10 October 07 - 16:47
Coming Clean - Part 1
Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me.
Psalm 51:1-3 (New International Version)
For me, the week started last Wed when I came clean with God. Just one of those moments, you know.... when I realized I had been shutting God out of important things and avoiding growth, avoiding Him in ways that suddenly became apparent to me. It was just a moment of Coming Clean with God, making a new pledge, growing closer, realizing how alone I am without Him invited to all aspects of my life.
My sister is right. Our relationship with Christ is all about us and then it's not about us at all. It's all about coming clean, growing closer, then it's all about how He can use us to reach and to help others. This awesome cycle. It's like that for us girls in the van. We go out to be God's hands and His feet, but He does a work in each of us first. We had a special guest with us this week, Grier. Even though she was sick with a cold this week, she came out to express God's love to the people we meet on the street. What a priviledge it was to have this sweet woman in the van - content to pack lunch bags and extend her hand in prayer.
It started out so quiet. Strangely quiet. That can be a good thing. We heard there had been (police) sweeps over the last few days and maybe many of the girls were locked up. This could be a chance for recovery or maybe just the step they need to get off the streets. So we headed into the neighborhood to see some of the families.
There was "K" sitting outside his family's home. The first time I met "K" he was in a street gang and was a fierce problem in the neighborhood. Now, he approaches the van with joy and hugs for us, anticipating prayer and excitedly telling us he will graduate early next year because he has too many credits. I told him that I think about him all the time. "Really?", he asked. I told him, "I pray about you when you don't even know it." Again, "Really?", he asked. I told him, "There is something so special about you!" And a smile spreads on his face. He knows that's true. God has a special plan for this young man and he feels it.
When we pulled up in front of our friend "E's" house, there was a woman standing in front of a van with two men in it. We stopped to talk and she whipped around. Donna said, "Her feet were planted on the ground but she jumped 10 feet into the air". We had interrupted a drug deal with a request to give sandwiches and prayer. God is so good. We just pulled up and waited and they came to us. Asking for prayer. Needing God.
Back on the street we ran into "E" waiting for her sister to arrive on the bus. "E" has sickle cell (and is awful pain), expecting liver surgery on Monday, lost her mother (who's birthday is this month), and she's feeling terribly alone. She was thankful to receive our lunch bag and prayer. She promised to call for prayer and as she said, she just "needs someone to talk to". Don't we all? Thank you Jesus we could be there for her and give her the hope we have in you.
We saw a few girls (and one that was pretending) that were very anxious and nervous, accepting our gifts and wanting prayer if we would only hurry and get out of their way. We stop for them too. We offer them the same hope. "M" and "S" were both incredibly emaciated and frail. How they continue on their path only God knows. We prayed with them and gave them our cards. OH PLEASE GOD... ambush these women and make them stop.
Why should you be beaten anymore? Why do you persist in rebellion? Your whole head is injured, your whole heart afflicted. From the sole of your foot to the top of your head there is no soundness— only wounds and welts and open sores, not cleansed or bandaged or soothed with oil. Your country is desolate, your cities burned with fire; your fields are being stripped by foreigners right before you, laid waste as when overthrown by strangers.
Isaiah 1:5-7 (New International Version)
Leonard was just walking home to be with his daughter who also has sickle cell. We offered him a sandwich and prayer. While we were praying with him, our miracle pulled up. A car pulled up in front of the van, and backed up toward us. We never know, so we were all on alert. A woman walked out of the car and over to the van and said, "You probably don't remember me." and I said "PAM!" (I can give you that name, because it was never hers in the first place, but that's the name we know her as) and she was pleased as punch that we remembered her.
"I'M CLEAN!", she said. "90 DAYS CLEAN!" "Off the streets!" "Have a job!" "Answer to prayer!"
My ears were ringing!! and seriously, if I listened close enough, I think I could hear angels singing!
I cried and cried. She took our number again. She sought us out. She wanted to tell us how she came clean to God and how much different life was for her now.
This is why we do what we do! PAM! Every girl out there has the potential to be a "Pam". And God will pluck them out, call their names, cleanse their souls, and redeem them. Please continue to pray that their ears will be open to hear their names called.
and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.
Hebrews 10:21-23 (New International Version)
Thank you for the generous donations this week. We appreciate and need your help so desparately. If God is speaking to you to pour into our ministry this week, please send your check, donation of: gloves, hats, gas cards, or gift cards for grocery to: 70x7 Outreach, 27450 Goldengate Dr. W., Lathrup Village, MI 48076. (For checks, please write to Abide Ministries with "70x7" in the memo line).
May God Bless you, your family and all your friends.
Love,
Lauren
one comment
YOU GO GIRL!!!
How awesome is God? What great testimonies!!
xoxoxoxoxo
Dana
Dana Ernst - 10 10 07 - 16:57
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