But it’s more than a story. It’s a soul. And meeting her did something to me.
She first crossed my path last week on a morning run. I was running. She was walking. But she wasn’t exercising. As we passed one another I looked into her eyes and saw the heaviness. She couldn’t return my smile.
There wasn’t even a shadow of a smile on her face.
The burden for her laid on me. And with each step I prayed for this young woman. If you want me to say something, Lord, I will. Just show me. As I rounded each curve I wondered if we might meet again.
But we didn’t. And I forgot about her…
until Thursday night.
I was heading to my sister’s when I saw her. She was stumbling down the road with a bag of beer in her hand, wearing the same clothes from two days prior. And I remembered the words He had prompted me to pray — intercessions for this soul.
For a few moments I just watched from the stop sign while conversing with Him. But God, what can I possibly do for her? She tripped over the grass and dropped a can from her bag. Then she started down the busy street and fell in a man’s yard.
He came out to corral her. So I drove over. “Do you know her?” I hollered out of the window wanting him to hear me over the passing cars. “No, I just came out to check on her.”
I asked her where she was going and she slurred a partially understandable response. Then I told her to get in. What am I doing? She smelled of stale cigarette smoke. Her eyes were bloodshot. Her lips were dry and cracked. And just as she began telling me pieces of her story, I interrupted.
Our God faithfully interrupts our agenda that we might be alive in Him. Dependent. Abiding.
“I have to tell you something,” I began, “I saw you on my run the other morning and God pricked my heart. So I prayed. And I promised that I would say something if I saw you again. And here you are.” She sat staring at me in shock. “It’s no coincidence you are in my car,” I continued, “God wants you to know that He is very real and He created you with a purpose.”
With her head slightly bobbing while she tried to stay focused on my face, she said, “You’re *bleeping* kidding me!” “No, friend, I’m not.” We talked for the next twenty minutes. I shared how Jesus transformed me from being chained by addictions to being quenched by Him.
While she shared of her desire to die. Her desire. To die.
Her arms were scarred with remnants of the despair. And that heaviness I saw in her eyes a few mornings before, now weighed down in the same minivan that typically sounded of squealing, happy children. The interaction was surreal. Yet it was divine.
He’s always moving and working and pursuing. The question is whether or not we see.
She listened intently and couldn’t stop staring at me in amazement. She said there was a light in my eyes that she had never seen before. That’s Jesus. I asked if I could pray for her. She reluctantly agreed, for talking to God was a foreign concept.
I arrived where she wanted to be dropped off. But before she got out, she asked for my number. So I gave it. Then she closed the door and I drove away with an ache in me. An ache for this woman’s soul.
It’s more than a story. It’s a soul.
I can’t quite figure out why I’m telling you. It isn’t that I want your praise. God forbid. In fact, I’m ashamed at how often I walk right by the desperate. I’m ashamed that I’ve had thoughts of wanting to avoid her road. I’m ashamed that I like the easy and predictable and have something in me that wants to keep my hands free from the messy.
So I suppose I tell of this woman for one reason. I want to point at Him. He is real. He sees the broken and speaks the words that mend. He graciously gives His vision. And then uses the willing.
I’m not sure if my role in her life is over. I’m not sure if He will call me to step out even further. But I pray I’m willing. I pray I hear. I pray I obey.
Fill me, Lord…
What does this interaction do to your own heart?
Tell me of a time when He prompted you to step out to meet the unsuspected need of another. Let’s praise Him.
wow. you did it. you did what many want to do but don’t. won’t.
thank you Jesus for lara’s willingness.
I praise Him that He would allow me to speak life words *in spite of* me. Blessings to you.
This makes me ache for her and rejoice with you.
And it pricks my heart with sadness because I don’t think it’s soft enough to have been obedient over my fears.
Fears are so real. They are. And they have definitely paralyzed me at times. Praying that we would all grow more and more sensitive to His leading and free from fear. “He has not given you a spirit of fear…”
However, we are in the flesh and many times it over comes us. I am struggling with that right now and have to keep telling my self trust Him He has it all figured out. It is only through this can I find His peace to move and do what He calls me to do even if I do it afraid.
Absolutely, Joyce. I think that’s why Jesus always said, “Fear not” — because they were afraid. And I think you totally nailed it when you said that you tell yourself true things, like you can trust Him. Bringing your “thoughts captive.” He says to lay those anxious places down, with thanksgiving, and His promised peace will guard our hearts and minds. (Phil 4:6-7) Thanks for sharing, Joyce.
This touches my heart. Because I’ve always passed people without stopping, even when I feel a burden tug. I’ve always had trust issues, and I think I’ve allowed that to prevent me from stepping out in faith. You inspire me!
YOU inspire me, Hope. Love to you.
The story is not over – and as you were written into it, your stories connected. You were faithful and God will use that in ways you may never see this side of heaven.
beautiful.
Thank you, Stacey, for that sweet encouragement. I hope to be faithful in this day. And when I’m not I praise Him for His matchless grace.
Oh, Lara – I hope she calls. I hope she is touched by His hand and that you’re given further opportunity to bless her. Thank you again for being a godly example. I know you’re not perfect – but you’re faithful. I too, walk by those He’s called us to minister to time and time again. I tend to focus my “ministry” on those who already call Him their Father. But as He said, He didn’t come to heal those who are well. Oh, that He would give us more opportunities and that we would be obedient to share His love.
She actually called that same night and told me thank you. I am just trusting that if He has more for me to “do” in her life that He will faithfully lead and faithfully empower me. Thanks for your sweet words, even though you pointed out my imperfection. ha. 😉
Ahhh,Lara. Once again, God uses you to challenge and encourage my heart. One of things (many, I might add) that I love about you is your transparency with others. But, I also know you share these things out of a conviction that God be glorified through your strengths and weaknesses. I pray that God will continue to burden us with the hope-filled message we can offer to a broken world and that we will be faithful to declare it with great boldness, compassion and conviction to those such as your new friend. Praying for her and you today and how He might continue to use you as a BRIGHT light in her dark and troubling world. Love to you~
Betsy, I just need to see you sometime soon! It has been too long. Thank you for your sweet encouragement. You bless me, friend.
Wow. Breathtaking honest and real. I’m one of those who looks and likes to judge but rarely goes up and ministers. It’s embarrassing.you’ve encouraged me to be more – to do more.
Miranda, what honest words. Though I’m sure you shine His light in more ways than you can even imagine. We could all walk in deeper communion with Him that we would know how He is prompting in the moments. But my prayer for this post is that we would each be challenged to ask for His vision — that we could see the broken souls even in our own neighborhoods — and that we would be bold to step out in faith. Thanks for sharing, Miranda.
That is beautiful mama. I was crying tears of joy that you listened to God and moved in that way for that woman.
It reminds me of a time when I was still in college, and didn’t have any babies yet. 🙂 I was on my way home from school. The roads were COVERED in snow…at least 6 inches. I remember being surprised (and disappointed) that we had even had school that day. As I was nearing the end of the drive for my school that led out onto the main road, I saw the outline of a person walking, in the snow, in the FREEZING cold (it was frigid, and I’m someone who doesn’t mind the cold.) God told me to give this person a ride. OF COURSE, I thought, any decent person would. As I got closer though, i realized it was a young man, maybe not much younger than myself. That alone made me wary, since I was a petite, young, girl, by myself. I noticed next that he had a unique haircut, and many piercings. Normally I wouldn’t give these things a second thought, but I was about to let this person into my car, just us, driving where ever he needed to go. He could have a gun for all I know! (yes, I actually thought that…I live in a tiny town in the country…but I grew up in the city.) My husband would NOT approve. He always says I am too trusting of people. But, I decide, God will not lead me astray, and will not lead me into something that would cause me harm. I know he will protect me. He is so faithful. I stopped, asked the young man if he wanted a ride, which he politely and graciously accepted. I asked where he was headed, and it was right on my way home, not even a turn out of the way. I dropped him off, and he thanked me, and it only took an extra 2 minutes of my time, and some trust in the Lord. 🙂 It’s fun reminiscing. Thank you for sharing! 😀
In class this Sunday, we talked about traits of the Water-Wakers like Peter. Praise the Lord that you got out of the boat, Lara !
Oh how this makes my heart hurt and rejoice all in the same moments. SO praying with you, right now, for this one whom He loves and desires and is seeking!
Praising Him for His relentless grace and that the love of Christ compelled you…
Lord, we pray for this woman, whom you love so much. Open her heart. Remove the fog of addictions so she can see the need inside her soul for You. Give Lara your wisdom and words. Move mightily!
Thank you for that prayer, Katie. He hears and I trust He will move…whether I ever hear anything more or not.
what a blessing. What a moment. SO thankful for your obedience to step out and act when many would have chosen not to. Praying for this woman now, God save her from this oppression…