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Restoring Health: body, mind and spirit

Tag Archives: Vera Cline


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God has been faithful in the past 40+ years….

Christmas 1979

Christmas has always been a special time for both the Hird & Cline families. Nana Allen was with us until the Spring of 1982

Looking at this photo from thirty years ago, I fondly remember my beloved maternal Grandmother Nana Allen (on the 2nd right). She was an amazing inspiration in my life. I would likely not be an Anglican priest today without her inspiration and prayers. My late mother Lorna is on Nana’s right. Mom also knew that I would become an Anglican priest. She was an amazing listener, putting up with my lostness and self-pity throughout those painful teenage years. To the left of Nana is dear Vera, my mother-in-law who passed away in 2,000 from cancer. What a prayer warrior she was. How we still miss her. She chose me as a future son-in-law well before my wife Janice clued in. šŸ˜‰

On the far left is my dear late father Ted who was always learning and growing. His Christian faith always was deepening. I want to be like my dad when I grow up. šŸ˜‰

On my Dad’s right is my twin brother Edward Allen Hird šŸ˜‰ As we were all part of a Christian Rock Band ‘Morning Star’, we had the customary longer hair, though I was sure that mine was short compared to others. Don Robinson my brother-in-law is on my right, just behind my beautiful wife Janice.  Don was the mastermind behind our Christian Concert Production agency ‘Living Stone Productions’ which put on an amazing number of outreach concerts.  We were only university students then. Looking back, I am amazed at all that was accomplished. But during the Jesus Movement, we didn’t know any better. So we just went ahead and God supplied.

On Don’s right is my other brother-in-law John Cline who is a good friend and a Baptist Pastor in Edmonton. John is a deeply pastoral person who loves Jesus, and is a great credit to our family.Ā  To the direct right of John is his late father, my father-in-law Rev David Cline who passed away at age 95 in 2019. What an inspiration David was through the years. What courage he showed in standing up to false teaching. What kindness he exhibited to hurting and broken people. Without David and Vera, we would not be active today in the wonderful Christian Ashram retreat movement. Thank God for loving, faithful family, many of whom have since been promoted to Glory. I am truly grateful for the gift of family.

Rev. Dr. Ed Hird, BSW, MDiv, DMin

ā€œIā€™m afraid thereā€™s been an accidentā€¦ā€

12bdf6ff-3021-4e73-bccd-bc919398d1a0-7068-0000031133e7b4d9Sandy Brown and her family have just moved to Spokane, Washington where her husband, Scott, is pastoring a new church. With a fresh start, Sandy is determined to devote more time to her four children. But, within weeks of settling in their new life, the Brown family is plunged into turmoil.

Sandy receives shocking news that her children arenā€™t safe, which brings back haunting memories of the trauma she experienced as a girl. Then, the unthinkable happensā€¦

A brutal attack puts Sandy on the brink of losing everything sheā€™s loved. Her faith in God and the family she cherishes are pushed to the ultimate limit.

Is healing possible when so many loved ones are hurt? Are miracles really possible through the power of prayer? Can life return to the way it was before?

Blue Sky reveals how a motherā€™s most basic instinct isnā€™t for survivalā€¦ but for family.

If youā€™re a fan of Karen Kingsbury, then youā€™ll love Blue Sky. Get your copy today on paperback or  kindle.

-Click to check out our marriage book For Better For Worse: discovering the keys to a lasting relationship on Amazon. You can even read the first two chapters for free to see if the book speaks to you. 

-The sequel book Restoring Health: body, mind and spirit is available online with Amazon.com in both paperback and ebook form.  Dr. JI Packer wrote the foreword, saying ā€œI heartily commend what he has written.ā€ The book focuses on strengthening a new generation of healthy leaders. Drawing on examples from Titusā€™ healthy leadership in the pirate island of Crete, it shows how we can embrace a holistically healthy life.

In Canada, Amazon.ca has the book available in paperback and ebook. It is also posted on Amazon UK (paperback and ebook), Amazon France (paperback and ebook), and Amazon Germany (paperback and ebook).

Restoring Health is also available online on Barnes and Noble in both paperback and Nook/ebook form.  Nook gives a sample of the book to read online.

Indigo also offers the paperback and the Kobo ebook version.  You can also obtain it through ITunes as an IBook.

To receive a personally signed copy within North America, just etransfer at ed_hird@telus.net, giving your address. Cheques are also acceptable.

-Click to purchase the Companion Bible Study by Jan Cox (for the Battle of the Soul of Canada) in both paperback and Kindle on Amazon.com and Amazon.ca 

Indigo also offers the paperback and the Kobo ebook version.  You can also obtain it through ITunes as an IBook.

-Click to purchase the Companion Bible Study by Jan Cox (for the Battle of the Soul of Canada) in both paperback and Kindle on Amazon.com and Amazon.ca 

Many of our books include references to and stories about E. Stanley Jones.

To purchase any of our six books in paperback or ebook on Amazon, just click on this link.

To receive a personally signed copy of any of our books within North America, just etransfer at ed_hird@telus.net, giving your address. Cheques are also acceptable.


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Faithful Father-in-Law

By the Rev. Dr. Ed HirdĀ Cline family2

My late father-in-law David was solid like a rock.Ā  I have been married to his daughter for 43 years.Ā  David joked that he has never quite forgiven me for taking his daughter away, as she was the lead soprano in his choir.Ā  To make up for this ā€˜theftā€™, I have paid him back by ā€˜givingā€™ him three grandchildren.Ā  The nicest thing about grandchildren, of course, is that you can fuss over them, and then send them back home!

Over the years, my father-in-law showed great wisdom in dealing with impossible situations.Ā  When others give up, he kept on moving faithfully forward.Ā  I experienced my father-in-law as someone who never stopped expecting the best from you.Ā  Many times over the years, my father-in-law opened doors for me to speak in situations that would otherwise have been closed.Ā  He was a true Barnabas, a Son of Encouragement.

When I have faced enormous obstacles relationally, financially or spiritually, David was always someone that I could sit down with and pour out my heart.Ā  I was blessed with ā€˜stereoā€™ wisdom from my father-in-law and my own father, both of whom lived just ten minutes from each other.Ā  We live in a culture that is often embarrassed by aging and gray hair, but the Good Book says that ā€˜Gray hair is a crown of splendorā€™ and a potential sign of wisdom that comes through often painful years of experience.Ā  My father-in-lawā€™s wisdom taught me to be less afraid of aging and gray hair!

ā€˜With humility comes wisdomā€™, writes King Solomon in the Book of Proverbs.Ā  My father-in-law was a very humble man, so much so that he wouldnā€™t recognize his own humility.Ā  The Good Book says ā€˜Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.ā€™ There was gentleness to my father-in-law that has drawn many hurting, broken people over the years.Ā  People instinctively knew that David cares.Ā  My father-in-law was both a true shepherd and a true gentleman.

I remember when I announced to my father-in-law that I was going to marry his daughter.Ā  Because I said it with a smile, he thought that I was joking!Ā  But after I got down on my knees, he got the point.Ā  I am one of a rare breed of bridegrooms whose father-in-law actually performed the marriage ceremony.Ā  My father-in-law was one of three brothers who became ordained as clergy.Ā  So you can imagine all the speeches that we had at our wedding reception.Ā  My wedding reception, by the way, was so long that we actually had to have an intermission!

One of the most refreshing things about my late father-in-law is that he didn’t take himself too seriously.Ā  Being a wonderful storyteller, he always had a great joke that broke the ice, and opened people up to deeper spiritual truth.Ā  With a twinkle in his eye, David would tell a hilarious story of some mishap that happened as children back on the family farm in Saskatchewan.

It was there in Saskatchewan that he met my future mother-in-law.Ā  If there was ever a marriage made in heaven, their marriage was one of them.Ā  Filled with much love and perseverance, their marriage inspired many other struggling couples to go the second mile and keep on forgiving.Ā  Everything about David and Vera breathed the message of hope and steadfast endurance in the face of great obstacles.Ā  Their faith in our Lord Jesus Christ was the open secret of their great love for each other, and for a hurting world.Ā  Though it has been 20 years now since Vera passed on, she is still fondly remembered.*

My father-in-lawĀ was deeply impacted by the Christian Ashram Retreat movement.Ā Ā Ā  I admire people who want to keep growing and learning even into their retirement years.Ā  David always looked for ways to be more loving, more caring, more forgiving, more Christ-like.Ā  The International United Christian Ashram movement is a big part of what made my father-in-law tick, of what kept him vital and joyful year after year.Ā  If David had one wish for those of you reading this article, I am sure that it would be the desire that you might experience a transformed life through attending a Christian Ashram retreat.Ā  My own life has been radically transformed through many years of spending each summer at a Christ-centered BC Christian Ashram retreat with my father-in-law and family.Ā Ā 

* David was blessed to be given a dear second wife Una by the Lord who faithfully participated in the Christian Ashram family.

The Rev. Dr. Ed Hird,Ā BSW, MDiv, DMin

-previously published in the North Shore News

-award-winning author of the book Battle for the Soul of Canada

P. S. Click thisĀ Amazon linkĀ to view for free the first two chapters of our new novelĀ Blue Sky.

ā€œIā€™m afraid thereā€™s been an accidentā€¦ā€

12bdf6ff-3021-4e73-bccd-bc919398d1a0-7068-0000031133e7b4d9Sandy Brown and her family have just moved to Spokane, Washington where her husband, Scott, is pastoring a new church. With a fresh start, Sandy is determined to devote more time to her four children. But, within weeks of settling in their new life, the Brown family is plunged into turmoil.

Sandy receives shocking news that her children arenā€™t safe, which brings back haunting memories of the trauma she experienced as a girl. Then, the unthinkable happensā€¦

A brutal attack puts Sandy on the brink of losing everything sheā€™s loved. Her faith in God and the family she cherishes are pushed to the ultimate limit.

Is healing possible when so many loved ones are hurt? Are miracles really possible through the power of prayer? Can life return to the way it was before?

Blue Sky reveals how a motherā€™s most basic instinct isnā€™t for survivalā€¦ but for family.

If youā€™re a fan of Karen Kingsbury, then youā€™ll love Blue Sky. Get your copy today onĀ paperbackĀ or Ā kindle.

-Click to check out our marriage bookĀ For Better For Worse: discovering the keys to a lasting relationship on Amazon. You can even read the first two chapters for free to see if the book speaks to you.

  • Ā 

-The sequel bookĀ Restoring Health: body, mindĀ and spiritĀ is available online with Amazon.com in bothĀ paperbackĀ andĀ ebookĀ form.Ā Ā Dr. JI Packer wrote the foreword, saying ā€œI heartily commend what he has written.ā€ The book focuses on strengthening a new generation of healthy leaders. Drawing on examples from Titusā€™ healthy leadership in the pirate island of Crete, it shows how we can embrace a holistically healthy life.

In Canada, Amazon.ca has the bookĀ available inĀ paperbackĀ andĀ ebook.Ā It is also posted on Amazon UK (paperbackĀ andĀ ebook), Amazon France (paperbackĀ andĀ ebook), and Amazon Germany (paperbackĀ andĀ ebook).

Restoring HealthĀ is also available online on Barnes and Noble in bothĀ paperbackĀ andĀ Nook/ebook form. Ā Nook gives aĀ sample of the bookĀ to read online.

Indigo also offers theĀ paperbackĀ and theĀ Kobo ebook version. Ā You can also obtain it through ITunes as anĀ IBook.

To receive a signed copy within North America, just send a $20 cheque (USD/CAN) to ED HIRD, 102 ā€“ 15168 19th Avenue, Surrey, BC, V4A 0A5, Canada.

-Click to purchase theĀ Companion Bible StudyĀ by Jan Cox (for theĀ Battle of the Soul of Canada) in bothĀ paperbackĀ andĀ KindleĀ onĀ Amazon.comĀ andĀ Amazon.caĀ 

Indigo also offers theĀ paperbackĀ and theĀ Kobo ebook version. Ā You can also obtain it through ITunes as anĀ IBook.

-Click to purchase theĀ Companion Bible StudyĀ by Jan Cox (for theĀ Battle of the Soul of Canada) in bothĀ paperbackĀ andĀ KindleĀ onĀ Amazon.comĀ andĀ Amazon.ca

Many of our books include references to and stories about E. Stanley Jones.
To purchase any of our six books in paperback or ebook on Amazon, just click on this link.

To receive a personally signed copy of any of our books within North America, just etransfer at ed_hird@telus.net, giving your address. Cheques are also acceptable.


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Thank God for Mothers-in-Law

By Rev. Ed Hird

Ā 

How often do we celebrate the gift of our mothers-in-law?Ā  Marriage counselors tell us that there are three primary areas of stress in marriages: money, marital intimacy, and in-laws.Ā  Mother-in-law jokes tend to express the ambivalent nature of this most important relationship.Ā  I would like to state uncategorically that I have been blessed with the gift of the mother-in-law that God gave me. It has been twenty-two years now since Vera went home to heaven in 2,000, but her impact is still deeply felt.

Ā 

My mother-in-law found me before my wife did.Ā  By God-incidence, we met each other at a 1974 weekend conference.Ā  She was quite impressed with me, despite my 1970ā€™s longish hair and embroidered overalls.Ā  My mother-in-law really enjoyed the movie ā€˜Fiddler on the Roofā€™, and could sing ā€˜Matchmaker, matchmaker, make me a matchā€™ by heart.Ā  Unfortunately, when my future mother-law/matchmatcher commended me to my future wife, the assessment was not mutual.Ā  My wife and I had been in the same High School for Grade 12.Ā  We all know what familiarity can breed.Ā  My wife did remember however that even in Grade 12, I had nice eyes.

Ā 

Vera and David 1944When I reconnected with my future wife at UBC in 1975, I also rediscovered my future mother-in-law.Ā  I was most impressed by the warm hospitality that I always felt in my future mother-in-lawā€™s home.Ā  Some people make you feel stressed by how they fuss over you as a guest.Ā  With my mother-in-law, it all felt very natural and relaxed.Ā  She had that gift of making one feel right at home.

Ā 

When I lost my voice for 18 months back in 1980, my mother-in-law was one of the people who stood with me in practical and prayerful ways.Ā  She introduced me to the Order of St. Luke the Physician where I learned how to combine the dual benefits of medicine and prayer.Ā  When I am tempted to be cynical about the power of prayer, I think of my mother-in-law who never gave up praying for seemingly hopeless situations.Ā  Once whenĀ my wife’s sisterĀ wasĀ running from the Lord, my mother-in-law recruited people from all around the world to pray without ceasing for her daughter.Ā  As a result of that passionate prayer, the prodigal daughter ā€˜returned homeā€™ and became a Christ-like example to other seekers.Ā  My mother-in-law symbolizes the call to ā€˜never, never give up.ā€™

Ā 

“Like mother, like daughter” goes the familiar saying.Ā  Forty-one years into my marriage, I am now more aware than ever how much a mother influences her daughter.Ā  I have counseled various women whose experiences with their mothers have left them emotionally crippled and unable to share love.Ā  I give thanks to God that my mother-in-law raised my wife in an atmosphere of love and caring.Ā  I know that without that foundational nurturing, my last 41 years of marriage would have been a very different experience indeed.Ā  I am grateful to be married to a loving wife and mother who learned mother-love from someone who really cares.

Ā 

Vera and David 1945My mother-in-law has had some real setbacks in her life over the years, but she never let it defeat her.Ā  She always bounced back.Ā Ā Family and faith mean the world to her.Ā  Day in and day out, sheĀ was always looking for ways to comfort and encourage other people, both young and old.Ā Ā Even on her hospital bed near the end of her life, she was still counselling people.Ā Ā  Rather than moaning about her own problems, she was remarkably other-centered, truly loving her neighbours as herself in a very Christ-like way.

Ā 

One of her greatest contributions in my life has been her encouraging my involvement in the Christian Ashram retreat movement.Ā  For 45 years now, I have attended the BC Christian Ashram each summer spending time learning how to be a healthier and more whole person.Ā  I can honestly say that the renewal that I have experienced in the 45 Christian Ashram retreats that I have attended have made me more peaceful, more forgiving, and more restful.*

Ā 

What more can I say except ā€˜thank youā€™ for my irreplaceable mother-in-law?Ā  My prayer for those married couples reading this article is that we will take time to express our gratitude to our mothers-in-law.Ā  Life is shorter than we think.

The Reverend Ed Hird, BSW, MDiv, DMin

-award-winning author of the book Battle for the Soul of Canada

-previously published in the North Shore News/Deep Cove Crier

P. S. Click thisĀ Amazon linkĀ to view for free the first two chapters of our new novelĀ Blue Sky.

ā€œIā€™m afraid thereā€™s been an accidentā€¦ā€

12bdf6ff-3021-4e73-bccd-bc919398d1a0-7068-0000031133e7b4d9Sandy Brown and her family have just moved to Spokane, Washington where her husband, Scott, is pastoring a new church. With a fresh start, Sandy is determined to devote more time to her four children. But, within weeks of settling in their new life, the Brown family is plunged into turmoil.

Sandy receives shocking news that her children arenā€™t safe, which brings back haunting memories of the trauma she experienced as a girl. Then, the unthinkable happensā€¦

A brutal attack puts Sandy on the brink of losing everything sheā€™s loved. Her faith in God and the family she cherishes are pushed to the ultimate limit.

Is healing possible when so many loved ones are hurt? Are miracles really possible through the power of prayer? Can life return to the way it was before?

Blue Sky reveals how a motherā€™s most basic instinct isnā€™t for survivalā€¦ but for family.

If youā€™re a fan of Karen Kingsbury, then youā€™ll love Blue Sky. Get your copy today onĀ paperbackĀ or Ā kindle.

-Click to check out our marriage bookĀ For Better For Worse: discovering the keys to a lasting relationship on Amazon. You can even read the first two chapters for free to see if the book speaks to you.

  • Ā 

-The sequel bookĀ Restoring Health: body, mindĀ and spiritĀ is available online with Amazon.com in bothĀ paperbackĀ andĀ ebookĀ form.Ā Ā Dr. JI Packer wrote the foreword, saying ā€œI heartily commend what he has written.ā€ The book focuses on strengthening a new generation of healthy leaders. Drawing on examples from Titusā€™ healthy leadership in the pirate island of Crete, it shows how we can embrace a holistically healthy life.

In Canada, Amazon.ca has the bookĀ available inĀ paperbackĀ andĀ ebook.Ā It is also posted on Amazon UK (paperbackĀ andĀ ebook), Amazon France (paperbackĀ andĀ ebook), and Amazon Germany (paperbackĀ andĀ ebook).

Restoring HealthĀ is also available online on Barnes and Noble in bothĀ paperbackĀ andĀ Nook/ebook form. Ā Nook gives aĀ sample of the bookĀ to read online.

Indigo also offers theĀ paperbackĀ and theĀ Kobo ebook version. Ā You can also obtain it through ITunes as anĀ IBook.

To receive a signed copy within North America, just etransfer at ed_hird@telus.net, giving your address. Cheques are also acceptable.

-Click to purchase theĀ Companion Bible StudyĀ by Jan Cox (for theĀ Battle of the Soul of Canada) in bothĀ paperbackĀ andĀ KindleĀ onĀ Amazon.comĀ andĀ Amazon.caĀ 

Indigo also offers theĀ paperbackĀ and theĀ Kobo ebook version. Ā You can also obtain it through ITunes as anĀ IBook.

-Click to purchase theĀ Companion Bible StudyĀ by Jan Cox (for theĀ Battle of the Soul of Canada) in bothĀ paperbackĀ andĀ KindleĀ onĀ Amazon.comĀ andĀ Amazon.ca

Many of our books include references to and stories about E. Stanley Jones.
To purchase any of our six books in paperback or ebook on Amazon, just click on this link.

To receive a personally signed copy of any of our books within North America, just etransfer at ed_hird@telus.net, giving your address. Cheques are also acceptable.