Divine Encounters

Life has its way of taking some difficult turns. It’s almost as if when things are going well, we can expect the serenity to be short-lived, and to soon be facing some calamity. Maybe it’s just the way this life is, a product of the fall of man. But when Jesus came, He did promise that we could live with peace, security, and freedom from fear. He said we could “renew” our minds. He assured us over and over again that our Father loves us and every hair on our head is numbered. Our circumstances may seem insurmountable, but we are told we can do all things in Christ who strengthens us. I am resting on those truths today.

So here I am, once again in a waiting room at the hospital while Pedro is undergoing some tests that could totally change the course of our lives. And, just like was the case a few months ago, a speaking engagement in Italy now wavers in the balance of the unknown. 

The last time Pedro and I faced a similar crisis,  we were in the emergency room and the nurse who attended Pedro had recognized him as a past elder from Central Church. She broke down in tears and told us that very morning she had been asking God to send her an elder to pray for her, because she was in a terrible situation. While Pedro lay in the hospital bed, we prayed, she cried, and I was sure this had to be a sign from God that all would be well, that we were there for the sake of the nurse's prayer being answered, and that the Italy trip would happen as planned. I was dead wrong. Later that week emergency surgery was scheduled. The trip was delayed two weeks.

 I only prayed this morning that God would use my hours in the waiting room to be a blessing to someone, and as a last minute thought, I had tucked the little sexual abuse booklet I had written in my purse before we had left home.

They took Pedro for the MRI's and  I walked into the waiting room. A sweet Afro-American lady with a T-shirt that let the world know she believed in God was the sole person in the room with me. I thought, “she will be good company,” but within a few minutes she left and I was alone. So I began to write the first paragraph of this journal entry.

Shortly after, a big, Afro-American man came in and sat down. We exchanged a few words, and then I continued writing. Little did I know that this would be an incredible encounter.

Something was on TV on the Dr. Phil show that caused us to strike up a conversation about childhood wounds. The man then told me he was a pastor and that God was dealing with him in this area. We shared  non-stop conversation for two hours, at times including his wife as she was in and out checking on her mom. It was amazing the union of spirit that we all immediately felt! His wife works with the women at their church, so  I shared my story. She immediately told me about some of her friends who had been abused. I pulled the booklet out of my purse and gave it to her as a gift, so grateful I had heeded the prompting of bringing it with me. She insisted on paying for it so she could “be a blessing.” 

We discussed so many relevant issues concerning the Christian walk. Then her husband said he felt we should pray. We all stood in the waiting room, hands held tightly, and he prayed for Pedro’s complete healing and our future ministries, as well as for his mother-in-law. There we were, three complete strangers, united by our love for Jesus. One more time it let me know that God loves His children and watches out for us.  All three of us recognized that our hours together today were no accident.  Plans were made to reconnect, a possibility of me speaking at their ladies’ meeting, and whatever else may come of this God- planned encounter. It is an exciting life to be a follower of Christ! 

I learned the last time with the nurse at our previous hospital episode, that when things like this happen,  it does not necessarily mean that God is saying there is smooth sailing ahead. But it does show in a tangible way that God is very mindful of what we are going through and that we are not alone. May His Holy Name be Glorified! He is in control!

The Missing Chunk Part 2

I know the horse bite analogy may be a little far fetched, but I have to add this sequal anyway.

The other morning I was walking in the park. The weather was beautiful and I enjoyed the slice of time that I was taking for myself. As I walked, I accidentally touched the tip of my horse-bitten finger on my jeans and felt immediate pain. I couldn't  imagine that it could still hurt like that, because the outside was totally healed. I never even thought about it anymore, and there was only a barely visible mark where the nasty wound had been. I must have touched it just right, however, because it hurt, and then reminded me that the inside must still be healing, even though the outside was fine.

Then it occurred to me  that my life was like my finger. The Lord definitely did a marvelous work of healing in me, and I rarely think about my childhood abuse anymore. On the outside, no one would know the pain my deep wounds had caused me in the past. But every once in a while, if the circumstances are just right, a sharp pain radiates from the inside out, and I realize that there is still a part of me that is in the process of healing. But just as I know my finger will totally heal soon from its injury, I believe the day will come when all that will be left of the abuse will be a painless memory.

A King's Daughter

I was at a conference last Saturday where author Becky Harling was the guest speaker. I was very moved by her story of abuse and recovery. She has a new book out called "Freedom from Performance", and with her permission, I am posting a section called "Characteristics of a Daughter." Good truths for meditation.

A  daughter enjoys full assurance that her Father loves her completely.
A daughter views God as close and addresses Him with intimate terms such as "Abba" or "My Father."
A daughter defines faith as trusting that she is loved and that God will provide what is best.
A daughter defines obedience as simply responding to her loving Father.
A daughter enjoys freedom from fear of her Father's disapproval or wrath.
A daughter has learned to rely on the Holy Spirit for life transformation. She prays, Holy Spirit, live your life through me."
A daughter lives with steady joy. It's not that she doesn't experience deep sorrow, but she knows she is the sparkle of her Daddy's eye and that brings a rooted joy that no circumstances can change.

His Pursuing Love

This week at The King's Daughter's Support Groups we ended the meetings with the commitment to pray that God would reveal His love to us in a very special way that we could recognize and understand. That was Monday and Tuesday. This is only Friday, and already I am speechless at the ways He is answering this prayer for me personally.

First of all, my mom, who is 84  years old and has never acknowledged the fact that almost my entire childhood was a horror story of abuse, for the very first time last night, instead of denial, told me that she was sorry. She apologized over and over. I cannot explain what that felt like for me to hear those words after all these years. (Earlier this week I had asked some ladies to pray that my mom would recognize the truth, and quite honestly, I was not expecting an answer so quickly). Not only did that conversation happen, but when I suggested to her that we meet  together and do the study questions from Becky Harling's book,"Rewriting Your Emotional Script," she agreed. We even met at Walmart today and bought journals so we could record our answers! You would have to know my mother to know what a miracle this truly is! I am in awe. And she seemed like a huge weight was  lifted from her shoulders.

While at Walmart this  afternoon, another amazing event happened that clearly  showed me how God pursues us, trying so hard to get us to understand the depth of His love for us. Maybe God works a lot at Walmart! Anyway, this past Christmas I had been shopping, and as I was leaving the store the lady who checks receipts stopped me and asked to see mine. I opened my little change purse to get the receipt, and she commented on how she loved my little purse. So I proceeded to tell her that I design and make one-of-a-kind purses. Then, in the depth of my heart, I knew I was supposed to give her one. So I told her that I would make one for her, and asked what type of print she wanted. She said she liked flowers, and that she actually worked in the garden department, but for some reason that night they had put her at the door. She asked the price, and I told her, but insisted that it would be a gift, and she insisted that she would pay me.

The next day I went back to Walmart with her little flower change purse, all gift wrapped. I couldn't find her anywhere, and finally asked at the fitting room area if they could have  her paged. I waited. She didn't appear. So they paged her again. A few moments later I could see her in the distance, hurrying down the isle, a noticeable limp on one leg, a worried look on her face. I met her before she got to the fitting room area. She explained that she didn't know why they were paging her or what she had done wrong. I quickly told her that I had asked them to page her and was sorry for upsetting her. I then handed her the gift bag with the change purse. Tears began to well up in her eyes and then spill down her face. I told her that God loved her, and that no matter what she was going through, He wanted her to know that she was precious to Him. I had no idea if she even believed in God. But that is what I felt to tell her at that moment. She stood sobbing and speechless, and then wiped her face and thanked me. I left Walmart that day with the most incredible sense of well-being.

That was December. I have been in and out of Walmart a hundred times since then, never seeing her again. But today, for some reason I thought I would enter through the garden department and see if she was there. And she was at the register!  I could see she was busy, so I met my mom, bought the journals, and decided to pay at the garden register on my way out. As I approached,  she appeared  to be really struggling emotionally and physically. Maybe she has Parkinson's, because she was shaking. She looked at me strangely, almost as if embarrassed, so I asked if she remembered me. She said she certainly did, and that she loved her little purse. Then she asked,"What is your name again?" and I told her. "That's what I thought." she replied. "We were just talking about you the other day." I waited for her to clarify. "You don't know me, but many years ago, my husband did some plumbing for you. We were in a desperate situation, and you and your husband gave us your car." I just couldn't believe it! In 1994, a plumber had come to work on a new addition we were putting on our house and had told us his very sad story. We were planning on trading our car for a new one, but felt so strongly that God had told us to give our car to the plumber instead, and so we had, even though that was a sacrifice for us at the time. But we never lacked a car since that day. And today, nearly 20 years later, I find out that the woman I had given the purse to just a few months ago  was his wife! Again, she stood in Walmart trying to subdue the tears that were forming. I excitedly hugged her. I don't know what the other people waiting in line thought. But it didn't matter. God was pursuing  this family with His love and allowing me to be a part of it all. Of all the people in Walmart I could have chosen to give  a gift to, and God put her on my heart!
I left Walmart today almost skipping. If God could pursue this woman in this manner over a period of so many years to assure her that she was loved, cared, and provided for, then He was also pursuing me!
And you!


"And this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins." 1John 4:10