – Miracles

Chapter 8 – God’s Plan Continues

Chapter 9 – Smorgasbord and Dust Devils in the Desert

Chapter 10 – Trust from Pain and Confrontation

Chapter 11 – You Want Me to do What?

Chapter 12 – Celebration Time

Chapter 13 – The Norm is About to Change

Chapter 14 – Making Sense Out of Common Sense

Conclusion

A Final Tribute to a Christian Lady

About the Author

FOREWORD

I first met Tom and Jackie as a freshman in college. They invited me to have dinner with them in their cottage on the Mount of Praise Campground. We instantly formed a friendship bond. Further, it was obvious to me that they were two people who were madly in love and thus we have this love story book!

Over the years, I was honored to speak at churches where they served and watched and admired the love and concern that they had for one another. I'll never forget the shock and surprise to learn that Jackie had MS. But, as the years unfolded it was easy to see the loving care and the attention to her every need given to her by my friend Tom. Further, Jackie's beautiful spirit, optimistic attitude, radiant face and confident faith made me feel inspired rather than sad and fearful for her.

This book will inspire many people who suffer with debilitating diseases or charged with the watchcase of a loved one. I highly recommend this beautiful love story of two people that I've known most all of my adult life.

Read, weep, rejoice and find resolve to always be at your best in your relationships as well as for the cause of Christ.

– Dr. Stan Toler

Bestselling Author & Speaker

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

MISSION STATEMENT

I would like for the Holy Spirit to make my introverted personality traits to become strong and extroverted in spreading the Gospel of Jesus. I want to be a good wife, a loving mother, good daughter, and good sis- ter. I always want to be a good example to my daughter and son so they can see Christ is able to meet every need. I want to be a good friend to those around me and when I leave this world I want people to be able to say, She walked the race, fought a good fight, finished the course, and kept the faith.

– Jackie Amlin

I want to have a humor that can refresh when life seems not to have sunshine and share it in a way that gives hope for the next moment. I want to have His spirit be such a part of me that humor or tears beckon the passerby to seek to know Him. I want to be the husband, father, son, brother, friend that is as pure gold, for I am striving to be without blemish. I want to be able to accept when I am wrong with the right attitude and not boast when I am right. I want to be known as someone others want to be with and can trust; that my word is my bond, and caring is strength. I want it to be said by family and friends, he walked with God and he never let me down.

– Tom Amlin

PREFACE

In the New American Webster Handy College Dictionary, third edition, Webster describes love as 1) A strong affection for another person, esp. of the opposite sex. 2) An object of affection; a sweetheart. 3) Any strong liking or affection." (Signet, 1995) In Sickness and Health: A Love Story challenges the definition of affection and explores the meaning of commitment and subsequently the precipitating relationship between married couples devoted to the Lord. Do individuals standing before the minister in a beautiful ceremony understand the vow and covenant they make to each other with the words spoken so quickly in sickness and health? How do committed couples develop a deep devotion to each other despite tough times? Do couples stay committed throughout the course of the sacred vows exchanged at the altar? How do couples demonstrate their resolve to remain married when disease and sickness wrecks dreams, hopes, and wishes?

This book challenges the definition of affection and explores the meaning of commitment and subsequently the precipitating relationship between a saved and sanctified married couple unquestionably devoted to the full will of the Lord Jesus Christ.

In the subsequent gripping story of a minister and his lovely wife, a clear and resounding theme pervades the text. God is faithful in difficult times. He is able to deliver, yesterday, today and forever – until death shatters the cement of a devoted relationship built upon the foundation of a loving and merciful God. Hebrews 13:8, Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, and today and forever provides un- equivocal assurance to believers of His inconceivable ability and incomprehensible faithfulness to supply unselfish, gracious, comfort, care and peace, while claiming victory through difficult times.

I challenge you while reading this amazing love story to examine actively and reflectively the vows, covenants and commitments made, and articulated on that exciting and life-changing wedding day, the beginning of life together. Today, do the vows and commitments cement the marriage life? In light of the life-long covenant promised before God and man, consider Can I trust the God of the universe to meet the needs of my strained and painful reality ‘in sick- ness and in health’ – whether emotionally, physically and spiritually? With Divine inspiration, consider Paul’s courageous and obedient behavior while writing his personal epitaph to a close and dear friend, Timothy;

5 But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry. 6 For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. 7 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith 8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.

– II Timothy 4: 5 – 8 (KJV)

It is with thoughtful conviction, Divine inspiration, and reflective sincerity the presentation of In Sickness and Health: A Love Story begins.

– Dr. Gregory A. McFann,

Ed.D., M.A., M.S.

CHAPTER 1

Yesterday, Now and Then

Jackie and I were just two ordinary people blessed with good friends and a loving family. We have enjoyed the privilege to minister in many parts of this great country. We came from just very simple beginnings, hard- working families that love this country and the people in it. As I sit here writing, I cannot help but reflect on our heritage and where I thought we might be at this time in our lives. Jackie and I knew the value of saving money right from the start of our marriage giving some thought to where we might be, as we entered our later years of life. I’ve done a good bit of building over the years and always figured in my later days I would build a couple of houses a year to sell. We should be able to live pretty comfortably with the income from the sale of the houses.

I graduated from a great high school located out in the country close to a little town in Champaign County, Ohio, called Saint Paris. I was blessed with good friends and I have been able to keep in contact with several on a regular basis. I really appreciated my days at Graham High School, even though I could have been a better student. I remember one teacher who tried to get me to study better, and there were times when I guess I did try a little harder. I really liked math, and I guess that was because it was usually pretty easy for me, so with that in mind, I developed the master plan of my life. I knew just what I wanted to do, what I wanted to be, and nothing was going to stop me from success. I would go to college to become a math teacher to supplement what I really desired to do - coach basketball. Great plan that made perfect sense to me, so I decided to ignore, disregard, and run from what I knew God wanted for my life, which was to enter the Minis- try. I decided to attend Urbana College, just 13 miles from where I lived and 10 miles from my high school. I decided I would get an education as easily as possible while having a good time, keeping the dream about the beautiful trophies I would win as a great, winning basketball coach. My life in those days was surely not what I should have been doing. I am not proud of my life at