Overview

Gary's first words of his introduction to this masterpiece are: ""Spiritual care means being fully present to the suffering of others and meeting them where they are without a whiff of judgment."" I Am Here for You is so much more than a collection of weekly meditations Chaplain Gary Blaine wrote for his hospital coworkers whom he served along with the patients. Although the setting is within a small rural hospital, you will find that the story is much bigger - about life, relationships, struggles and encouragement that apply to all human beings, regardless of occupation, race or stage of life. Gary is not afraid to speak bluntly about life's truths, including suffering and death; yet in doing so finds a way of giving the listener peace, hope and inspiration. ""Pastoral presence is honoring the limits of medicine and nursing, confessing the failures of people and processes, and absolving all with words of hope and forgiveness, abiding presence, and encouragement. ... [It] is the dignity of bearing with these all too human beings and believing in them when all self-confidence has been eroded away.""

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9781733156400

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Reviews

In I Am Here For You Chaplain Blaine movingly addresses his hospital colleagues. He uses humor and gentleness to explain a chaplain's work, and he moves his readers past shallow stereotypes, like chaplain merely as calm presence or professional mourner. He outlines how a chaplain engages the whole hospital system, but he does much more! The beauty and richness of enlivened chaplaincy is demonstrated through his weekly notes to staff. He engages his colleagues; he acknowledges the oft unacknowledged: the human vulnerability witnessed in a hospital is not only that of the patients, but of all who work there. Caring for those who suffer highlights the suffering we all face. In collectively acknowledging this, we strengthen each other. All are ministers in this setting, for God uses common and ordinary people for uncommon and extraordinary blessings. This book, spirited and personal, is written for anyone who works in healthcare, regardless of role, and for anyone seeking grace in the midst of suffering. Donald J. Camp, Sr. Director, Lurie Children's Primary Care - Town and Country Pediatrics, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago I've been graced by reading Gary Blaine's writings for years. Week after week, his sermons contain wisdom, keen observation, compassion, and the invaluable ability to find godliness in everyday joys, routines, and suffering. In this volume, Gary demonstrates the same holy virtues. There are so many good stories, so many profound insights, in this collection. But perhaps most of all, there is ample evidence that Gary attended, that he was fully present and available to the people he served. Gary often closes these reflections with a reminder to the staff, I am here for you. After reading these columns, readers are likely to feel Gary was there for and with them, too. Dr. Gary Peluso-Verdend, President Emeritus, Phillips Theological Seminary

Author Information

Gary Blaine grew up in the waters of the Gulf of Mexico. He calls the Gulf the wellspring of his soul. He has also been nourished in the deciduous forests of the Eastern United States, having camped and tramped parts of the Appalachian Trail, immersing himself in her woods, rivers, and streams. Gary now lives on the plains of Kansas. A graduate of Florida Southern College (B.A. - History) and the Candler School of Theology at Emory University (M.Div. and D.Min.), Gary has done postgraduate studies in English literature. In ministry since 1975, he has served rural, urban, and suburban congregations, as well as hospitals and social service agencies. A published writer and columnist, his work has appeared in The Ohio Observer, the Tulsa World, the Toledo Blade, the Butler Times-Gazette, and the Kansas City Star. Gary is married to Mimi Leo and their blended family includes six children, the youngest of whom is a student at Wichita State University. They live at ""Soggy Bottom,"" a five-acre plot of land where they care for horses, donkeys, goats, and chickens. Reading and writing are his passion, and he also loves photography and fly fishing. He is currently the lead chaplain at Schowalter Villa in Hesston, KS

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