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MidReal Story
The Church Girl
Scenario:When Jeff's mom died he got more and more in the ministry helping out wherever he could but nothing filled the void that his mother left when she died
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Jeffrey "Jeff" Thompson
introspective, and determined. After his mother's death, Jeff becomes deeply involved in the church to cope with his grief. He helps with various tasks, including assisting the elderly and leading youth groups. Despite his efforts, he feels a persistent void left by his mother's passing. Jeff's journey revolves around finding solace and purpose amidst his sorrow.
Maggie Thompson
selfless, and devout. Her sudden death leaves a profound impact on Jeff and their community. She was known for her kindness and dedication to helping others, especially the elderly. Her legacy inspires Jeff to continue her work in the church.
Pastor John Miller
wise, and understanding. Pastor Miller encourages Jeff to stay involved in the church after his mother's death and offers guidance during difficult times. He acknowledges Jeff's efforts and provides emotional support as he navigates his grief.
When mom died, I got more and more into the ministry at church.
I helped out with whatever I could.
I assisted the elderly, I helped lead the youth groups.
I even helped Pastor John with his sermon notes.
I figured if I could just stay busy enough, maybe the hole that mom had left would start to fill in.
Maybe I could forget for a little while that she was actually gone.
She had been such a big part of our church, it was almost like she was still there when I saw Mrs. Johnson sitting in her usual pew, or when I helped Mrs. Williamson carry her groceries after service as I had seen my mom do so many times before.
It was almost as if she was still there when I smelled the fresh bread that the ladies of the church made every week.
It was almost as if she was still there when I heard them talk about all the work that she had done for the church and how much she was missed.
But no matter how much I did, no matter how busy I kept myself, there was always something that reminded me that she was really gone.
I had been thinking about this for a while, and I decided that I was going to talk to Pastor John about it.
He was still in the sanctuary after the evening service, picking up his notes and tidying up the altar.
He was a very calm and collected man, and he always seemed to know exactly what to say.
I approached him quietly, rehearsing the words in my head as I walked.
"Pastor, can I speak with you?"
I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.
He looked up at me from where he was kneeling on the floor.
"Yes, Jeff. What is it?"
He was always so calm, even when he was talking to me.
It always made me feel better when I was around him.
"Can I speak about Mom during the next sermon?"
I asked him.
I could feel my heart pounding in my chest, but I tried not to show it.
He paused for a minute, looking at me with his kind eyes.
"Of course, Jeff," he said finally.
He stood up and put his hand on my shoulder.
"I think that would be a great idea. What did you have in mind?"
"I'm not really sure," I admitted.
"I just know that she did so much for this church. She was always helping out the elderly and the poor. She even helped start a lot of the programs we have today."
I took a deep breath before continuing.
"And she taught me everything I know about God. She taught me how to pray and how to live righteously. She taught me how to help others." "That's all true," Pastor John said softly.
"Your mom was one of the most selfless people I've ever known. But what do you want to say about her passing?"
"I don't know," I said again.
"I guess just that she's gone. And it's hard for me sometimes."
Pastor John nodded sympathetically.
"I understand," he said gently.
"Why don't we work on this together? We can write out a little speech that you can give during the next sermon. It will be good for you to talk about your feelings."
I nodded, feeling a sense of relief wash over me.
"Thank you," I said quietly.
Pastor John smiled at me and patted my shoulder again before turning back to his notes on the floor.
Just then Sarah walked into the sanctuary.
She saw us talking and came over to join us.
"Hi, Pastor John," she said.
"Hi, Sarah," he replied.
"What are you two talking about?"
"I was just talking to Jeff about his mom," Pastor John explained.
"He wants to say a few words about her during the next sermon."
"That's a great idea," she said.
"I'm sure everyone would love to hear from you."
I nodded at her, feeling a little better now that she was there.
She always knew how to make me feel better.
The next morning, I went to meet with Pastor John in his office.
It was a cozy room filled with books and the smell of old wood.
He gestured for me to sit down in one of the chairs in front of his desk, and he sat down in the other one.
"Okay, let's get started," he said, pulling out a piece of paper and a pen.
"What do you want to say about your mom?"
I took a deep breath before starting.
"Well, I guess first of all I want to say that she was an amazing person. She was always so kind and caring. She always put others before herself."
I paused for a minute, thinking about what else I wanted to say. "I remember when we used to have church picnics. Mom would always be there, helping set up and making sure everyone had enough food. She would always laugh with the kids when they were playing games."
I smiled as I remembered those times.
"She was also very helpful. She would help people move into their new homes or fix things around their houses. She even helped start some of the programs we have at church today."
Pastor John nodded as I spoke, occasionally jotting down some notes on his paper.
He looked up at me after I finished speaking.
"That's great," he said softly.
"Is there anything else you want to say?"
I thought for a minute before answering him.
"I guess just that she taught me everything I know about God. She taught me how to pray and how to live righteously. She taught me how to help others."
Pastor John nodded again, smiling at me this time.
"That's wonderful," he said softly.
"Those are great things to say about your mom."
He looked back down at his paper and began writing again.
After a few minutes, he looked back up at me.
"Here is what we have so far," he said, handing me the paper.
I took the paper from him and read over what he had written.
It was all of the things I had told him about Mom, but in a more polished form.
I could feel my eyes starting to water as I read over the words.
It was almost like she was there again, talking to me.
"Is this okay?"
Pastor John asked after I finished reading.
"Yes," I said, handing the paper back to him.
"But maybe we could change this part."
I pointed to a line that didn't quite sound like Mom.
He nodded and made the change.
Then he handed the paper back to me.
"Would you like to read it out loud?"
I nodded and cleared my throat before starting.
"Here is what I have so far," Pastor John said softly.
He looked down at his paper and began reading.
"My mom was an amazing person. She was always so kind and caring. She always put others before herself."
He paused for a minute, looking up at me with his kind eyes.
"I remember when we used to have church picnics. Mom would always be there, helping set up and making sure everyone had enough food. She would always laugh with the kids when they were playing games."
He smiled as he remembered those times.
"My mom was also very helpful. She would help people move into their new homes or fix things around their houses. She even helped start some of the programs we have at church today."
He looked back down at his paper and continued reading. "My mom taught me everything I know about God. She taught me how to pray and how to live righteously. She taught me how to help others."
I could feel my eyes starting to water again as I heard those words.
It sounded just like her, talking to me again.
"Is this okay?"
Pastor John asked after he finished reading.
"Yes," I said, folding the paper carefully and putting it in my pocket.
I stood up and thanked him before leaving his office.
I felt a little better now that I had talked about Mom with Pastor John.
