I was on a mission. Our church had a call from a woman who was cut off from her home, renting a place of her own, she had nothing but discount beds with no bedding. And her clothes.
Her heart and head and body plagued with brokenness, 42 years old with a collection of bad choices by herself and others in her past. Unable to work.
We had gathered love-gifts, and I was delivering.
A man helped me carry the things in, about the same age as the woman, he was well-built and had a certain tenderness in his eyes. Boyfriend of a friend...I found out another day he was not tender as he appeared. Two days after I met him, he was in jail. {I trust as an answer to prayer and I pray he will meet the One who loves his soul while he is detained}
I leaned in to listen with questions, and concern. She was obviously desiring her home to be 'better looking' in apologizing for the state of the carpet, but was grateful and hopeful in sharing what she would like to do there. Her voice- twenty years older than her age, her body was gaunt; frail-looking. She told me her best friend, she found homeless, was now living there too. So she called her name, but no answer. Several times. Still no answer. Peeked inside her bedroom door and it was empty. Walked to the back of the house and came back, "She will be out soon".
Ten years younger, her friend's story is even more painful to hear. Her life riddled with death of loved ones to suicide and disease and laden with abuse and mental illness in her family of origin. And she herself-struggling with a backlash of agoraphobia from her losses. One story after another created a knot deep in my gut. My heart was heavy as I sat on the arm of the sofa with my hand on her shoulder. Tears stifled.
I embraced her with both arms and prayed for Jesus to make Himself known, to restore to her what the enemy-thief has stolen. Tears flowed. {John 10:10}
I prayed for protection, for healing and for transformation. I prayed for hope. I prayed for salvation.
She told me she had prayed the day before. She didn't know how to pray but she just said something like, "Help me Jesus." And here I was. Jesus with skin on. {But Jesus, please show me HOW to help her! ~and~ I can do all things through You.}
"How do you know Jesus?" I asked.
"He was with me when I was a little girl taking care of my mom and sister. He never once left me."
Wow.
She wants her own children back. All three in the care of others since the suicide of her boyfriend two and a half years ago.
I left that day with that smoke-smell in my hair...wondering 'how many?' How many people are living underneath real living~not really living? And right under our noses? The USA is a mission field. I don't need to go to Haiti. {something I have wanted to do} Here are needs as deep and disturbing as any across the sea. Here we need Jesus to do His mighty miracles of delivering, healing, restoring and binding up wounds. I trust the fragrance of the Christ that I brought to their house remained with them...
As I think over the tangled messes that sin has left in their life-and restoration? It feels impossible. But God. I know Him. I know what He has done in my life. In others' lives. With God all things are possible. Please pray for God's grace to pour out, for the resurrection power of Jesus to break the chains of deception and destruction and to lift these ladies to their feet from ashes. And all the others from broken homes. All the school children who go home every day not to a place of refuge, but of pain and disfunction. We know they are there. They need us who know the source of Life. Let's intercede for them, pray and ask for opportunities to sow blessings into their lives. Offer hope. Offer grace. Our land needs Jesus! Please have hope for your community to experience transformation!
Jesus, please rescue and heal them! The power of your beautiful truth will set them free as it has for me. You are amazing... Show your power Lord!
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. John 10:10
1 comment:
Beautiful words, Kathy. I feel your heart through these sentences and know that you made an impact on this woman and her home. I am saying a prayer for her tonight and trusting God's promises that the seeds you planted will bear much fruit. Blessings~Shelly
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