His Grace is Sufficient for Gwen

by Polly Brown Balint

Gwen Nix is one of those people
who knows who she is, exactly. Shere-
members where she came from and best
of all, she says she kt1ows where she's
going.
Gwen was born to poor tenant farm-
ers in a postage stamp of a place called
Sweetapple, in northern Fulton Coun-
ty, Georgia. Her formal education fell
to the wayside in the seventh grade to
make way for homemade spelling bees,
dictionary memorizing, babysitting ba-
by brothers and picking. cotton.
Gwen recollects her humble begin-
nings. Born at home, weighing three
pounds at birth, she slept in a shoe box
instead of a crib. She was, in fact,
brought into this world with only one
kidney, a deaf ear, no tonsils, and two
sets of internal female reproductive or-
gans.
She wants to remember that. And she
will never forget the time she took her
tiny brother to the edge of a cotton
field, left him on a blanket, cooing and
kicking. with a batch of fresh biscuits
and syrup. After working a few rows of
cotton, Gwen returned to find the infant
covered in ants!
"I don't know why we didn't think to
put him. a box or something," . she says,
her eyes twinkling. "You'd think we
didn't love him or something!"
At 14, Gwen married 17-yea.r-oldRay
Nix, "Because I was afraid no one else
would ask me again!''
She remembers that day she walked
into the Georgia Power Company build-
ing in downtown Atlanta after . Ray
taught her how to deposit a token on
the streetcars. She was hired as a post-
ing clerk and later became a book-
keeper. It was at that time, 26 years ago
that Gwen noticed a tingling sensation
Polly Brown . Balint, . a homemaker . and
sometime school teacher, Is the 'author
of the children's booklet series on the
Ten Commandments, . now In produc-
tion. She h.as a. husband . and a brother
who are both elders at Chalcedon Pres"
byterian Church.
in her left ankle. Since it persisted she
checked into Emory University Medical
Center in Decatur, Ga., for tests. The
ordeal was financed through a grant, and
it became a long, drawn out process.
';After my tests, the doctors said to
go home and forget it," explains Gwen.
Then after four years and more and more
tests the doctors told her she had mUl-
tiple sclerosis (MS) and that it "may
get. worse and. it may get better." At
that time her left side was paralyzed and
seven years later the right side of her
body was totally paralyzed.
"I remember," recalls Gwen, "when
the doctors told me I couldn't walk any-
more, When I told my husband, Ray, I
started to cry. I was so upset that I
wouldn't be able to wear high heeled
shoes!" When she lost the use of her
hands and legs she left the utility com-
pany after 27 years of service.
Then she lived in and out of nursing
homes and entertained other residents
with tape recorders and hymns and Scrip-
ture readings.
"I've never asked why these things
have happened to me, I know why. I
have had opportunities to witness for
the Lord in the nursing homes. i recall
an 84-year-old womanand an 87-year-
old man, both of whom I believe have
gone to heaven."
In 1977, a family in Decatur, Ga.,
heard about Gwen. The head of the
household (who wishes to remain name-
less) told Gwen they wanted to adopt
her. She moved into a private room of
the household which included seven
children.
"I could use my hands at the time,"
says Gwen, in her room wrapped in
. brightly colqred fresh wallpaper. A
table on wheels holds a television set,
and a radio and books fill her shelves.
As Gwen lies in her bed she can look
across her room to the large bulletin
board on the wall which -is completely
covered with about 200 snapshots of
people who have :visited her, correspond-
ed with her or still pray for her, from
different parts of the city and country. A
dresser mirror is framed in more. pic-
tures of families and friends, young and
old. She has memorized the pictures and
daily prays for the saints.
The childless widow can't
get out of bed anymore to sit in her
wheelchair. It's too much work for the
family who takes care of her and it's too
uncomfortable for Gwen. Completely
bedridden, Gwen can move her neck and
head. Her expressive eyes still sparkle
as she speaks. "My throat ntay be next
to be paralyzed. Sometimes I talk and
nothing comes out. It could be nerves,
though. It's such a strange disease, there
is not control from the brain to the
feet," Gwen explains.
Just before Gwen became immobil-
ized she became a Christian. "In 1955,"
she recalls, "I was attending Colonial
Hills Baptist Church and I heard a
sermon of I John which says that Jesus
is the propitiation for our sins. Jesus is
the atoning sacrifice for our sins artd for
the sins of the whole world." Then
Gwen became very active as a Bible con-
ference hostess and Sunday School
hostess. And Ray, a nonbeliever, didn't
object.
"I truly enjoy being arourid people
and that time was a joy in my life. I
had to leave the church in 1968 because
of this illness and the old friends from
church still visit me!"
Today her motionless body ds not
In every part of her body she can
feel pressure and pain. But for Gwen, it
is physical ,pain, not emotional . or
mental. She has to take eight shots
every day. "The Lord has been with me
every. moment. I'm not upset about
this. I never asked Him to make me free
of pain. My faith gets stronger, not
weaker. Without . these problems . I
wouldn't know Him as I do," she ex-
plains.
What does upset Gwen is to see
others in despair and discouragement
about their situations -- AND, shesays,
"when the Georgia Bulldogs football
team loses a game!'' The browri haired
sports fan keeps up with Atlanta
Falcons' football and Braves baseball
playing record, too.
Page 30 ------------------------- The Counsel of Chalcedon, September, 1988 - ,1
Something else that has really bur-
dened Gwen was a particular physician
who had been lreating her, one of many
she had seen over the years. The doctor
was aware of her faith and optimism in
the face of her disease, every time she
visited for the scraping of her bladder.
He told her it was evident she knew
someone special that he did not. She
told him it was her Savior, Jesus
Christ
A similar situation arose six years
ago when Gwen was under another phy-
sical examination. "The doctors realized
that I could see very well (with MS)
and that I had brain power to think
clearly. With this disease, I'm not sup-
posed to. So they gave me an eye test
with scraping and flickering lights.
They said that behind my eyes there is
complete deterioration and disease and
that it is impossible that I can see or
have a clear mind I told them that they
are not in charge of my seeing but that
I have a Father in heaven who is in
charge."
Her "Father in heaven" provided a den-
tist, a son of some friends, who visited
her in her own room in Decatur to give
her a root canal and new partial plates.
"It took him three visits and he brought
machines and everything! And before he
began the work I asked him if we could
pray. An assistant he brought on one
visit couldn't believe it He said, too,
that he had never had a patient pray
before he began working on them. And
since that time I haven't had a bit of
pain or any problems with my teeth,"
says Gwen.
When the time came to pay the doc-
tor, Gwen told him her neighbor offered
to pay her dental expenses. Gwen says
the doctor told her, "I'm just going to
put you on account, on account you
don't have any money!" Gwen recalls
all of this with a laugh.
"I believe that long before I was born
a plan was made for my life by God and
it has all been fantastic to see His
work. Everything has fallen into place.
My hospital bed, the television, the
radio and the little refrigerator are all
gifts. The 'man of the house' bought
and installed my ceiling fan. My neigh-
bor across the street tapes several Sun-
day sermons for me, and I can watch
them on the VCR she gave me.
"Everyone sends me pictures and I
get checks from friends I haven't seen in
ages. People send checks from every-
where. The money goes to pay for my
aide who comes in seven hours a day
and I must pay for my medicine.
And visitors? There are very few days
that people do not come by to see her.
And she loves to have visitors. They
are aquaintances who are old friends
who bring new friends.
"The kids here helped to feed me after
I lost the use of my hands. And the
'man of the house' comes in to tum me
on my side for the night and puts
pillows around me. He kids me and
tells me how fat I am. It is amazing
"Free Will" vs. The Bible
"Free Will" by Men says, ...
'and as many as believed were ordained to
eternal life.'
The Bible says: 'And as many as were
ordained to eternal life believed.' (Acts 13:48)
sar: 'For many are called, but few
c oose.
The Bible says: 'For many are called, but
few are chosen.' (Matt 22:14)
rrw,n ffli: 'Make Y.OUr decision for Christ'
e 1 le says: 'All things are delivered
unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth
the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any
man the Father, save the Son, and he to
whomsoever the Son will reveal him.'
11:27)
'I accepted Jesus as my personal
sav10ur.
The Bible says: 'Y e have not chosen me,
but I have chosen you' (John 15:16). Also:
'But when it pleased GOd, who separated me
from my mother's womb and called me by
his grace, to reveal his Son in me.' (Paul's
testimony in Galatians 1:15-16)
that all of this has happened to me. I
was just a stranger and they took me
in," says Gwen of God's amazing grace.
Since this nameless family took the
spunky Southerner into their home,
they've had their trials but also their
rewards. Years ago the 'man of the
house' was diagnosed with a tumor.
During following examinations the
tumor was absent from his body. The
doctors could not explain it. The man's
business as a painting contractor has
prospered tremendously over the years
since Gwen has lived with them.
As for Gwen, she says she wants to
live life to the fullest until Jesus comes
to take her home. Then she will put on
golden slippers and "dance all over
God's heaven." 0
fjlen say: 'God can't save you unless you let
un.'
The Bible says: 'So then it is not of him
that wil!eth, nor of him that runneth, but of
God that sheweth mercy .. . Therefore hath
he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and
whom he will he hardeneth.' (Romans
9:16,18).
;,ten JBY: 'God. loves you and has a wonderful
!?! an for your hfe.'
Tile Bible Says:'(For the children being
not yet born, neither having done any gOod or
that the purpose of God accordmg to
election mignt stand, not of work:shbu[ of
him that calleth:) It was said unto er, The
elder shall serve the younger. As it is written,
Jacob have I loved but ESau have I hated.'
R 911-13).
'God wants everyone to be saved.
e says: 'And he said unto them,
Unto you it is given to know the mystery of
the kingdom of God: but unto them that are
without, all these things are done in parables:
That seeing they may see, and not rerceive;
and hearing they may hear and no
understancJ: .. ' (Maik:4:li-12). [ByR.Bur""'J
"Harry 'Mad Dog' McDumm, I sentence you to the first available vacancy In
the state penitentiary!"
- The Counsel of Chalcedon, September, 1988 -------------------------------------------------Page31