I Was Sick and You Visited Me: What to Say, What to Do, and Why It Matters
Please Note: This is an updated and expanded version of Hospital Visitation.
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I Was Sick and You Visited Me is a practical, faith-filled training guide for anyone who feels called, but perhaps uncertain, about visiting those who are sick in hospitals and nursing homes.
Grounded in Scripture, this book reframes bedside ministry not as an obligation, but as a sacred opportunity to minister to others in the name of Christ. Drawing from Matthew 25:34–40, where Jesus identifies Himself with “the least of these,” it reminds us that when we visit those who are hurting, we are doing more than visiting a patient, we are serving Christ Himself.
Rather than presenting a rigid formula for every visit, this book equips readers to recognize and respond to the uniqueness of each situation. It addresses the many variables that can shape a visit, including the patient's physical condition, emotional state, family dynamics, and spiritual openness.
Readers will find practical, honest guidance on what to say—and what not to say, how long to stay, where to stand, how to pray with patients, and how to navigate difficult or emotional moments with compassion rather than perfection.
Woven throughout the book is an important reminder: your presence matters more than your eloquence. You do not have to have all the right words or know exactly what to do. Sometimes, simply being there is the ministry God has called you to provide.
The book also includes a Visitation Report Form and reflection pages, giving you an opportunity to record important details and reflect on each visit. These pages can become a lasting record of the people you encountered, the prayers you prayed, and the ways you witnessed God at work through your willingness to serve.
I have intentionally made this updated edition smaller and more portable so that it can easily fit into a woman's purse or a ministry bag. This allows you to carry it with you when making hospital or nursing home visits. You can quickly turn to a Scripture appropriate for the situation, and then make notes afterward while the experience is still fresh in your mind.
I Was Sick and You Visited Me is more than a book about making visits. It is an invitation to discover how God can use your presence, compassion, prayers, and willingness to serve to bring comfort and hope to someone who may be facing one of the most difficult seasons of their life.
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