• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • LCA Portal
  • LAMP2
  • LCA Online Donations
  • IT Help
  • Contact

Lutheran Church of Australia

where love comes to life

MENUMENU
  • HOME
  • ABOUT US
    • A BIT ABOUT US

      The Lutheran Church is the largest Protestant church in the world, with over 70 million members. This website tells the story of Australian and New Zealand Lutherans, following Jesus Christ – where love comes to life. Whoever you are, whatever your story, you're welcome here with us.
    • MORE ABOUT US

      • OUR PEOPLE
      • OUR LOGO, OUR MISSION
      • OUR BELIEFS AND TEACHINGS
        • WHAT LUTHERANS BELIEVE – VIDEO SERIES
      • HOW WE WORSHIP
      • OUR STRUCTURE (GOVERNANCE)
        • NOMINATIONS
      • OUR HISTORY
      • LUTHERANS WORLDWIDE
        • WHAT LUTHERANS BELIEVE
          • WHAT LUTHERANS BELIEVE – VIDEO SERIES
        • HISTORY OF THE LUTHERAN CHURCH
  • THE LATEST
    • THE LATEST

      • NEWS
      • DAILY DEVOTION
      • PRAYER POINTS
      • PODCASTS
      • ONLINE WORSHIP
      • RESOURCES
      • TRAINING & EVENTS
      • WAYS TO GET INVOLVED
      • THE LUTHERAN
      • LCA FACEBOOK
    • THE LATEST

      • ORDINATION RESOLUTION WAY FORWARD
      • CALLS – EMPLOYMENT – VOLUNTEERING
      • eNEWS LISTS
  • DEPARTMENTS & AGENCIES
    • DEPARTMENTS

      • DISTRICTS
      • OFFICE OF THE BISHOP
        • LCA INTERNATIONAL MISSION
      • LOCAL MISSION
        • CARE MINISTRIES
        • CHILD YOUTH & FAMILY MINISTRY (GROW MINISTRIES)
        • CROSS-CULTURAL MINISTRY
        • LUTHERAN MEDIA
        • NEW & RENEWING CHURCHES
    • DEPARTMENTS & AGENCIES

      • MINISTRY SUPPORT
        • CHILD SAFETY STANDARDS
        • CHURCH WORKER SUPPORT
        • COMMUNICATIONS
        • FINANCE & ADMINISTRATION
        • INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
        • LCA INSURANCE
        • LUTHERAN ARCHIVES
        • PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS
      • EDUCATION & TRAINING
        • AUSTRALIAN LUTHERAN COLLEGE
        • LUTHERAN EDUCATION AUSTRALIA
    • COMMISSIONS & MINISTRY GROUPS

      • COMMISSIONS
        • SOCIAL AND BIOETHICAL QUESTIONS
          • LUTHERANS FOR LIFE
        • THEOLOGY AND INTER-CHURCH RELATIONS
        • WORSHIP
          • VISUAL ARTS
      • AUXILIARIES AND MINISTRY PARTNERS
        • AUSTRALIAN LUTHERAN WORLD SERVICE
        • FINKE RIVER MISSION
        • LLL
          • LUTHERAN TRACT MISSION
        • LUTHERAN NURSES
          • PARISH NURSING
        • LUTHERAN WOMEN
        • MERCER (SUPERANNUATION)
  • SERVICES & RESOURCES
    • SERVICES & RESOURCES

      • CHILD SAFETY RESOURCES
      • CHRISTIAN CARE SUNDAY
      • COPYRIGHT GUIDELINES
      • CYBER SECURITY
      • DAILY DEVOTIONS
      • DISASTER & WELFARE FUND
      • DOCTRINAL STATEMENTS & THEOLOGICAL OPINIONS
      • DOMESTIC AND FAMILY VIOLENCE, PREVENTION OF
      • EMAILS
      • EMPLOYMENT & VOLUNTEERING OPPORTUNITIES
      • ENEWS
      • ETHICAL DECISION-MAKING GUIDES
      • FORMS
    • SERVICES & RESOURCES

      • GRANTS AND SCHOLARSHIPS
        • BORGFELDT LEGACY
      • GROW DISCIPLES
      • GROW KIDS
      • HEALTH & WELLBEING
      • HUMAN RESOURCE SYSTEM
      • LAMP2
      • LCANZ LEARNING HUB
      • LCA FACEBOOK
      • LCA INSURANCE
      • LCA LOGO
      • LIVESTREAMS
      • LUTHERAN EARTH CARE
      • MINISTRY REVIEWS
    • SERVICES & RESOURCES

      • PODCASTS
      • POLICIES
      • REGULAR ELECTRONIC GIVING
      • SAFE CHURCH TRAINING
      • SOCIAL MEDIA
      • STANDARDS OF ETHICAL BEHAVIOUR
      • STUDY GUIDES
      • THE LUTHERAN
      • TRANSFER FUND
      • VIDEO SERIES – WHAT LUTHERANS BELIEVE
      • WEBSITES
      • WORSHIP PLANNING PAGE
      • VISUAL ARTS
  • TRAINING & EVENTS
    • TRAINING

      • TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES – OVERVIEW
      • LCANZ LEARNING HUB
      • SAFE CHURCH TRAINING
      • CONTINUING EDUCATION FOR PASTORS
      • CAMPAIGN AGAINST FAMILY & DOMESTIC VIOLENCE RESOURCES & TRAINING
      • NEW HORIZONS
      • RENEW MISSION LIFE
      • GROW COACHING
    • EVENTS

      • LOCAL MISSION APPEAL
      • SEASON OF PRAYER 2023
      • CONVENTION OF GENERAL SYNOD 2024
      • CROSS-CULTURAL MINISTRY CONFERENCE 2023
      • DIGITAL MISSION AND MINISTRY FORUM 2022
    • PROJECTS

      • ORDINATION RESOLUTION WAY FORWARD
  • FIND A …

The greatest love story ever told

5 July 2022

by Helen Brinkman
Print Friendly, PDF & Email

The Bible is God’s love story to us. But how can we share his love story with those who are yet to hear it? For 92-year-old Les John, it’s as simple as listening to God. He’s felt guided by God’s hand to help the people he’s met along the way over his lifetime of ups and downs.

The retiree from country Victoria is putting his listening (and writing) skills to use to support and uplift a dear family friend with a cancer diagnosis. At a time when many nonagenarians may feel their helping well is running dry, Les is using the power of words to encourage Courtney, 42, as she battles stage four cancer.

Every day Les writes to Courtney from his home at the Heywood Rural Health hostel north of Portland, Victoria.

‘I pray every time I go to write an email to her for God to give me the strength to support her through the messages, and he has never let me down once’, he says. And Les says it is never too late to hear God’s will for us. As he says: ‘This story is all about love.’

Les and his late wife Marjorie met Courtney in 2006 when Marjorie was recovering from a stroke, and Courtney came to clean the windows of their Portland unit. Courtney became an instant friend.

After Marjorie’s passing from cancer in 2018, Courtney reached out to visit Les in his Heywood hostel. ‘Courtney virtually became a carer to me – taking me out for drives and coffees’, Les recalls.

Then in 2020, COVID-19 appeared, and hostels went into lockdown, so their visits to one another stopped. Soon after, Courtney rang Les to say she’d been diagnosed with cancer.

So, Les started to write to Courtney every day. ‘As my wife had cancer, it gave me the opportunity to be aware of what she was going through’, he says. ‘Every time I sit at the computer, I believe God whispers in my ear what he wants me to share.

‘I am just sharing the saving grace of Jesus Christ, and we’ve had long discussions about that.’


  • GOOD NEWS Story of the Week is a joint service of LCA Communications and the Districts to bring you joy and encouragement as you serve our Lord in your congregations and communities.
  • Got a GOOD NEWS story to share? Please email LCA Communications lca.comms@lca.org.au or your District office.
  • Read more GOOD NEWS Story of the Week at www.lca.org.au/sow
  • Visit www.lca.org.au/spread-the-word to find promotional materials to help you spread the word about our GOOD NEWS Story of the Week.
  • Read the full GOOD NEWS Story of the Week and others like it in The Lutheran.

« Missionary’s service honoured
‘Why I am giving up my bed’ »

Primary Sidebar

Categories

These categories are under construction. More links will be added soon.

Serving with you in …

  • Worship & Growing Faith
  • Local Mission
  • Ministry Support
  • Education & Training
  • Partners in Ministry

Serving you where you serve …

  • Church Workers (Pastors and Lay Workers)
  • Congregation Councils
  • Worship and Spiritual Growth Leaders
  • Mission & Ministry Leaders
  • Children’s Ministry Leaders
  • Youth & Young Adult Leaders
  • Safe Church Coordinators

Serving you with …

  • The Latest (News)
  • Resources
  • Prayer Points
  • Events & Training
  • Ways to Get Involved

Tags

Aboriginal/Indigenous aid ALC ALWS appointments awards bishops children church workers COVID-19 cross-cultural ministry forms fundraising Grow Ministries international International Mission LCA bishop Local Mission Local Mission – Get Involved Local Mission – Resources Lutheran Education Lutheran Media LWF music new and renewing churches NSW NZ ordination pastors PNG policy prayer professional standards Qld refugees SA-NT schools season of prayer social issues synod training Vic-Tas WA worship youth and young adults

Archives for all Updates

  • December 2023
  • November 2023
  • October 2023
  • September 2023
  • August 2023
  • July 2023
  • June 2023
  • May 2023
  • April 2023
  • March 2023
  • February 2023
  • January 2023
  • Don't be the last to find out!

    Join over 4000 people receiving LCA eNews in their inbox every fortnight. It brings you the latest of everything, including updates from this page. It's free, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

    Sign up here

    Footer

    Quicklinks

    • 23 HOME
    • DEPARTMENTS & AGENCIES

     

    • SERVICES, RESOURCES & TRAINING
    • FIND A …

    Contact us

    197 Archer Street
    North Adelaide SA 5006

    PO Box 731
    North Adelaide SA 5006

    08 8267 7300
    email us

    © 2023 Lutheran Church of Australia

    Privacy Policy • Disclaimer

    Designed by LCA Communications