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Speaker 1: He is the one you praise. He is your God,

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Speaker 1: who performed for you those great and awesome wonders you

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Speaker 1: saw with your own eyes. Deuteronomy 10.21 Almighty God, we

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Speaker 1: come before you in awe, praising your holy name for

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Speaker 1: your wonders you have done. You are the one we praise,

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Speaker 1: the one who has performed great and mighty works that

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Speaker 1: fill us with amazement. Thank you for your creation, your miracles,

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Speaker 1: and your steadfast love. We ask that you renew a

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Speaker 1: deep sense of awe at your mighty works in us.

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Speaker 1: Open our eyes to see your hand in every part

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Speaker 1: of our lives and fill our hearts with reverence for

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Speaker 1: your power and majesty. Help us to never take your

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Speaker 1: wonders for granted, but to continually lift up our voices

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Speaker 1: in praise and gratitude. for all that you are. In Jesus'

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Speaker 1: name we pray.

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Speaker 2: Amen.

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Speaker 1: Thank you for praying with me today. You're listening to

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Speaker 1: The Jesus Podcast, dramatic stories inspired by the Bible. Remain

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Speaker 1: here for another story from our mini-series on the birth

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Speaker 1: of the church. The room was covered in dense darkness,

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Speaker 1: but not for a lack of light. Several men and

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Speaker 1: women were scattered around the room. Weeping, despite their best

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Speaker 1: efforts to control themselves, their broken spirits allowed their emotions

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Speaker 1: to seep out. They knew their friend, who lay on

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Speaker 1: the bed in a spiraling illness, deserved a sign of

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Speaker 1: strength to help her find her own. But in a

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Speaker 1: display of irony, she seemed to be the one comforting them.

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Speaker 2: My beloved friends, weep not for me, I know where

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Speaker 2: I am headed. Really, you should all be jealous of me,

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Speaker 2: for I will know the grandness of heaven before you all.

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Speaker 1: Her friends laughed through the breaks in their tears. Dorcas

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Speaker 1: was always caring for others, but none could have imagined

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Speaker 1: this selflessness would be just as strong on her deathbed.

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Speaker 2: But I do have one request for you all before.

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Speaker 1: Her words trailed off. Her friends had discouraged her from

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Speaker 1: talking of her fate with such fatalism. But she knew

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Speaker 1: her body best and had accepted her illness would soon

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Speaker 1: consume her entirely. But her hope remained strong. Her trust

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Speaker 1: in the Lord had ensured that she had no fear

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Speaker 1: in life. And she was determined to keep that resolute

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Speaker 1: spirit even into death. A young man beside the bed responded.

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Speaker 3: Anything, Tabitha. Whatever you ask.

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Speaker 1: Tavi addressed her by her Aramaic name. Tavi had met

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Speaker 1: her when he was a child, following the death of

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Speaker 1: his parents. Dorcas had welcomed him into her home. He

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Speaker 1: had not only grown to care for her, but saw

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Speaker 1: her as family. Tavi was intent on repaying her kindness

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Speaker 1: any way he could.

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Speaker 2: Please remain in the faith. I know this hasn't been

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Speaker 2: easy on any of you, but the Lord will provide

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Speaker 2: for everyone. Trust in him.

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Speaker 1: Dorcas shared her wishes through labored breaths. When she finished,

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Speaker 1: she dropped her head back onto her pillow, where she

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Speaker 1: closed her eyes. for the final time.

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Speaker 4: Today, we're learning about the seamstress who stitched a community together.

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Speaker 4: Welcome to the Jesus Podcast. We've been taking the better

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Speaker 4: part of this month to go through the birth of

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Speaker 4: the church. These early stories in the book of Acts

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Speaker 4: that showcase Christ's strength through imperfect people. Today, we're diving

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Speaker 4: into a story from Acts 9, 36-43 that's got everything.

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Speaker 4: It's got drama, miracles, and fashion. Yes, I said it, fashion. Oh,

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Speaker 4: and I forgot to mention, this story also showcases the

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Speaker 4: lamest name in all of Scripture, Dorcas.

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Speaker 1: The winter morning's chill was burning away as the sun

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Speaker 1: climbed over the snowy mountains in the distance. Spring was approaching,

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Speaker 1: and with it, new life. For the first time in weeks,

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Speaker 1: Peter saw birds take flight before the sun on a

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Speaker 1: new search for twigs to brace their nests. If he

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Speaker 1: were quiet enough, he could catch sight of the peaks

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Speaker 1: of gazelle horns darting over the brittle gray underbrush. Peter

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Speaker 1: admired the Lord's beautiful creation and its captivating wonder. This

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Speaker 1: glorious handiwork was all being sustained by the Creator. Peter

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Speaker 1: pondered on his own place in it all. Recently, the

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Speaker 1: Pharisee Saul had swung from becoming the church's greatest threat

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Speaker 1: to boldly speaking on the Lord's behalf Throughout Jerusalem, it

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Speaker 1: also made Peter realize how small the world really was

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Speaker 1: compared to the sovereignty of God, who held the expanse

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Speaker 1: of the heavens and earth in the span of his hand.

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Speaker 1: Peter continued to marvel at the Lord's power as he walked.

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Speaker 1: He had found that traveling throughout the country had given

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Speaker 1: him much more time to work through his thoughts, a

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Speaker 1: necessary practice he had found. to keep his mind focused

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Speaker 1: on the Lord and his mission. And while Jerusalem had

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Speaker 1: become his second home, he had welcomed the chance to

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Speaker 1: visit believers in other cities. The day his sights, his

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Speaker 1: sights were set on the people of Lydda. It was

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Speaker 1: midday by the time Peter made his way past the

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Speaker 1: first few homes that sat on the town's border. He

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Speaker 1: was aware of the presence of other disciples in the

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Speaker 1: city and was determined to meet them first. However, as

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Speaker 1: they often did when following the Spirit, Peter's plans quickly

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Speaker 1: changed when he noticed someone curled up on the side

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Speaker 1: of the road. On a beaten-up mat lay a man

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Speaker 1: who looked a fair bit younger than Peter. From the

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Speaker 1: frayed edges of his blanket, he could only assume that

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Speaker 1: he had been there for quite some time. Peter turned

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Speaker 1: and approached the man. The Apostle had expected him to

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Speaker 1: introduce himself. or at the very least ask for money.

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Speaker 1: But it was evident that the coldness of both winter

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Speaker 1: and years without the use of his legs had drained

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Speaker 1: the man of his last bits of energy. Instead, the

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Speaker 1: man simply watched Peter without so much as a nod.

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Speaker 1: The man's name was Aeneas. He had been raised as

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Speaker 1: a stonemason with dreams of constructing grand palaces for kings

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Speaker 1: and noblemen. but he had lost the use of his

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Speaker 1: legs eight years ago when he had fallen from the

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Speaker 1: top of a house he was building. The accident had

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Speaker 1: left him with no hope for a life outside of

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Speaker 1: the confines of his personal prison. He refused to complain

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Speaker 1: about his unfortunate circumstances, but the years had taken a

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Speaker 1: toll on his morale. No longer able to feign happiness

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Speaker 1: at passersby, he had resigned himself to complacency. Peter's heart

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Speaker 1: was swept over with compassion and empathy for the poor fellow.

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Speaker 1: Though Peter had been blessed with health, he knew what

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Speaker 1: it was like to be at the end of your

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Speaker 1: rope in need of a handout.

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Speaker 5: Shalom. Would you mind if I took a seat here

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Speaker 5: while I rested?

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Speaker 1: Aeneas grunted and shrugged his shoulders. He had occasionally had

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Speaker 1: travelers who would come and offer him empty platitudes, alongside

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Speaker 1: a few coins if they could spare any. and was

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Speaker 1: bracing himself for another such interaction. Peter gently sat at Aeneas' feet.

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Speaker 1: He knew the hardened shell was only a means of

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Speaker 1: protection for the young man. He gingerly tried to make

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Speaker 1: a connection with him. Young man, what is your name?

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Speaker 1: Aeneas gave the stranger a sideways glance. It had been

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Speaker 1: longer than he could remember since someone asked him his name.

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Speaker 1: He swapped in a feeble attempt to wet his dry throat.

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Speaker 5: Ah.

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Speaker 2: Anais.

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Speaker 5: A pleasure to meet you, Aeneas. My name is Peter.

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Speaker 1: Anais pretended to care, but deep down he was hoping

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Speaker 1: he wouldn't have to talk for long so he could

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Speaker 1: get back to trying to sleep.

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Speaker 5: Tell me, Aeneas, I imagine that life out in the

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Speaker 5: cold doesn't suit a young man like yourself. Would you

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Speaker 5: like to be healed?

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Speaker 1: Anais was offended at Peter's directness. He was insulted at

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Speaker 1: such a question. and would have had to restrain himself

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Speaker 1: from striking a stranger if he had had the strength

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Speaker 1: to move. He did his best to remain respectful, though

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Speaker 1: did so through gritted teeth.

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Speaker 6: I would very much like to be healed, but doctors, priests,

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Speaker 6: and healers have all tried. They say there's nothing that

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Speaker 6: can be done.

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Speaker 1: Peter grinned and caught Anais fully off guard.

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Speaker 5: I believe I know a physician you haven't seen before,

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Speaker 5: though you may have heard of him.

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Speaker 6: I've seen every doctor I could afford from here to Caesarea.

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Speaker 6: If he's any good, I think I would have heard

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Speaker 6: of him.

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Speaker 5: The physician I speak of comes from somewhere a bit

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Speaker 5: farther than the roads you and I have traveled. And yes,

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Speaker 5: I speak of Jesus Christ. It is he who heals you.

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Speaker 1: Anais was confused at Peter's language. He spoke as though

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Speaker 1: this physician had already healed him. He was about to

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Speaker 1: retort the claim when he was distracted by his blankets.

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Speaker 1: At first, he hadn't realized it, but Anais could feel

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Speaker 1: the slight pressure caused by Peter sitting on the end

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Speaker 1: of his mat. He wiggled his toes and let out

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Speaker 1: a jovial laugh. He quickly looked up at Peter, his

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Speaker 1: jaw dropping into a wide smile. Now come, get up

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Speaker 1: and roll up your mat. You won't be needing it

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Speaker 1: any longer. Whales rang out from Dorcas' room. as Tabby

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Speaker 1: held her lifeless hand in his. He refused to believe

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Speaker 1: she was gone, and was dumbstruck by how quickly.

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Speaker 5: Life could leave a person.

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Speaker 1: He looked upon the body of his friend, but the

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Speaker 1: spirit that made her who she was had departed. He

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Speaker 1: allowed himself to break down into tears. He looked around

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Speaker 1: the room for some sort of comfort, but found none.

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Speaker 1: Heartbreak was eating away at his companion's as fast as

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Speaker 1: it was eating away at him. He wiped his face

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Speaker 1: and found his composure.

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Speaker 3: I won't accept it.

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Speaker 1: I can't.

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Speaker 5: Tavi, you must. There is nothing anyone can do. She's gone.

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Speaker 1: Tavi wouldn't allow himself to fall into the pit of despair.

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Speaker 1: He stared at the blank wall when a light went

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Speaker 1: off in his head.

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Speaker 3: There's nothing we can do, but there is one who can.

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Speaker 3: I've heard word. that the Apostle Peter is near.

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Speaker 5: I must go to.

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Speaker 3: Him at once. If there is anyone who can help,

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Speaker 3: it's him. Even if just to help our people grieve

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Speaker 3: our loss.

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Speaker 1: Even though Dorcas was gone, there wasn't a minute to waste.

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Speaker 1: He had promised Dorcas he wouldn't lose faith. He trusted

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Speaker 1: that God would provide for her needs. Tavi jumped to

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Speaker 1: his feet and ran to the door for his cloak.

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Speaker 1: He knew if he was quick, he could make the

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Speaker 1: journey by nightfall. Peter spent the afternoon with Anais, teaching

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Speaker 1: him about the great physician. Those who recognized the once

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Speaker 1: lame man joined in their conversations. Soon many in the

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Speaker 1: city had believed in Jesus. Peter knew that this was

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Speaker 1: only the beginning. By the late afternoon he had made

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Speaker 1: his way through Lyda and found the house of one

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Speaker 1: of the believers and knocked. The door swung open suddenly,

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Speaker 1: nearly hitting Peter in the face. He stood nearly a

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Speaker 1: head above the elderly woman who opened the door to

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Speaker 1: greet him.

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Speaker 2: Oh, you must be the Apostle Peter. I'm so glad

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Speaker 2: you found the house. My name is Ayla. I was

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Speaker 2: told you would be here this afternoon, but your arrival

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Speaker 2: is celebrated nonetheless. Oh, please, come in and rest. Eat

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Speaker 2: some food before we get started. Can I get you

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Speaker 2: a drink? Take your bag for you.

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Speaker 1: Peter was alarmed at Isla's agile mind. Despite her rage,

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Speaker 1: she jumped from thought to thought with apparent ease. She

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Speaker 1: scampered into the house. Peter assumed that was her way

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Speaker 1: of inviting him in. She ran off to the kitchen

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Speaker 1: and promptly returned with dishes stacked high upon her arms.

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Speaker 1: Peter was worried they would tumble over. but she floated

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Speaker 1: across the room and casually laid out the plates as

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Speaker 1: though she had done this countless times. Peter had mapped

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Speaker 1: out his priorities for the trip and ran over them

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Speaker 1: in his mind. The plan was to teach the believers

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Speaker 1: and help establish the necessary structure for the people to thrive.

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Speaker 1: He began to share his thoughts with Ayla. When the

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Speaker 1: two heard a fist pounding at the door, Ayla glided

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Speaker 1: through the house and opened the door. to find a

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Speaker 1: disheveled young man, clearly out of breath.

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Speaker 5: Good evening, ma'am.

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Speaker 3: I'm sorry to interrupt your evening, but I'm looking for

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Speaker 3: a man by the name of Peter.

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Speaker 1: On hearing his name, Peter slid his chair back and

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Speaker 1: stood against the wall between the kitchen and the entryway.

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Speaker 1: The young man caught sight of him and began to

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Speaker 1: address him fervently.

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Speaker 3: You must be him, the Apostle Peter. My name is Tavi.

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Speaker 3: I have come from Joppa on behalf of the believers there.

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Speaker 3: One of our very finest has... passed away.

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Speaker 1: Tabby was choked up at saying the words for the

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Speaker 1: first time. His focus on traveling to Lyda had given

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Speaker 1: him momentary distraction from the harsh reality of home.

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Speaker 3: Please, you must come for the good of the people.

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Speaker 3: Tabitha has done more for the believers in Joppa than

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Speaker 3: the rest of us combined. Having the support of an

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Speaker 3: apostle at a time like this would surely encourage everyone.

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Speaker 1: Peter walked up and placed a fatherly hand on Tabby.

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Speaker 1: He looked at Aayla, not wanting to disappoint her and

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Speaker 1: the people of Lyda who were expecting his stay to

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Speaker 1: be longer. The elderly woman just smiled and nodded. Years

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Speaker 1: of life experience had given her a profound understanding of

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Speaker 1: its ever-changing nature.

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Speaker 2: Ah, it sounds like you're needed elsewhere for now. With

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Speaker 2: the testimony of Ainis... I'm sure the believers here are

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Speaker 2: far more encouraged than they were just yesterday.

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Speaker 1: Peter directed Tabby in through the door and made plans

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Speaker 1: to leave at the first light of morning. The road

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Speaker 1: to Joppa was long, but it gave Peter ample time

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Speaker 1: to hear more of Tabby's story. Though to his surprise,

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Speaker 1: the young disciple spoke more of Dorcas than he did

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Speaker 1: of himself. There was no mistaking Tabby's endearment to the

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Speaker 1: motherly figure.

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Speaker 3: Here it is, Tabitha's house. Please come in.

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Speaker 1: Dreariness had beset the poor house. Floorboards creaked in the

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Speaker 1: silence of death's bitter sting. In only a few short days,

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Speaker 1: dust had collected on the tables and chairs, a haunting

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Speaker 1: reminder that Dorcas' constant upkeep was no longer present. Tavi

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Speaker 1: took Peter upstairs. Several of the other believers surrounded the

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Speaker 1: bed in mournful prayers. Atop the bed lay Dorcas. In

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Speaker 1: Tavi's absence, the others had washed her and covered her

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Speaker 1: in their finest cloth. When some of the grieving widows

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Speaker 1: saw Peter, they hurried over to him, clenching delicately crafted

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Speaker 1: robes in their fists.

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Speaker 2: Oh, how you would have loved her. She was always

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Speaker 2: doing something for others. Even when her own dresses were

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Speaker 2: falling apart, she was weaving beautiful clothes for us. It

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Speaker 2: didn't matter, though. for she still glowed radiantly, a true

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Speaker 2: gem of our people.

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Speaker 1: Peter had been beckoned to comfort the mourning community, but

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Speaker 1: he was stirred with the feeling that Dorcas had been

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Speaker 1: taken from the people far too early.

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Speaker 5: I have no doubt that Dorcas loved you with the

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Speaker 5: love of our Lord Jesus Christ.

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Speaker 1: The love of Jesus, a love that knew no bounds.

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Speaker 1: Peter had seen it on display countless times. But being

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Speaker 1: in this upper room, in the midst of the people's

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Speaker 1: heavy grief, left him thinking of one instance in particular.

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Speaker 1: At the time, Jesus had sworn Peter and the Zebedee

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Speaker 1: brothers to secrecy until after his own death. What he

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Speaker 1: was contemplating to do next was more for them than

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Speaker 1: it was for Dorcas.

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Speaker 5: If I may have the room, it should only be

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Speaker 5: a moment.

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Speaker 1: In their sorrow... Nobody objected to Peter's request. They slunk

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Speaker 1: from the room to the funeral march of their sobbing.

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Speaker 1: Once the door was closed behind them, Peter knelt down

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Speaker 1: at the side of Dorcas' bed. He took her hand

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Speaker 1: in his and began praying. He muttered with his eyes

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Speaker 1: shut tight as his memory drew up flashes of Jerry's house.

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Speaker 1: Though his eyes were closed, Peter envisioned Jesus kneeling beside him.

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Speaker 1: The thought invigorated the apostle. He leaned over Dorcas' body

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Speaker 1: and whispered into her ear, Tabitha, get up. Instantly, Dorcas

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Speaker 1: threw her eyes open and gasped. She tilted her head

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Speaker 1: towards Peter. Startled, she sat upright in the bed. It's

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Speaker 1: quite all right, Tabitha. My name is Peter. Here, let

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Speaker 1: me help you up. Careful now. Peter helped Tabitha to

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Speaker 1: her feet. She felt as though she had just awoken

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Speaker 1: from the most pleasant sleep, full of dreams that were

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Speaker 1: quickly fading from her memory. She took note of the

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Speaker 1: empty room.

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Speaker 5: Not to worry. Everyone is waiting just downstairs for you.

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Speaker 5: Let me call them.

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Speaker 1: Peter stepped toward the stairway as Tabitha tried to piece together.

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Speaker 5: What had happened.

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Speaker 1: The last thing she could recall was encouraging Tabby and

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Speaker 1: the others. She could only guess at how much time

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Speaker 1: past since. She heard the sound of racing footsteps stomping

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Speaker 1: up the stairs. Tavi's face beamed at the sight of Dorcas.

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Speaker 1: He was followed by the others, whose tears of mourning

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Speaker 1: had turned into tears Peter was the last to walk

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Speaker 1: back in. He watched contentedly from the corner of the

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Speaker 1: room as friends embraced one another. Life was pulsing through

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Speaker 1: the house once more. The Spirit of God had fed

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Speaker 1: their weary souls, and by the look on Dorcas' face,

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Speaker 1: Peter knew just what needed to happen next.

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Speaker 5: Tavi, please get our Tabitha something to eat.

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Speaker 4: All right, so let's talk about Tabitha, also known as Dorcas.

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Speaker 4: And I can't not smile when I hear that name. Now,

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Speaker 4: if you're like me, immature and like a junior hire,

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Speaker 4: you were thinking, who names their kid Dorcas? But before

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Speaker 4: we judge her parents, let's remember that Dorcas means gazelle,

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Speaker 4: a creature known for its grace and its beauty. So

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Speaker 4: picture our sister Tabitha as an embodiment of elegance and kindness.

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Speaker 4: Tabitha was the kind of woman who didn't just talk

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Speaker 4: about love. She wore it on her sleeve and stitched

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Speaker 4: it into every garment she made. She was full of

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Speaker 4: good works and charitable deeds in everything that she did.

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Speaker 4: Notice that the scripture doesn't say which she intended to

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Speaker 4: do or which she felt inspired about. No, she put

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Speaker 4: her faith into action needle by needle, thread by thread.

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Speaker 4: When she fell ill and died, the community was devastated.

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Speaker 4: The widows, those often overlooked and marginalized, stood around Peter

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Speaker 4: weeping and showing off the tunics and garments Dorcas had made.

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Speaker 4: It was a divine fashion show with a message. This

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Speaker 4: is what love looks like. And I want that for

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Speaker 4: my funeral. I want that when my final breaths are made.

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Speaker 4: I want everyone in my life to have a tangible

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Speaker 4: example of how I loved the community, how I loved

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Speaker 4: them and affected their lives. And because these people love her,

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Speaker 4: they sent for Peter, who's nearby in Lyda. Peter arrives

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Speaker 4: and is greeted by this emotional display. Now, Peter could

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Speaker 4: have easily been overwhelmed or even skeptical, but instead, he

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Speaker 4: takes a page out of Jesus' playbook. He asks everyone

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Speaker 4: to leave the room, perhaps to avoid any distractions or

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Speaker 4: to create an intimate space for God's work. Then, Peter prays.

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Speaker 4: He doesn't launch into a grand speech or perform a

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Speaker 4: theatrical ritual. He simply turns to the body and says,' Tabitha, arise,'

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Speaker 4: and she opens her eyes. Imagine that moment. One minute

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Speaker 4: the room is filled with sorrow, the next it's overflowing

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Speaker 4: with astonished joy. Peter presents her alive to the saints

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Speaker 4: and the widows, and the news spreads faster than any

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Speaker 4: rumor on social media. Many believed in the Lord because

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Speaker 4: of this miracle. So what can we learn from this

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Speaker 4: incredible story? First, Tabitha shows us the impact of a

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Speaker 4: life lived in service. She didn't perform grand miracles or

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Speaker 4: deliver stirring sermons. She used the gifts that she had,

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Speaker 4: her sewing skills, to bless others. Sometimes the most profound

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Speaker 4: ministry happens not on the pulpit or not on the

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Speaker 4: big screens, but in the everyday acts of kindness that

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Speaker 4: we offer to one another, using the skills that we

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Speaker 4: have available to us and the resources, as little or

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Speaker 4: as great as they are, to simply bless other people. Second,

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Speaker 4: Peter's actions remind us of the power of prayer and

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Speaker 4: the importance of following Jesus' example. He didn't rely on

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Speaker 4: his own strength. He didn't make this a grand spectacle

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Speaker 4: about himself. He knelt down silently in an empty room

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Speaker 4: and prayed. How often do we face overwhelming situations and

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Speaker 4: forget to see God's guidance first? How often are we

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Speaker 4: wanting to prove something to others that we're faithful or

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Speaker 4: that we're capable, and so we rob ourselves of a beautiful,

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Speaker 4: intimate moment with God and actually miss out on the miracles? Lastly,

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Speaker 4: let's not overlook where Peter stays after this miracle, with Simon,

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Speaker 4: a tanner. Now, tanners weren't exactly the most popular folks

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Speaker 4: back then. Their profession was considered unclean because they worked

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Speaker 4: with dead animals. Yet, Peter chose to lodge with him.

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Speaker 4: This is significant. It's a hint that Peter's heart is

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Speaker 4: starting to change, preparing him for the next big step

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Speaker 4: when he's going to proclaim the gospel to the Gentiles.

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Speaker 4: Now that's a story for next time.