Good News, take 2

Just as I was wrapping up the last entry, I had an experience at work that confirmed to me once again that God is doing what I thought, and indeed is beginning to include me, his daughter, in his work.

In the dead middle of the afternoon at the Café, a woman came in. There was something sweet about her, but fragile and not at rest. My invisible antennae perked up. I crafted a nice mocha for her and took it out to the patio, where she was seated with a little ball-of-fluff dog. Hoping to get a better read on her, I stayed a moment to meet the pooch, crouched down next to her chair. The dear woman was eager to talk, and she did, alluding to the dog’s owner, a man towards whom she seemed to have an attitude of fear.

I don’t remember what my responses were to her, but something prompted her to look at me directly all of a sudden and say, “You know what? You are an angel!” This boosted my courage to do what I had been wanting to do: ask if I could pray for her. She unabashedly said, “Yes!” So I did. And she was really grateful and responsive, and so I thought, “She seems open; I wonder if she wants to hear about Jesus.” I asked if she had ever read or heard the stories of Jesus before. Judging from her response, she seemed to have some knowledge of him but not so much an experience of his character. Inspired by my friend Lindsay’s breakthroughs with her friend Carrie while reading the gospels, I asked this woman, Lisa, if she wanted to get together with me sometime and do this together. “Yes, I would really like that,” was her again eager reply. I was a bit baffled at this point.

Fast forward to the next day, a Wednesday afternoon. I picked Lisa up outside her brick apartment, and returned to my house through a brilliant-leaved Gillham Park. We drank chamomile tea as we talked gardening and she told me more of her story. When I suggested we open up the Bible, she was ready to go.

That afternoon and the two Wednesday afternoons since have been interesting. Lisa is really a lovely, soft-hearted lady, and she is so receptive not only to God, but to “the messenger”—me—and encourages me by sharing the light she sees in me. On the other hand, it’s a bit crazy because she’s 43 and has been through long-term illness and other trauma in her life, and there are clear effects of that on her physical, emotional, and mental health. While my life hasn’t been all fun and games by any means, I feel like a Suzy Sunshine next to her and feel inadequate to confront the powers of darkness in her, especially alone.

But my hope is this: the character of God. He preaches good news to the poor, binds up the brokenhearted, releases the prisoners from the darkness, comforts those who mourn, provides for those who grieve. He bestows beauty for ashes, oil of gladness for mourning, and a garment of praise for a spirit of despair (Isaiah 61:1-3). I’ve seen in my own life that this process can certainly be a long haul, but also that it’s true. So I cringe to say it sometimes, knowing that this too will be a long-term investment, but oh God, be who you are in Lisa’s life! And be strong in my weakness so I can continue to partner with you!