"Easter" Edith Burns

Everyone needs the story of Easter in their heart  so as to know what the future holds for all of us. Eternal  life is forever!

Edith Burns was a wonderful  Christian who lived in San Antonio, Texas. She was the patient of a doctor by the name of Will  Phillips. Dr. Phillips was a gentle doctor who saw  patients as people, and 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 that she would have to be moving  her story 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 "Edith is a religious nut". Phyllis 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 her 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?"  

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