Edith Burns was a wonderful Christian
who lived in San Antonio, Texas.
She was the patient of doctor by the name of Will Phillips. Dr. Phillips was
a gentle doctor who saw patients as people. His favorite patient was Edith
Burns. One morning he went to his office with a heavy heart and it was
because of Edith Burns. When he walked into that waiting room, there sat
Edith with her big black Bible in her lap earnestly talking to a young
mother sitting beside her.
Edith Burns had a habit of introducing herself in this way: "Hello, my
name is Edith Burns. Do you believe in Easter?" Then she would explain the
meaning of Easter, and many times people would be saved. Dr. Phillips walked
into that office and there he saw the head nurse, Beverly. Beverly had
first met Edith when she was taking her blood pressure. Edith began by
saying, "My name is Edith Burns. Do you believe in Easter?" Beverly said,
"Why yes I do."
Edith said, "Well, what do you believe about Easter?" Beverly said,
"Well, it's all about egg hunts, going to church, and dressing up." Edith
kept pressing her about the real meaning of Easter, and finally led her to a
saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.
Dr. Phillips said, "Beverly, don't call Edith into the office quite
yet. I believe there is another delivery taking place in the waiting room."
After being called back in the doctor's office, Edith sat down and when
she took a look at the doctor she said, "Dr. Will, why are you so sad? Are
you reading your Bible? Are you praying?" Dr. Phillips said gently,
"Edith,
I'm the doctor and you're the patient." With a heavy heart he said, "Your
lab report came back and it says you have cancer, and Edith, you're not
going to live very long."
Edith said, "Why Will Phillips, shame on you. Why are you so sad? Do
you think God makes mistakes? You have just told me I'm going to see my
precious Lord Jesus, my husband, and my friends. You have just told me that
I am going to celebrate Easter forever, and here you are
having difficulty giving me my ticket!"
Dr. Phillips thought to himself, "What a magnificent woman this Edith
Burns is!"
Edith continued coming to Dr. Phillips. Christmas came and the office
was closed through January 3rd. On the day the office opened, Edith did not
show up. Later that afternoon, Edith called Dr. Phillips and said she would
have to be moving to the hospital and said, "Will, I'm very near home, so
would you make sure that they put women in here next to me in my room who
need to know about Easter."
Well, they did just that and women began to come in and share that room
with Edith. Many women were saved. Everybody on that floor from staff to
patients were so excited about Edith, that they started calling her Edith
Easter; that is everyone except Phyllis Cross, the head nurse. Phyllis made
it plain that she wanted nothing to do with Edith because she as a
"religious nut". She had been a nurse in an army hospital. She had
seen it
all and heard it all. She was the original G.I. Jane. She had been married
three times, she was hard, cold, and did everything by the book. One
morning the two nurses who were to attend to Edith were sick. Edith had the
flu and Phyllis Cross had to go in and give her a shot. When she walked in,
Edith had a big smile on her face and said, "Phyllis, God loves you and I
love you, and I have been praying for you."
Phyllis Cross said, "Well, you can quit praying for me, it won't work.
I'm not interested." Edith said, "Well, I will pray and I have asked God
not to let me go home until you come into the family." Phyllis Cross said,
"Then you will never die because that will never
happen," and curtly walked out of the room.
Every day Phyllis Cross would walk
into the room and Edith would say,
"God loves you Phyllis and I love you, and I'm praying for you." One day
Phyllis Cross said she was literally drawn to Edith's room like a magnet
would draw iron. She sat down on the bed and Edith said, "I'm so glad
you have come, because God told me that today is your special
day."
Phyllis Cross said, "Edith, you have asked everybody here the
question,' Do you believe in Easter?' but you have never asked me." Edith
said, "Phyllis, I wanted to many times, but God told me to wait until you
asked, and now that you have asked..."
Edith Burns took her Bible and shared with Phyllis Cross the Easter
Story of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Edith said,
"Phyllis, do you believe in Easter? Do you believe that Jesus Christ is
alive and that He wants to live in your heart?" Phyllis Cross said, "Oh I
want to believe that with all of my heart, and I do want Jesus in my life."
Right there, Phyllis Cross prayed and invited Jesus Christ into her heart.
For the first time Phyllis Cross did not walk out of a hospital room, she
was carried out on the wings of angels.
Two days later, Phyllis Cross came in and Edith said, "Do you know what
day it is?" Phyllis Cross said, "Why Edith, it's Good Friday." Edith
said,
"Oh, no, for you every day is Easter. Happy Easter Phyllis!"
Two days later, on Easter Sunday, Phyllis Cross came into work, did
some of her duties and then went down to the flower shop and got some Easter
lilies because she wanted to go up to see Edith and give her some Easter
lilies and wish her a Happy Easter.
When she walked into Edith's
room, Edith was in bed. That big black Bible was on her lap. Her hands
were in that Bible. There was a sweet smile on her face. When Phyllis
Cross went to pick up Edith's hand, she realized Edith was dead. Her left hand was
on John 14: "In my Father's house are many mansions. I go to prepare a
place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there
you may be also."
Her right hand was on Revelation 21:4,
" And God will wipe away every
tear from their eyes, there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying;
and there shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away."
Phyllis Cross took one look at that dead body, and then lifted her face
toward heaven, and with tears streaming down here cheeks, said, "Happy
Easter, Edith - Happy Easter!" Phyllis Cross left Edith's body, walked out
of the room, and over to a table where two student nurses were sitting. She
said, "My name is Phyllis Cross. Do you believe in Easter?"
